Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-15
Tho PIeht at LewinsvIIIe.


before yesterdays Herald, gives the follow
ing account of The battle at Lewinsville,
near the Chain Bridge, above Washington;
"In accordance with orders from General
Mcclellan, this morning General Smith, com
manding the advance brigade on the South
side of the Potomac, near the Chain Bridge,
directed a typographical reconnaissance in
ferce to be made in the direction of Lewins
vile.
The reconnoitering party consisted of the
Seventy ninth New York Volunteers, Third
Vermont Volunteers, battalion of the Nine
teenth Indiana Volunteers; battalion of
the First United States Chasseurs, under
Colonel Alexander P. Shaler;
two sections -four pieces) Of the West Point
battery, Captain Griffin fifty men of Com
pany H, Fifth United Sta,es Cavalry, Lieu
tenant McLane commanding, and one COM
psny Of Young's Osvalry-the whole under
the command of Colonel Isaac J.. Stevens,
acting Brigadier General. The scientific
corps was in charge of Lieutenant Orlando
III. Poe, United States Typographical Engi-
neers assisted by Lieutenant West, of the
United States Coast Survey, who were to
conduct the reconnaissance.
The reconnoitering party, thus organized,
left Camp Advance about seven A. NJ, and
proceeded, without molestation, to Lewins-
ing that point at half-past ten A. NJ, just in
time to get a sight of the heels Of a rebel
cavalry picket, about fifty strong, which
evacuated the village, and retreated in the
direction of Falls Church, without firing a
shot upon the approach of our advance
guard.
After the arrival of our troops in Lewins-
vile, cavalry and infantry pickets were
thrown out on all the diverging roads aud
niya NJ for nf ho1f mill
Scouting parties were also sent out to OBJ.
serve the movements of the rebels, should
any be attempted.
AT about eleven o clock A. N. large body
of rebel cavalry were seen in the distance,
watching the movements of our troops,
They did not come within cannon or musket
range, and therefore their appearance did
not interfere with the operation OF the re-
connoitering party.
Lieutenant Poe, of the Engineers, with a
corps of assistants, commenced his surveys,
and proceeded over an area of four miles
square, obtaining valuable Typographical in
formation.
At half past two o'clock the reconnaissance
was completed, and orders given to recall
the pickets, preparatory to returning to Camp
Advance. All the pickets responded to the
recall except picket of the Third Vermont
and one from the Nineteenth Indiana Regi-
out to learn the reason of their detention,
and subsequently learned that they were
watching the advance of column of the
enemy, consisting of seven hundred cavalry,
two regiments ofinfantry, and four pieces of
artillery, who were coming from the direc-
ton of Falls Church. :-
Little or no attention was paid to the rebel
advance, as the objects of the expedition had
been accomplished, and our troops had pro-
ceeded but few rods on their return home
when the enemy's battery, which by this time
had attained position within three-fourths
of mile of our troops, opened rapid
capnonsde on our forces with shot and shell.
The firing was kept up for ten minutes, when
a section of Captain Grif6n's battery, COM
sisting of two n-pounder ri1ed cannons,
was Immediately placed in position, return
ing briskly the fire of the enemy.
simultaneously with the rebel cannonade,
they opened a fire of musketry, from behind
trees and other places of concealment, while
our troops were formed in line of battle, with
orders not to fire unless the enemy came out
of their hiding places.
The cannonading now became general,
and continued for fifteen or twenty minutes,
when Brigadier- General Smith arrived on
| the ground, having come from his camp post
haste, unattended by an escort. He ordered
some important changes in the position OF
our forces, expecting general engagement.
While the cannonade was in full progress,
| Captain Thadeus Mott who, when the firing
was first heard, was drilling his company at
Langley, four miles tIom the battle ground,
arrived on the ground with a section of ar
tillery, consisting of one large bronze thirty
| two pounder hOwitzer and one ten FOUNDER
| Parrot gun. He took prominent position,
commanding the enemy's battery, opened
| fire from his howitzers, and fired but three
shells, each one striking in the midst of the
rebels and completely silenciDg their battery,
First Lieutenant George n. Kensel, f'Grlf-
fms battery, who was in reserve at camp
| arrived with another section of artillery
simultaneously with Motifs battery, and hC
also opened on the enemy.
| The rebels, thus seeing themselves over
matched, retreated from the field TO tn
music of the Union batteries, which con
tinued for ten minutes after the rebel bat
terry had ceased.
The objects of the reconnaissance wer
completed. 1t is a subject of congratulatiol
| that the reconnaissance was made withil
the lines of the enemy with so little loss an
with such triumphant success.
The attack was made npon the flank. Th
Third Vermont Regiment was first subjecte
to the fire, but the principal part of fell to tn
Ninteenth Indiana, which formed part ofth
rear guard. When the attack was made tn
rear guard was composed of two Napoleo
guns of Grffin's battery, the Nineteenth In
diana Regiment, and Lieutenant McLane'
Cavalry, in the order named. The infantr
were marching loosely, filling the road.
Lieutenant Poe, who was in command c
the rear guard, directed the infantry to clos
up, and move by fours in the center of tn
road, so as to leave the sides free for the pas
sage of the artillery when necessary. Th
order was promptly obeyed. A few minute
afterward It was reported from the rear tina
a body of about three hundred rebel eayalr
were preparing to make charge. One
the Napoleon guns was halted until the IN
fantry had passed. 1t was then placed i
front of the cavalry, masked by them, wit
orders to the cavalry, whenever the charg
should be attempted, to open right and LET
unmask the gun, and repel the charge wit
canister. In this order the retiring marcl
was made without the slightest confusion.
General Smith, when he heard the can
nonade, and before he left his quarters to 6
{ to the scene of conflict, ordered a are-enforce
ment, consisting of the Thirty-third NeV
York Volunteers, the Wisconsin Fifth, tn
Maine Second, the California Regiment an
; a Battery of the First Pennsylvania Volur
teet Artillery, to follow him. AS soon 8
i the General found the enemy had retreateC
Q and before his re-enforcements had arrived
he sent back orders to halt at intervals alon
Q the road for three or four miles to preyeI
the enemy from hanking our troops.
? 1t should be stated that General McClella
a took particular occasion tonight to compl
: ment the commander of the reconnaissance
: to-day for having accomplished splendi
result.
When the firing at Lewinsville was hear