base, only covered, the railroad embankment as the perpendicular line, and the series of swamps as the hypothenuse, will give a clear and remarkably correct outline of the field. The rebel right and left flanks were amply protected by the swamps. There was also a strip of low marsh land in the enemy's front, and perhaps creation affords but few positions that an enemy could occupy to greater advantage. Our army passed into this triangle through the upper part of the hypothenuse, and occupied a position a little below the apex. This dirt road, which was our line of march, passed between two swamps, and was so narrow that many of our men had to wade the swamps knee-deep in mud and water to get into action. haved remarkably well. The reports that it got into confusion and ran from the field are certainly false. I cannot account for its good conduct, considering that the men were raw recruits, only on the ground that they were under the command of superior officers. As the Eighth fell back, having been under fire an hour and a half, Colonel Barton brought his brigade into action. The Forty-seventh New-York was posted on the left, a part of the Forty-eighth New-York to the left of Hamilton's battery, the other part on the right, and the One Hundred and Fifteenth NewYork formed the right of our line. This brigade did nobly. The enemy's left pressed hard upon the One Hundred and Fifteenth, but every man stood his ground like a veteran. The Fortyseventh and Forty-eighth held the centre firmly. The battle has now raged furiously for two hours, and our losses in officers and men have been terrible. As stated above, the skirmishing commenced at the time our advance-guard crossed the railroad. The Fortieth Massachusetts cavalry, Colonel Henry, the Independent battalion, Major Stevens, and the Seventh Connecticut infantry Colonel Montgomery, with the Fifty-fourth participated in this preliminary action. Our Massachusetts and the First North-Carolina skirmishers were halted till Captains Hamilton | (colored) regiments, was left back at the crossing and Elder, with their batteries, came up. As of the railroad with the train. Hearing the conthey move on together, two guns are brought stant roar of artillery and musketry in front, he into battery and throw a few shells into the sent forward his aid for orders, but, without woods (pine barrens) in our front, but no re- waiting for him to return, he moved forward with sponse is elicited. The skirmishers we have the Fifty-fourth, and, as he passed the swamps, driven in have disappeared, and they were, in received orders to take position on our left, as fact, nothing but decoy ducks to lure us on and the enemy was pressing us hard in that quarter. show the way to the ambuscade. This was done, and, as General Seymour said Occasionally a squad of a dozen or so are to afterward, to his entire satisfaction. The Fortybe seen in the roads and other exposed points seventh and Forty-eighth New-York are nearly to encourage us in the pursuit of our prey, and out of ammunition, and have been in action about on we go, cavalry, infantry, and artillery as near two hours and a half. The colonel of each regitogether as possible. No enemy of any import- ment and many other officers are badly woundance, nor signs of a camp are to be seen any- ed. Some are killed. Colonel Montgomery brings where. No sound is to be heard but the solemn the First North-Carolina, Lieutenant Reed comtramp of our army, and the trembling murmur manding, into action. It passes between the of the winds among the huge and lofty pines. Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth on the doubleWe move on, the Seventh Connecticut in the ad- quick, and is cheered by those retiring regiments vance; we pass the swamps, and emerge into the as it goes into battle. The coming of these fresh open space beyond, when suddenly a concentric troops upon the field, and the manner in which fire from the enemy's curved line is poured upon it was done, rather staggered the enemy for a mous. Colonel Hawley, seeing the hot work in ment. But the cars came thundering in, bringwhich his advance is engaged, orders up the ing him reënforcements. These North-Carolina Seventh New-Hampshire; by the way, one of the colored soldiers and the Fifty-fourth Massachubest regiments in the service. On this occasion, setts now held our left, aided by the artillery, however, it was not possible for it to appear to and even pressed the enemy back. The battle the best advantage. Arms had been taken away rages furiously all along the line, and the slaughand bad ones given to the men. In the terrible ter is terrible. Every man seems determined to roar of battle, orders were not understood, and do his whole duty. No regiment went into acin deploying it got into inextricable confusion. tion more