, 1861-06-05
FAIRFAX COURT HOUSE AFFAIR.
Brilliant Cavalry Charge.

Brilliant Cavalry Charge
Especial Dispatch to N, 7. Tribune.1 .
WASHINGTON, Monday, June 1-10 r. u.
The account Of tie Fairfax Court House af-
fair which was sent you this morning, vas
necessarily les7 complete and accurate than
the following statement, which WIS derived
from Lieut.. Col. Burger Of tho New York
fifth, and confirmed il all essential parsicu-
lars by tho OF the dragoona who ware in the
fray, and who brought the prisoners into torn
this noon.
LIEUT.. Tcmpkins and Second Lieut.. Gordon
Lad with them dragons, fif:y.two In number,
Of Company B, 81 United States Cavalry, two
men of the New York Fifth, and three officers,
A6jutant Frank, QuartsEmaster Fearing, aud
Assistant Qnartermaster Curry, making fifty
nine men: These members Of the stat were
attracted by probability Of accommodating i
little further than usual, WITH view Of ataing
the number Of enemy at Fairfax.
This party left camp at TX o'clock, surpris-
ed the picket guard four miles this side, shot
ore, and the other galloped toHara the village
they reached the town, sounding charge and
gslloprd through the principal stree. under 4
heavy fire from the City Hall, Po5t-oEsce, pri-
vete houses, behind fe1cea, from tia sidc6alk
and strcat-2ot from citizens, but from sol.
diers in Uniform, some on foot, Some mount
I'd.
On this charge Eve mounted men were taken
priscncrs-ene with Prince William County
Cayelry On his cap. They were seized by tia
neck and swept on with tie troops, O1e man
cried HAITI "Wait a hit,'' remarked Lieut..
T2mpkins, and shot him.
The dawn had hardly broken, so the aim WAS
not sure, but whenever they saH flash from
3 window, five or six shots answered 1t. Most
Of the rebels that were killed were in the
street. Some ran IN front, turning to fire on
the Dragons, aud others closed in. behind
Rfter their passing.
At tie end ct the street Lieut.. To.noki1s
turned, md the troops, holding their prison
eln in I'll izoc grasp, charged again through
the whole length OF the village, wheeled
third time and charged Fl on end to end, but
observing d piece Of artillery coming from :,
side alley in front of the City Hail. they judge
it prudent not to try fourth time, and SO
rode OF, making detour CT ten miles, and
reached the CAMP By eight O'Clock, hay;ns rid.
den foHy-fou miles.
Besides thu fiYc prisoners, they brought tirc
CT SIX horecs. Three dragons Terc 1lis3in,,
ard are pretty certainly killed. Four are
wounded, cne having d aabre-cus IN tue FACE
master Cary, Of the ST., slightly wounded il
The foot. The wounded ara NOW Enlc. the
care Of Drs. Hasse and Roosa Of the 5zh.
Tie number CT the enemy killed is unccr
tain; estimates vary from twenty to fifty.
ne Wounded d are YETI i3,1 numerons Lieut.
peter. only fifteen years cid, Killed two, and
one drnsoon thinks he finished four or five,
One "a prisoner, trying to get away was ehot
through the belt. Lieut.. TonpkIna h.d two
| horses shot under him, and Gordon ona. b.
! fore fresh horse could be found, they cut
| right and left On foot.
| The force In the town Ii estimated at from
1000 to 1900 There is certainly battalion
! Of infantry, u squadron Of ca7alry, and aoms
| .rtillcIy; but they were afraid to form aad
meet in batt1o 65 men. They evidently prefer
the baltimore method
| II they haa been through four weeks cam
| paign. Some lad their clothes half torn Oft
and all were covered deep with dust.
| Tomrkins is the eeme man whose exp1oi
in the capture Of a Secession picket was re
lated the other day. He never returns from
oaeIs.
| ACCOUNT N LIEUT.. ToMpEISs.
! WASHINGTON, Junc1, 1851.
A Erec;a! messenger has inst returned frou
the canp Of the New York 9Th Regiment
where he conSe1sed With Lieutenant Tump
kins. Hc supplies statement from that otii
GERS lips, which We reproduce SO far Is neces
eary to correct other accounts.
The pickle: guard consisted of three men
Ono T2a taken prisoner, and Lieutcnan
Tomphine e4iG he Hould hang him il be dI,
net tell correctly the number of soldier; d
Fnirfax. This lying rebel raid there wer
abcut ono hundred aid i;ty at the outside
| He is ons Of the prisoners nov at the Nav,
| YarS.
The Court Housestrcet turns at 1inght aoglc
to the read. As our men rode around the cor
| Etr, Squadron Of cavalry IVES seen drawn III
in lie across the street. A charge WAS soand
cd, and the ]ine was broken, cur mec awaep
1 ing On. company Of infantry next appears
AJawn up Oh a cross street. It was charye
And broken
The dragons turned and made thir;
charge, when they found company Of mount
ID riilsmen Enarding ths only other exit from
the street. They charged and broke them.
cud Of the street, and The, drastons seeming L
be surrounded, they let down the bars Of
fence and ga}loped across the fields till the
etruch road which took them tWenty-ty
mics to Vienna. Thence they rode iom5
During the whole time of their presence il
the village, there VAS constant firing fron
windows and doors. Doors would open tin
enough for the discharge Of musket, an
then close The dragons fired many shot
into houses. Between twenty end thirty c
the enemy wcro killed. Twoh horses were sho
under Lieut.. Tonpkins. a third, his own
vas shot in the neck, and fell On limt bruisin
i1im slightly.
One dragcon Was shot hy the side Of th
Llen!enant, bEt there was no opportunity t
get him OF. "But," said Tpmpkju.. "I .tlin]
eyen they will give him Christian burial.
Three men arc miasiug, but one is kno an t
have fallen from his horse, the girt1 breaking
The messenger saw a1ao the t1umpctcr,
1ery boy of fifteen, WHO SAW two fall dead u1
der his own hand, and said heartily, II kuo,
killed more.''
| Lent. Tompkins is described as mods
man: He is West Pointer, is young and tiE
looking. with an intelligent face; Is Of medl
um height and frame, and has seen service i
I Texas and California, He is inst the man e,
q dsshing tnterprise gallautly executed. II
considers himself we'll out Of scrape withou
being cut 10 pieces. He reports tue eaem
we'll armed and equipped, and knowing how t
fire.