Today in History:

262 Series I Volume XVIII- Serial 26 - Suffolk

Page 262 NORTH CAROLINA AND S. E. VIRGINIA. Chapter XXX.

APRIL 11, 1862.-Skirmish at Williamsburg, Va.

REPORTS, ETC.


Numbers 1.-Major General Erasmus D. Keyes, U. S. Army.


Numbers 2.-Brigadier General Rufus King, U. S. Army, commanding at Yorktown, with resulting correspondence.


Numbers 1.

Reports of Major General Erasmus D. Keyes, U. S. Army.

FORT MONROE, VA., April 11, 1863.

Our communication with fort Magruder is re-established. The enemy have retired beyond. They destroyed some camp and garrison equipage of the Fifth Pennsylvania Calvary and a small amount of hospital stores. No other loss reported. Wise and his whole force are near Williamsburg. I have ordered Colonel West to hold the strong line of defense below the city at all hazards. It would be very injurious to give it up.

E. D. KEYES,

Major-General.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

NORFOLK, VA., April 11, 1863-8 p. m.

The enemy was fairly repulsed at Williamsburg to-day. Our pickets are in the edge of the city, and the line of Fort Magruder, strengthened by another regiment, is now guarded from York River to James River. We lost no men. Found two dead rebels, but they had time, when our shots fell, to carry off dead and wounded. While the affair at Williamsburg was closing the rebels attacked Peck's pickets at Suffolk, and a deserter just in from there reports that 50,000 men are close upon our lines. I have ordered all our troops to hold their ground without regard to the number of the enemy.

E. D. KEYES,

Major-General.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.


Numbers 2.

Reports of Brigadier General Rufus King,. U. S. Army, commanding at Yorktown, with resulting correspondence.

YORKTOWN, April 11, 1863-7.45 a. m.

The enemy appeared in front of Williamsburg this morning about 6 o'clock. Our pickets fell back in good order to Fort Magruder. Colonel West has opened fire on the town and is now firing. Force of the enemy not yet know.

RUFUS KING,

Brigadier-General.

Major-General KEYES, Fort Monroe.


Page 262 NORTH CAROLINA AND S. E. VIRGINIA. Chapter XXX.