gallantly, fought more desperately, or It did but little execution, lost heavily, and did did better execution than the First North-Carowell to get out of the way as soon as possible. lina (colored) troops. Their white comrades Hamilton's battery was posted in the centre, generally take pleasure in awarding to them this Elder's upon our right, and Langdon's on the honor. Men were dropping constantly all along left. When the Seventh New-Hampshire regi- the line, but the living fought all the more bravement became confused, Colonel Hawley brought ly. These freedmen evidently preferred falling forward the Eighth U. S. colored, Colonel Charles W. Fribley. A part of this regiment came into action with empty guns, and being under a terrible fire, and cramped for room, it was found impossible to form a line of battle to the best advantage. Considering that this was the first time the regiment had been under fire, it be on the field of battle to falling into the hands of their barbarous foes. This regiment was not in action over two hours and a half, and yet its loss in officers and enlisted men was very nearly as heavy as that of any other regiment. The battle having now raged for four hours, from two to six P.M., it appears the god of war ANOTHER ACCOUNT. VIDE. ON BOARD COSMOPOLITAN, HOSPITAL SHIP, } became satisfied with the slaughter on both sides, buscade, he did all in his power to bring out, by and, as if by mutual consent of parties, the fight- desperate fighting, a favorable issue. He may ing ceased. We were allowed quietly to with- be censurable for some things, but cowardice or draw from the field. The five pieces of artillery excessive prudence should not be put into the we lost were not taken from us, but left on the list. ground because the horses and gunners had either fled or been killed. All but one of our batteries were within musket-range of the rebel lines, and some artillerymen were killed with buckshot. We withdrew slowly, but the regi- On Thursday, February eighteenth, General ments were broken into a large number of frag- Seymour and his staff left Jacksonville, and ments, and badly mixed up. It was a painful reached Baldwin, twenty-two miles distant, the sight to see so many brave wounded men writh- same evening. Here he had established an iming in agony; but when we were compelled to portant dépôt of supplies for the army he was leave them there-they not being recognized by leading into the field. At this point the two the enemy as soldiers, especially the negroes- railroads of Florida cross each other. Cars had no language can describe our sorrow and regret. been placed on the track, and a locomotive was The statement made in the Providence Journal in a forward state of reconstruction for service on by Lieutenant Eddy, of the Third Rhode Island the road from Jacksonville. Large amounts of battery, that it was the running of their supports, food, ordnance, and clothing had been hauled up the Eighth United States colored regiment, which to Baldwin by horse-power. Here, too, the caused them to lose their guns, can be proved to thrice-blessed Sanitary Commission had a store be a base slander by more than five hundred of comforts and necessaries for wounded men. witnesses. The fact is, the negroes held their It was a place of no natural strength. Important ground and kept the battery from falling into the only as the junction of railroads, it had been hands of the enemy for two hours after this seized and rudely fortified. Slight chevaux de Eddy had left it with his slight wound. These frise of fir branches had been made, and a few brave but slandered men were the last to aban-block-houses and rifle-pits were hastily prepared. don the battery. The enemy never drove them From Baldwin, on the morning of the ninefrom it or took it from them. But the cause of the loss of these guns is under investigation, and a report no doubt will be made fixing the responsibility where it properly belongs. Did we not know Lieutenant Eddy, and his feelings toward colored troops, we might hope that when he recovers from his fright he would take pleasure in correcting his false statements. The battle of Olustee was fought with all the odds on the enemy's side. Our men were wearied and foot sore with long marching; they had taken but very little refreshments-some not any-since early breakfast; they had no expectations of a fight till actually drawn into it; they fought on ground where the room was not sufficient to form a line of battle or deploy to the best advantage; the enemy was at least three thousand more numerous than our force; we knew nothing of the ground and position of the enemy, except as we learned them by dear experience, and, under such an array of unfavorable circumstances, no bravery or skill could save the day. teenth of February, the General and his