Battle of Big Bethel, Virginia
(aka Great Bethel; Big Bethel Church)
Battle of Big Bethel, Virginia, by D. H. Hill, Jr.*
"At the convergence of these roads, Colonel Bendix's Seventh New York
Regiment mistook Colonel Townsend's Third New York for Confederates and fired upon it. The fire was returned and twenty-one
were killed and wounded before the mistake could be corrected."
|Big Bethel Battle Map
|1861 Battle of Big Bethel, Virginia, Map
|Civil War Battle of Big Bethel Virginia
|Big Bethel Battlefield Virginia
The long struggle that was to cost North Carolina all its wealth, except
its land; that was to overthrow its social system; that was to crush to mute despair its home-keepers; that was to cause the
almost reckless pouring out of the blood of as proudly submissive, as grimly persistent, as coolly dauntless a body of soldiers
as ever formed line of battle opened at Bethel Church, VA. Bethel is only a short distance from Yorktown. It is not a
little singular that the great contest with our brethren began only ten miles from the weary struggle of our fathers culminated.
This battle--if with the memory of Gettysburg and Chickamauga still fresh,
we can call it a battle--was fought on the 10th of June, 1861. Being the first serious fight of the war, it of course attracted
attention out of proportion to its importance. Anticipating attack, Col. D. H. Hill [father of the writer] had, with the First
North Carolina Regiment, thrown up an enclosed earthwork on the bank of Marsh Creek. The Confederate position was held by
the following forces: Three companies of the Third Virginia, under Lieut.-Col. W. D. Stuart, occupied a slight earthwork to
the right and front of the enclosed work; three companies of the Virginia battalion, under Major. E. B. Montague; five pieces
of artillery, under major (afterwards secretary of war) G. W. Randolph, of the Richmond Howitzers; and the First North Carolina,
under Colonel Hill, occupied the inside of the works. The companies composing the North Carolina regiment, which had the envied
distinction of being the initial troops to enter organized battle, were: Edgecombe Guards, Capt. J. L. Bridgers; Hornet's
Nest Riflemen (Mecklenburg), Capt. L. S. Williams; Charlotte Grays, Capt. E. A. Ross; Orange Light Infantry, Capt. R. J. Ashe;
Buncombe Rifles, Capt. William McDowell; Lafayette Light Infantry (Cumberland), Capt. J. B. Starr; Burke Rifles, Capt. C.
M. Avery; Fayetteville Light Infantry, Capt. Wright Huske; Enfield Blues, Capt. D. B. Bell; Southern Stars (Lincoln), Capt.
W. J. Hoke. The whole force was nominally under the command of Col. J. B. Magruder, and numbered between 1,200 and 1,400 men.
To surprise and capture this force, Gen. B. F. Butler, commanding on the
Virginia coast, sent Gen. E. W. Pierce with five companies of the First Vermont, five companies of the Fourth Massachusetts,
two of Carr's Mountain Howitzers, and two pieces of regular artillery under Lieut. J. T. Greble, the whole force amounting,
according to Gen. Carr of the Federal army, to 3,500 men. On the night of the 9th, this force was advanced toward the Confederate
position on two roads. At the convergence of these roads, Colonel Bendix's Seventh New York Regiment mistook Colonel
Townsend's Third New York for Confederates and fired upon it. The fire was returned and twenty-one were killed and wounded
before the mistake could be corrected. Thinking it impossible after the firing to surprise the Confederates, General Pierce
sent back for reinforcements and then moved on toward Bethel. About 9 o'clock, on the morning of the 10th, the Federals appeared
on the field in front of the Southern works, and Greble's Battery took position. A shot from a Parrott gun in the Confederate
works ushered in the great Civil War on land. The first Federal attack was on the front. As a result of this attack, Colonel
Carr says: "Our troops were soon seeking shelter of the woods after a vain attempt to drive the enemy from the works." This
attack was repelled mainly be Randolph's accurate fire, aided by the gallant conduct of Burke's Rifles un