From the Richmond Dispatch, 5/19/1862, p. 2, c. 1

The Engagement at Drury's Bluff.

A correspondent of ours, who was in the fight at Drury's Bluff on Thursday, furnishes us the following graphic description of that engagement:

DRURY'S BLUFF, May 15, 1862.

The enemy came up within six hundred yards of our works to-day with the iron-clad steamers Monitor and Galena, together with three other gunboats, and opened fire upon us. The action soon became general on both sides, and raged for about four hours. The enemy fired rapidly, many of his shot striking our works, his shell flying over and bursting around us, cutting down quite a number of trees near us, but doing our guns no injury, and killing and wounding only some thirteen or fourteen of our men.

We struck the Monitor and Galena again and again, and I think from the manner with which they seemed to recoil at our heavy shot that something about them must have been put out of place.

The Galena began to run first, apparently much crippled. We continued to fire upon them as they retreated, amidst loud cheers from our boys. It is reported here, by our pickets, that the Galena has since sunk.

Our men stood to their guns with the greatest bravery and determination. Captains Tucker and Barney, of the Patrick Henry and Jamestown, and Capts. Drury, Jordan and Preston, of Chesterfield, Bedford, and Lynchburg, have command of the guns here. They have seen something of the enemy's Chinese gongs before, and, I presume, will not be easily driven from the position by the loud noise the enemy can make with his big guns. Let the good citizens of Richmond be quiet. We do not intend the enemy to reach Richmond this way. FIGHT HERE [??? Name is blurred]

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