The first engagement on the field occurred at Great Bethel, about ten miles north of Newport News, on the road from Hampton to Yorktown, Virginia, the place having derived its name from a large church, near which the rebels had an entrenched camp. Under cover of night, the forces, who were under the command of General B. F. Butler, had been repeatedly annoyed by the secession forces, whose rendezvous was Little Bethel, distant about eight miles from Newport News, and the same distance from Hampton, where, also, a church was used as the headquarters of their cavalry, thus literally putting “holy things to an unholy use.” The Union-loving, or, at least, Union-respecting citizens, were continually robbed—slaves were impressed to work upon their fortifications, and all that forethought could suggest was recklessly accomplished. Determined to put a stop to these forays, General Butler organized an expedition for the purpose of surprising the rebels at Little Bethel, giving to the officers commanding discretionary powers, as no positive information could be obtained with regard to their defences or forces. General Pierce, of Massachusetts, who had the command at Hampton, was instructed to detach Colonels Duryea and Townsend’s New York regiments, and Colonel Phelps, commanding at Newport News, was also commanded to start an equal force, about an hour later, to make a demonstration in front. One regiment from each command was directed to repair to a point about one mile from Little Bethel, and there await further orders. Should the design prove successful, they were, when directed, to follow close upon the enemy, drive them into their entrenchments at Big Bethel and attack them. A naval brigade—a new volunteer organization, stationed at Hampton Roads, had been exercised in the management of scows, with capacity for carrying about one hundred and thirty men, besides those at the oars, and when the night came settling down in darkness, they set out, with muffled oars, passed the mouth of Hampton river, and silently proceeded up the stream. Moored at the hither shore of Hampton, at midnight they awaited the time when the blow was to be struck. Three companies of Duryea’s New York Fifth, under the command of Captain Kilpatrick, crossed and went forward on the Bethel road, followed soon after by the remainder of the regiment, and Colonel Townsend’s New York Third. One hour later, five companies, each of the Vermont First and Massachusetts Fourth, under Lieutenant-Colonel Washburne; six companies of the New York Seventh, Colonel Bendix, and a squad of regulars, with three small field pieces under Lieutenant Greble, moved forward from Newport News.