The national Republican., 1861-07-19

WV
First brigade, Colonel Franklin 10 the ad.
vance.
Second brig ade, Colonel Wilcox, as centre of
column.
rhnl brigade, Colonel Howard, Of Maine,
commanding.
Captain Somes company G, Of second cav
airy. acted as body guard of Colonel Heintzle.
man.
oh Wednesday, the troops proceeded as far
as sSsngster's Station, on the Fairfax road when
Colonel Franklins command branohed of on
the road to Sangster to cut off railroad com.
munication, and Colonel Wilcox proceeded on
the road to Fairfax Station.
Colonel Heintzelman in the meantime re.
mained At the corner Of Ssngster's Cross. Roads,
two miles and half from Fairfax Station, with
Colonel Howard's brigade and Captain Some's
cavalry.
About one o'clock, the following dispatch was
received from Colonel Wilcox
To Colonel Heinssleman, Fairtaz Station
We have taken Fairfax station with eleven
prisoners. large number Of infantry and some
horsemen fed over towards the left. Frank.
lin can intercept them We have flag, etc.
(Signed,) o. B. Wilcox.
The roads toward Sangster were intercept.
ed by the telling of trees and other obstacles;
otherwise COL Wilcox might have succeeded in
making even more successful and expeditions
victory. In the meantime the first dvision, under
command Of Brigadier General Tyler, proceed.
cd toward Fairfax Court House by the roads
from Falls Church and Vienna the second
division, under command of Col. David Hunter,
and fifth division, under Colonel D. 8. Miles, in
the same direction by the Little River Turn.
pike and Braddock road. Several regimen Is
OF rebel troops are reported to have passed
Ssngster's Station during the day, in retreat
before Franklin's column.
An Alabama regiment was encamped within
two miles Of forks of road, where we arrived at
noon, the camp fires of which we're still burning
when we passed this afternoon, and there was
every evidence of their hasty retreat, quaint.
ties Of fresh beef, corn, &C., being left behind
Near this camp, We found they had made an
attempt at infantry breastworks, which could
have been walked over by our troops. Its con
struotion proves the weakness of the enemy in
this art Of war
A messenger from Col. Wilcox brings ,nfor
nation that after taking Fairfax station, he
proceeded towards the Court.H When
within q mile of that place, he found that Col
Miles's division had taken possession, the enemy
having in all instances, retreated without show
, Of fight, except on the part of few pickets
Special correspondence of the National Republican
FAIRFAX Rr.HousE,
Thursday ecening, July ls, 1861.
The column under command of Colone
I Burnside, with the Rhode Island regiments il
:. advance, preceded by their battery, which lei
Washington on Tuesday afternoon, encawpe,
4 about Eve miles from Fairfax in an open felt
!. on the same night, They continued thei
e march the next morning. The roads were al
2 deserted, and frequent halts we're made to clea
away distractions Of trees, &c. Many mel
( fell on the march from sunstroke.
r They arrived opposite Fairfax, about half
it mile from town, on hill overlooking the rebe
breastworks, and came to halt. The batter
n moved to take position on tho hill, and ski
II mishers were thrown forward.
The news passed along the line that the en-
ir emy were retreating. The infantry were OF
o dered to halt, and the cavalry, about eight hun
ir dred strong advanced to overtaks and haras
IS them. The troops then advanced rapidly tc
.e wards town, following the cavalry. The sec
IA ond Rhode Island took possession of the towr
and found it nearly deserted by the inbabitanti
The retreat of the enemy must have bee
precipitate. The tents of the South Carolin
regiment were left standing. Large qusntitie
Of camp equipage, together with bales of blaI
kets, gold watches, rsvolvers, DC, were left b
the " chivalry,' The Inhabitants who renal
state that the rebel troops were not aware {
the advance upon them until informed by the
" pickets.
Unfortunately, the msia object OF this gran
y expedition, which was to cut off the retreat