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I have just now come over to this place about some business, and embrace the opportunity of letting you know that
I wrote you on the 27th instant, giving you some particulars
of our engagement. I now have to acquaint you that the
enemy, endeavouring to force our lines, met with a warmer
reception than they thought of; for the batteries began to
play, and mowed them down like grass, when they retreated,
and our Army cried out, the day is our own; but am sorry
to inform you that Generals Sullivan and Stirling are taken
prisoners, and that we have missing (which I apprehend are
also taken) Colonel Atlee, Captain Howell, Captain Herbert, Captain Murray, and Captain Nice, Lieutenant Finney,
Ensign Hustin, and Dr˙ Davis, with eighty privates; so you
may judge what a miserable battalion we must have. There
is also missing from the Rifle battalion Colonel Miles and
Colonel Piper, with several other officers, whose names I
have not as yet heard, and a number of privates. The
enemy, by accounts which we have received, have lost
(killed, wounded, and taken prisoners) about eight hundred
men, among whom is General Grant killed. We expect
every hour a second engagement, which I pray God may
be more prosperous on our side than the last; for besides
what I have mentioned, the Delaware and Maryland battalions suffered much.
Extract of a letter from an Officer in Colonel Atlee' s Battalion
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