staff moved forward to Barber's Station, twelve miles further, near the railroad. Here were encamped the brigade commanded by Colonels Barton, Hawley, and Montgomery. In the immediate neighborhood, also, were the Fortieth regiment Massachusetts mounted infantry, Colonel Henry; the Independent battalion of Massachusetts cavalry, under Major Stevens; and the artillery, consisting of Captain Hamilton's, Captain Langdon's, and Captain Elder's batteries, as well as a section of the Third Rhode Island artillery. In all, the force amounted to about twenty cannon, four hundred cavalry, and four thousand five hundred infantry. This was intended to operate against an enemy whose strength was reported to be thirteen thousand men, under General Gardiner, (or Gardner,) who was said to have recently arrived from Georgia in order to defend the pasture-yard and shambles of the Confederacy from the invasion of the Union army. On the morning of the twentieth, at about nine o'clock, the troops set out to find the enemy, moving in three lines, almost parallel to the road. It was intended to reach Lake City the following day, unless the enemy should dispute the way. The route was through the unvarying pine for Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing is strangely great, being not less than one thousand nine hundred. Previous to the battle we captured property that is worth to the Government a half-million of dollars; and in that battle, to-ests of the country, over immense levels where gether with the retreat, lost not less than a million dollars, besides the precious lives that were sacrificed. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded is reported by numerous deserters, and in the rebel press, to be not far from eight hundred. General Seymour was in the hottest of the battle, and seemed to be oblivious to all thoughts or feelings of danger. After getting into the am only the pines and the sandy soil could be seen, or through swamps impenetrable to the eye or the foot of man. On Monday, the army arrived at Sanderson, a railroad station surrounded by a few houses, inhabited by turpentine farmers. Here the most positive statements were made as to the large force which awaited the Unionists not more than ten miles beyond. The residents predicted that our men would re Then they withdrew to the rear, and the Eighth (colored) United States volunteers, commanded by Colonel Fribley, was pushed forward to stand the brunt of the enemy's fire. turn before night, and get there more in a hurry ed until they had expended their ammunition, than they were when they passed forward. Again and their officers could supply no more. the devoted soldiers formed, and set out in three columns, keeping, as before, near the railroad track. The column on the right was led by Colonel Barton, of the Forty-eighth New-York, in command of his brigade, consisting of the Fortyseventh, Forty-eighth, and One Hundred and Fifteenth New-York regiments. The column in the centre was made up of the cavalry, under Major Stevens; the mounted infantry, under Colonel Guy V. Henry; the Seventh Connecticut, Colonel Hawley; and the Seventh New-Hampshire, Colonel Abbott. The left was commanded by Colonel Montgomery, under whom were the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, Colonel Hallowell; the First North-Carolina, Lieutenant-Colonel Reed; and the Eighth United States volunteers, under Colonel Fribley. About six miles from Sanderson, the rebel pickets were driven in by our cavalry, and fell back upon their main forces, posted between swamps about two miles from Olustee, a railroad station ten miles beyond Sanderson. The railroad intersected their position. Their line rested upon the right on an earthwork, very low and slight, and protected by rifle-pits. In their centre they were defended by a swamp. On their left was a slight elevation, concealed by pines, among which their cavalry was drawn up. On the railroad track a battery was placed to operate against the left of our line, or capable of being turned against the centre. A rifled gun was mounted on a truck, and commanded the road. Sharp-shooters swarmed in the pine-tops. The position chosen by the rebels for our troops to occupy, and which they did occupy during the temporary exigencies of the occasion, was between two swamps; that one in our front prevented a charge upon the rebels' front, that one behind was to impede our retreat. The railroad could only be reached by going up to the waist in water, or by an immense detour. To fall away from the railroad was to cut ourselves off from our reserves, which were coming up on the left of the track, and to endanger the safety of our train, which also was near the reserve. Nothing could have been better planned or more civilly acquiesced in than was this whole scheme. General Seymour