Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-06-06

! their retreat
The following is the official report Of Gen.
Mcdowell to General Scott, of the fight Lieut.
| Tompkins, who commanded the company, was
severely wounded, SO much so that he was I'M
able to make his report:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT EAsrERN)
VIRGINIA.,
! arlington, June l, 1861. }
! COL E. d. Townsend, assistant Adjutant General,
| Headquarters Of the Army Washington:
Sir The following facts have just been report
the second cavalry, commanded by Lieut.. Tomp-
kins, the commanding officer being too unwell to
report in person.
1t appears that company of the second Cavalry,
commanded by Lieut.. Tompkins aggregate num-
Der seventyfve, left their camp at half-past ten
O'Clock last night scouting expedition. They
reached Fair fax Court House about three in the
morning, where they found several hundred men
stationed, Captain Ewel, late of the United States
Dragons, said to be in command. A skirmish
then took place, in which number of the enemy
were killed how many the Sergeant does not know.
Many bodies were seen on the ground, and several
were taken into the Courthouse, and seen there
by one of our cavalry, who was prisoner in the
Courthouse for short time, and afterwards made
his escape.
The following is the report by the serg eant of
our loss:
Killed-Private Saintlair-l
acknowledgement Max, ball through the hip;
Corporal Turner ball in the ankle; private Lynch,
ball in the hand private Baggs, bali in the foot.
| Missng-Prvate Sullivan-l.
| Total casualties 8.
! Five prisoners were captured by troops, their
names being as follows John w. Ryan, private
of the Old Guard H. F. Lynn, Prince William
Cavalry; John A. Dunningto Prince William
Cavalry; F. w. Warders, Prince William Caval
ry; w. F. Washington, son of the late Col. Wash
ington, of the U. S. Army.
Having no good means of keeping prisoners here,
they are sent to hcadquar tiers for further DISPOSE
ton
As soon as Lieut.. Tompkins RECEIVERS less hur-
ried report than this will be submitted by Colonel
Hunter commanding the brigade.
JOHN MCDOWELL, Brig Gen. CONG.
Lieut.. Tompkins, who is graduate of West
Point, and has seen service in Texas and Califor
MIA, makes the following statement in relation
to the skirmish:
i The picket guard consisted Of three men,
One was taken prisoner, and Lieut.. Tompkins
said he would hang him if he did not tell cor
rectly the number of soldiers at Fairfax. He
said there were about one hundred and fifty at
the outside. He is one of the prisoners now at
the navy yard.
| The court house street turns at right angles
to the road. AS our men rode round the corner
a squadron of cavalry was soon drawn up in
line across the street. A charge was sounded,
and the line was broken, our men sweeping on.
A company of infantry next appeared, drawn
up on cross street. 1t was charged and bro
ken. The dragons turned and made a third
charge, when they found a company of mounted
rilemen guarding the only other exit from the
street. They charged and broke them.
! A brass six-pounder now appearing at the
end of the street, and the dragons seeming to
be surrounded, they let down the bars of a fence
and galIoped across the fields till they struck a
road which took them twenty-five miles to Vi
emma; thence they rode home
u During the whole time of their presence in
the village there was constant firing from win
dows and doors. Doors would open time enough
for the discharge of musket and then close.
The dragons fired many shots into houses
Military Movements In Memphis-Troops
: A young PTiladelpbian, just returned from
, Memphis, Tenn, reports that $4,000 troops
were stationed at Memphis, or within few
days march of it, They were we'll equipped
and supplied with all military requirements
He also states there is enough powder stored
away in sections of the city to supply that force
for four years. The military clothing is we'll
made, and vast number of tents are under
construction, FIVE hundred men being employed
in making them, under a superintendent APP
pointed by the authorities The rations are also
good, and some is frequently sent to the camp
tables from the plantations.
Of the 5000 troops referred to, 5000 are in
, the city of Memphis, and about as many more
in camp at the fair grounds, near the city, dsll-
,, ing and exercising. There are also at Fort
Wright, near Randolph, Tenn, sixty-fve miles
up tie Mississippi river about 5000 men. AT
this fort there is formidable battery of six
big guns; ga poundcrs.) and two mortars. At
Fort Rector, Arkansas, about six miles above
Memphis, there are about 1,O0C men. Oppo-
site Fort Rector on the Tennessee side, is Fort
Harris, where there about 1000 men. AT
Oceola, Arkansas, which is nearly 100 miles
above Memphis, there is another battery, and
about 1000 men. This makes about $1,000
men at Memphis and the various points between
that and the Missouri and Kentucky lines
. There were also some kentucky soldiers at Co.
lumbus, KY.
The volunteers are described as tolerably we'll
, drilled and very we'll armed with MIME mus
kets, Sharps rifles, and other improved wea-
pons.
In Memphis all business except soldering was
entirely suspended. Thousands Of people had
left and more would leave but for the strict
watch kept over steamboats, and railroad trains
, There are guards of soldiers at all these, and
, troops are stationed also at every point along
the railroads. There is no intention expressed
of advancing to Cairo; but the troops are wait
ing for the United States to advance on them
; -Four companies guard the powder in Mem
phs, and munitions have been sent in liberal
quantities from New Orleans. General Pillow
is in command. Three thousand stand of arms
arrived from Arkansas within three weeks, and
three thousand from New Orleans by the steam
boat Aleck Scott, which was attacked at St.
Louis, but reached its destination A company
of free negroes offered their services, which
were rejected.
The Movement Oh Harper's Ferry.
The movement of Federal troops towards
| Grafton from Wheeling and Ohio has been for
some time in contemplation. The troops that
have now reached Grafton will, it is thought,
? remain some days to await reinforcements as
it is the point at which the advancing column
is directed to rendezvous, and from that place a
movement will doubtless be made Immediately
upon Richmond, by such route as will offer
: no foot adv for ha mid ,,,orob of