New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-06-02
pRYEEE HUNDRED RERgLS lSTONISHED
TwEMTY-sEvEN REBELS KILLED.
nsventeen Prisoners Taken.


There was fight at Fairfax CourtHouse this
morning. Lieut.. Msndel, of the @Sth New ork
Regiment, just in, gives the following statement
direct from Lieutenant Tompkins.
A detachment Of the Second Cavalry, Lieuts.
rompkins and Gordon in command, numbering
arty-fse men, at daybresk this morning we're
scouting in the neighborhOOd of Fairfax Court
Heuse.
They met Secession pickets four miles this
aide. They vanly tried to secure the pickets,
out they rode of and gave the alarm in town.
The dragons made charge through the
siBage, and were shot at from the hotels, Court
House, and balconies of private houses all through
The street.
A company Of infantry ahead turned and fred,
md another closed in behind and kept up o con-
sinual FIRE.
After q charge forward, the dragons charged
back again, fought through and beat retreat.
They carried away five prisoners, having cap
Snred seventeen. The rest got away during the
light
One was killed. aud two wounded.
The reporter for the Associated Press says:
"An official report, made by Gen. Mcdowell 10 the
ar Department gives the loss OF the Union troops st
he affair at Fairfax CourtHOuse at four and ths Of
he COhfederates twenty-seyen.'
Lieut.. TOmpkins's horse was shot in the neck,
and fell on kin sprainiDg his ankle.
Some staff officers of the 9th New-York Reg
EDsnt accompanied the squad. All except the
Adjutant were wounded slightly; one in the
ankle
Lieut.. TOmpkins thinks that in the neighbor-
ioOd of thirty of the eIHny were killed. They
couldn't stop to count the wounded. Half
tozeD horses were carried of.
The force in town is estimated at fifteen hun
ared. Had there been only two hundred al
Eould have been captured.
Tonight l should not be surprised il Fairfax
Court House would be attended TO-
LATER AND MORE COMPLETE ACCOUNT.
iscci.l Di,psteh to The N. Y. TIbuns
WAsHNGTON, Saturday, June l--l0 p. m.
The account of the Fairfax Court House affair
which was sent you this morning, was necessarily
ess complete and accurate than the following
statement, which was derived from Lieut.. Col.
Burger of the New-Ysrk Fifth, and confirmed in
al essential particulars by two of the dragons
Eho were in the fray, and who brought the
prisoners into town this noon.
Lieut. TOmpkins and Second Lieut.. Gordon
.ad VII them Dragons, fifty-twO in number, of
Company B, % U. s. Csvairv, $40 mGn Of the
Sew-YOrk Fifth, and t.afee of.egfs, a6iutant
frank rtIS..msster Fearing, and Assistant
sssrsermaster Cary, making ffty-nine men.
These members of the staff were attracted by
probability Of accommodating little further than
,sual, with view Of seeing the number of enemy
It Fairfax.
The party left camp at 1lI O'Clock, surprised
Ae picket guard four s0ies this side, shOt one,
md the other gsI6ped toward the village, firing
and giving the ariarm. At dsybreak they reached
he town, EoUnded charge and gallOped through
he prin1ipal street under heavy fire from the
City Aall, Post Office, private houses, behind
er,ces, from the sidewalk aud street-nOt from
sitizens but from soldiers in uniform, some on
Isot, some mounted.
On this charge Eve mounted men were taken
sisoners-One with Prince William County Cav.
dry on his cap. They were seized by the neck
nd swept on with the troops. One man cried
Halt" "Wait q bit, remarked Lieut. Tomp.
Gina and shot him.
The dawn had hardly broken, 70 Che aim was
act sure, but whenever they saw fash from
window, i've or six shots answered it, Most OF
yAe Rebels that were killed were il the street.
Some ran 10 front, turning to fire on the ORA
zoons, and others closed IL behind after their
easing.
At the end Of the street Lieut.. TOmpkins
.urned, and the troops, holding their prisoners
u an iron grasp, charged again through the
shole length of the village, wheeled third time
and charged from end to end, but observing
piece Of artillery coming fren eide alley in
'front.' of the City Hall, they judged it prudent
,Ot to try fourth time, and so rode on, making
: detOur of ten miles, and reached the camp by
sght o'clock, having ridden forty-four miles.
Besides the FIVE prisoners, they bromght five
% SIX horses. Three Dragons were missing,
and are pretty certainly killed. -Four are
wounded, one having sabre-cut in the face
aud ball IN the stomach. Assistant Quarter
master Cary, of the 9Th, slightly wounded in
tho foot. The wounded are now under the care
of Drs. Hasse and RoOea of the 5th.
The number Of the enemy killed is uncertain;
estimates vary from twenty TO fAy. The
wounded are very numerous. 1t. Tompkins is
sule he killed two. The trumpefer, only fifteen
ears old, killed two, and one dragon thinks he
'hished four or five; one % prisoner, trying to
set away was shot through the belt 1t. Tomp-
Aal n - l.