accepted the issue just as it stood, pushed the guns into position upon low ground about eighty yards from the nearest rebel battery, and saw his gunners and their horses shot down with unmatched equanimity. In twenty minutes, three hundred and fifty men, including the Colonel, (killed,) were stricken down by the storm of bullets. They were withdrawn, and the left did not again offer any vigorous resistance to the enemy. Meanwhile, on the right and centre, persistent efforts were made to crush in our lines. A rapid and furious cannonade and concentric fire was poured in. The cannon-shots generally crashed among the trees, and brought down, among the wounded in the rear, branches of the pines, to inflict gratuitous injuries upon the helpless men and their attendant surgeons. Three times successively did Dr. Adolf Majes, Chief Medical Officer with the army of Florida, order the removal of the field-hospitals still further to the rear. The enemy's sharp-shooters on the opposite side of the railroad, in the tree-tops or the long grass, poured in bullets upon the bleeding fugitives; and succeeded in making it necessary to remove the wounded eight miles away, to Sanderson. The stream of disabled men naturally took the railroad track as the easiest path from the battlefield. Unseen enemies pursued them. The spiteful bullets whistled near them. Many were thus killed; among others Colonel Fribley, of the Eighth United States colored, who was being removed from the scene by one of his lieutenants, when both were mortally wounded. The centre stood firmly until desired to fall back, in order to give the batteries a better and more elevated position. Captain Hamilton, with battery M, Third United States artillery, lost two Parrott guns by the death of his men and horses, after fighting continuously for an hour and a half. Captain Langdon, of the First United States artillery, lost three brass Napoleon guns in the same way. First Lieutenant E. Eddy, of the First United States artillery, received a wound in his leg, and First Lieutenant T. McCrae, of battery M, First United States artillery, was also wounded. Captain Hamilton was wounded in the arm. Desperate assaults on the Union right failed to drive in the brave One Hundred and Fifteenth New-York, holding the extremity of the line. The genial and chivalrous Colonel S. Sammiss was wounded in the foot; Major Walrath's shoulder-strap was cut away by a bullet. He will soon The Seventh New-Hampshire had so deadly a replace it with a device proper to a lieutenantfire poured into their ranks that they broke and colonel. With the imperturbable cheerfulness fell back in confusion. Dissatisfaction and want and the cool courage which distinguished him, of confidence had been created in the regiment he moved along the line, cheering and encouragby depriving it of the "Spencer repeating-rifle," ing his soldiers. They lost dreadfully. Among and the issue, instead, of Springfield muskets the killed were Second Lieutenant Schaeffer, comin bad condition; some lacking locks, others rust-pany G, and Second Lieutenant W. Tompkins, ed or wanting crews, proper springs, or otherwise company C. Captain G. Vanderbeer was wounduseless. Unable to protect themselves with these ed in the leg and breast; Second Lieutenant J. curious weapons, one wing of the regiment gave Davis, of company A, was fatally wounded in way and could not be rallied. The other wing, the breast, and was left on the retreat at Sanderwhich had retained the "Spencer" arm, remain-son, to be treated by the rebels. Second Lieu tenant E. Smith, of company B, got a shot in his right shoulder. Captain W. W. French, of company F, had his ankle shattered; Second Lieutenant Clark, of company H, was hurt in the shoulder. As an instance of what the One Hundred and Fifteenth endured, company F may be cited. Out of fifty-nine men brought into the fight, three were killed and twenty-nine wounded. But the details of the slaughter must be looked for among the lists hereafter to be forwarded. Only fragmentary reports are now accessible. On board this ship are two hundred and forty brave fellows wounded. About five hundred others are left at Jacksonville in the care of the medical staff. On the battle-field are not fewer then five hundred of our dear brothers, most of whom are dead. In the mercy of Providence, the nights have been frosty of late. Cold is the best kind of weather for wounded men, while they are waiting for succor. A flag of truce is to be sent, asking for permission to remove our wounded and bury our dead. At Sanderson, it is understood, that some wounded had to be left with a surgeon in charge. At Baldwin, Mr. Day, of the Sanitary Commission, and Rev. Mr. Taylor, of the Christian Commission, await the arrival of wounded stragglers and of the enemy. Mr. Day has been twice