CAMP HAMILTON, VIRGINIA,
June 11, 1861.
SIR: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with orders received from General [Ebenezer W.] Peirce on the night of June 9, my command was ordered under arms at 11 p.m. and marched to Hampton Creek to support Colonels [Frederick] Townsend and [Abram] Duryee.
I returned to this camp at 4 a.m. of June 10 and was again ordered out at 6 a.m. to proceed forward to Big Bethel, where the enemy was reported to be stationed in force. After a rapid march of twelve miles I reached the ground and found the action going on. Upon reporting to General Peirce, he directed me to proceed to the front and deploy my regiment in front of the battery, which I did, and so remained for one hour and forty minutes under a heavy fire of at least twenty guns, some of them rifled (and about four shell guns). The enemy deployed in my front with about 1,200 men and two guns, but made no advance. They, however, threw out two heavy flanking parties on my right and left, the former with two guns, and completely outflanked the entire Brigade, at which time General Peirce deemed it proper to retire.
From the most reliable information I am certain there were at least 4,000 of the enemy on the ground, with constant reinforcements from Yorktown.
Very respectfully,
WILLIAM H. ALLEN,
Colonel, First Regiment.
Major-General B. F. BUTLER.
Sources
Hewett, Janet B., Noah Andre Trudeau, and Bryce A, Suderow, eds., Supplement to the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Pt. I, Vol. 1. Wilmington: Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1994.
Spirit of '61 