before a prisoner in the pursuit of his calling of mercy. The Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth, also on the right, suffered severely in their efforts to prevent the enemy from flanking the field. Among the dead of the noble Forty-seventh are Captain Henry Arnold, company K; First Lieutenant Charles C. Every, company B; Second Lieutenant L. Hunting, company I. The Colonel, Henry Moore, was wounded in the arm. Captain J. M. McDonald, company K; First Lieutenant Duffy, company K; and Second Lieutenant G. L. Scholendorff, all got wounds in their legs. Their companies will not muster over twenty-five men each. As the rebels were preparing to charge with reenforcements just come in by railroad, the reserves, under Colonel Montgomery, arrived. They came up at double-quick. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts went in first, with a cheer. They were followed by the First North-Carolina, (colored.) Lieutenant-Colonel | Reed, in command, headed the regiment, sword in hand, and charged upon the rebels. They broke, but rallied when within twenty yards of contact with our negro troops. Overpowered by numbers, the First North-Carolina fell back in good order, and poured in a destructive fire. Their Colonel was felled, mortally wounded. Their Major, Boyle, fell dead, and two men were killed in trying to reach his body. Their Adjutant, Wm. C. Manning, wounded before at Malvern Hill, got a bullet in his body, but persisted in remaining, until yet another shot struck him. His Lieutenant-Colonel, learning the fact, embraced him, and implored him to leave the field. The next moment the two friends were stretched side by side; the Colonel had received his own deathwound. But the two colored regiments had stood in the gap, and saved the army! General Seymour, taking advantage of the diversion thus effected, had reestablished his fieldbatteries, and with four parting rounds of grape, canister, and solid shot secured impunity for his retreat. The Seventh Connecticut was placed to defend the shattered columns as they fell back; the mounted infantry and cavalry brought up the Lieutenant-Colonel Hall, of the New-York rear. engineers, galloped along the line of retreat, in his capacity of Provost-Marshal General, to se cure order and rally fugitives. Arriving at Sanderson about nine o'clock in the evening, he found that Captain Bridgman, of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, had already commenced the good More than one thousand men were here work. collected. Some very slightly hurt; many seriously wounded. Many more had merely left the ground to help away their stricken comrades, and had not returned to take part in the fray. The retreat continued all night to Barber's StaHere Gention, and next morning to Baldwin. eral Seymour arrived on Sunday P.M., and made arrangements for the evacuation of the place, and He also caused the the burning of the stores. destruction of the property of one Derby, a neighboring rebel, who had sought and obtained protection, and then gone over to the enemy with information. The wounded men who had been brought so far, or had painfully marched hither, were packed in horse-cars and sent down the railroad, to be instantly transferred to the Cosmopolitan, or placed in hospitals at Jacksonville. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts, which, with the First North-Carolina, may be said to have saved the forces from utter rout, lost about eighty men wounded and twelve killed. The complete list will be forwarded with this letter. Other regiments were not in a condition the next day to make returns. There are not fewer than one thousand two hundred men, white and black, lost to the army by this heavy calamity. This moment of grief is too sacred for anger. The blame that attaches to the planners or leaders of the expedition will hereafter develop itself. General Gillmore will himself superintend the security of the shattered regiments. There are forces in Jacksonville enough to hold the place. Not all the regiments thereabout were in the fight. Reënforcements for the Department of the South are arriving daily at Hilton Head. It is a dearly bought lesson for us, but not an overwhelming or fatal disaster. G. B. DEFENCE OF GENERAL SEYMOUR. HILTON HEAD, S. C., April 8, 1864. To the Editors of the New-York Evening Post : By the Fulton to-day I have received and read, for the first time, ail your articles concerning (somewhat) Florida affairs; but more particularly concerning myself. You assail me professionally and personally. Now, so far as the character of my military service is touched, I may say that you will find it not unkindly referred to in the reports of not a few battles, and in some of these reports I am credited with considerably more intelligence and skill than you have been willing to accord me. But the reputation of a soldier is not based on the opinions of gentlemen of your profession nearly so strongly as upon those of mine; and by these last only am I content to be judged. There are a few points, however, upon which it is proper you should be correctly informed. First. You state that I was once sent from the Department of the South by General Hunter, for "unruly conduct and language." Your information here was worse than imperfect, it was simply untrue. I left the department upon my own application, upon that solely, and for entirely different causes than differences with General Hunter. Second. You assert that I "planned and urged" the assault on Fort Wagner of the eighteenth of July last. That is much more credit than I deserve. I had too steadfastly advocated, as a principle, that intrenchments defended by the rifle had not been successfully assaulted in this war, to urge or to plan this assault as an exception. Secessionville and its lesson were too close at hand to be forgotten. But this assault was virtually successful. Our men entered the work, held a part of it for hours, took prisoners from the garrison. And before attributing any failure to me, would it not have been well for you to have learned the whole truth from the few who know it, (and very few know the entire facts concerning any engagement whatever,) before charging me with so many personal, political, and military crimes, because there was final failure? Briefly, your statement concerning my connection with that assault is utterly incorrect. HEADQUARTERS THIRTY-FIFTH U. S. C. T., GENERAL: Will you, at your departure from this district, accept a line of cordial good-will from an officer of your command? I am personally, and in behalf of my regiment, under obligations to you for a kindly consider ation and fairness of treatment which will doubtless, after a time, become general in all departments and districts, but which to ourselves has been peculiarly gratifying. We, of the colored organizations, have not and do not ask for special favors, but only for such military equality as may be earned; a fair share of fatigue and field-work, and equal consideration from the quartermaster, commissary, and ordnance departments. To the extent of your power, (speaking for my own regiment,) we have had such equality, and are content. Wishing you a safe and prosperous passage, and with assurance of kindly remembrance, I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES C. BEECHER, Colonel Commanding. Copy: W. H. BRADSHAW, Lieutenant and A.D.C. Brigadier-General Seymour, Commanding District of Florida: Third. For my opinions upon non-professional matters, I presume, the public cares very little. But as you positively state that I am an "habitual contemner of the race," (colored,) also of negro troops," and a "virulent pro-slavery man," I am justified in pronouncing you quite as wrong as upon the preceding points. Pro-slavery sentiments-even in a moderate form-I never entertained. But I despise and scorn the hypo-to critical and sanctimonious philanthropy of some who are fattening-personally, pecuniarily, and politically-upon the wrongs of the black, but who have been very careful never to set him an example on the battle-field. And that I have faithfully carried out the desires and commands of the Government-so far as I have had command of colored troops-the following letters will best show: CAMP THIRD SOUTH-CAROLINA COLORED TROOPS, JACKSONVILLE, FLA., March 28, 1864. Lieutenant R. M. Hall, First United States Artillery; SIR: We have noticed in one of the New-York papers some observations reflecting upon General Seymour's supposed prejudices against, and unfair treatment of colored troops. Speaking from our own knowledge in relation to our own regiment, we have seen no signs of such prejudice, GENERAL: I have the honor to give testimony the kind, just, and impartial treatment my command has received at your hands. It has been my fortune to command six of the colored regiments under you, and I know of no instance where a different line of policy has been pursued toward the colored men than the white. While speaking of this, I wish to say, that I am continually receiv ing from the North all sorts of complaints in relation to the abuse of the colored soldier, how they are treated in the field, etc. This is all wrong, the spirit which circulates them is bad, and the statements are not true. The welfare of these men demands that less should be said, and more be done. To all who are so solicitous for the colored soldier, I say: Turn your fire upon the Congress of the nation, that the great injustice which has been done to them by not allowing pay enough to clothe themselves, may be remedied, and we will take care of the remainder; we have no complaints to make but this, and the |