The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-11-04


A correct idea of localities lies at the fonnda-
ton OF all true conceptions of BATHS. Lees
burg is about three miles and a half from the
Potomac. viii h. bending 10 an e Stern direc-
tiou Just above the Town, fncircfs an island
of some eighty acres, known a. swans or
Ha'risor's Island. Two miles below Is Ed
wards FArry near the mouth OF Goose
Greek, a eonsitera b,e stream, which is crossed
near TIE Ferry ty Kiphart's bridge, and about
two miles up was crossed by fine stone
structure which tina Confederate cavalry de-
stroyeCl IN J une or July last. To these bridges
run two main reads divPrging from Bank
street bout the centre OF Lsesburg In the
triangle Tins Termed, and Oh site which
oor.msnds the whole surrounding country
on hoth the Marvianf and Virginia side, is
situated For, Esana," n hastily constructed
-arth-vork From this point, The eve ranges
sn open, rolling country 10 Edwards
Ferry in front--Leesburg. backed by wooden
ridges is III the rear--ar g miieo or two Ga the
- 's ~" wooden ground where the battle
was foeght
y 20 ,oday, the 10Th, no engagement Of
my nagn.lute had siknalizrd Gen. Evans
'omm nd. Two pieces o; the Howl GER bat
itry, the only artillery which be- possessed.
Ga1 pnonaded the enemy At Conrad erry,
md tew days before the battle had opanea
opon II rprrs Ferry fir n the noun tain East
( The towr. ss Il diversion, during the attack
made uFcn that pisce by Col. Ashhy with
hrse pti"ns, III spite of incessant alarms
tpd ftcaet hrings, The brigade had remained
'1aclve. Bat on the night Of sunday, the
10Th, u was known hat IN" enemy had cfC6sed
in consider bic tDrCa At +. ward Ferry; Al q
Gener~'l t.ytns advertised o! the fact al
strong column. supported by artillery, was
bout TO advance up0n him from the direction
Of Gen. Met ieIisn's left wing, ga the Burnt
3r.tRs Oh Goose Creek.
To oppose the force at Edwards Ferry
General vans sent the 18th n isis ippi, Col.
kaTksdal", ans thu lsin Mississippi Colonel
Bari. The 18th Missiasi rIi, Colonel Feather
stoA. was afterwards added Al Burt Bridge
We're posted The Sth Virginia, Col. Huuton,
ccmposed of Loudoun aud Prince William
volunteers, ard a ~ pound howilzar. The
forces thus posted remained awaiting The as
SAINT until abou. ? ,. n ., on Monday, when
~ anticipation CT m attack ut the Burnt
Bridge were dissipated Al the came moment
Intelligence was brought that the cG. N Y were
"rossirgin force at Harriaon'S Isl nd, directly
opposite. and about three railes from the
town Gen. Evans promptly Withdrew The
s,h Virginia cn3 the piece Il 5r,illtrY sup
porting n, from Burnt Bridge. double quick
III them 10 The point opposite the island, and
gaYe the OrdeT-''The enemy Is in that woods
drive fhem OUT BARS hssferGed troop
was posted on the left Of the woods, the how
2-r ia iro9t; und The order was, II Tie sth
virginia ieil tack, for the gun 20 open with
shot ana she'll. ard the cavalry 10 charge.
The sth w>nt 1T double quick across the
open field in front reached the }e'I u the
woods, in front of Capt Pail, ara formed
line o. battle. The charge soon followed as!d
the cavalry participated in il, dismourting
and fgbtlpg the Coemy's advance guard on
foot. Tho en@ag@rn ent soon became vigorous,
IS Ire ineessant iiring-nore M int errupted
AMI violent, I think, than q : Mana Ssas-indi-
caIad on@a or tWlCe the noise Of the mus
kerry end the chaaring seem. L 20 roll nearer,
in1 show that cur trOOYe Y-sre yvsvattng and
falling hHe j. Bot Col. HIM an assures me
thar s1eb yas at 80 tiCae the iact. ~ was
oua steady JGya nee lie declares. TO notice
more particularly, however, the mode OF at
tArk adorted ~ tae 5th, the WI; r ri jnis
was with the piece Of artillery above alluded
90, ailN was denied ri rarticjpgtj0G n III
Battle; cut many Of the regiment, eli "ers and
pr3fafaz, relrted the circumstances. On en-
terlu& TIE %G1CS, the TegtI1 al WIS st once
teo!0vsd, aud advanced thus towards the
rHeIny, through the deuse tlicket. Their
HanAers soon met, and Ihe sngatg II gnent com
meaca& almost Immediately al aiong tae
AaS. I ne enemy mad creased !bCAr IoTCps
nith three Di-crs Of art'tiery--tWo navy how
tiers aAd une heavy rjHs gan--iu hats, had
&scendea br Il winding road the steap, rocky
blaff % some TWO hundred fae5, which here
t2-tsacs aicns che rivers bank, ang had de
pioyoa th-ir column rieby ard ieit il The
woods.
TIE ,th went into the hzht, running spd
cheering. la consequence OF sha del shy Of
the lnicket the forces Were almost face 10
face, before th-v cQEsd f!rs--aud the whole
hattie VA o. this descrip'ion-at close en-
Coulter. The enemy soon got their bowit-
KS ia position, 0n iittle knoll, in front OF
which extended some open ground, aud
opPGed win canister Here took place the
hardest fighting, a. tha 14ny dead r. lies Of
f,iepd and foe which / saw sing about on
the Uat otter, proved Cant HeatOn's com
rAnY F@4IsntlT charged the bar.eTy, drove
9acR its support rs, mnd turned it uoon the
enemy, but trUTs want Of ar1ii-riSts the ipcss
could not ba used, and one OF them in the
hurry W overturned. The a. mt on our side
then continued, An infantry ,,ngs cement ex-
ciusiveiy. II was certainly desperate one.
| have never witnessed Il lGore conclusive ex-
hthl ton @. ne daring courage Of the Eirgin ia
80 Ia 25a.A
Dumbar, by The con fpgsion of their own pris-
ouers, was not OILY held IN check, but driven
t'ck. foot by foot. by QUE regiment OF ours,
ard liz the main III ht not even tbav force on
cur side vas eng ged. The eneruYs siroag
adv3nca, IL heavy column on oar centre
met and repe!led BY three or four com plries
only.
ile battle had continued with brief inter-
missions for more than hour. well rs
could estimate lha time, when Gen Eraps
order 4 Mp the lsth Mississippi. Col Bart
froIn Edwards Fry, two miles below. and
81 bseJu.pfls the 18th ri ississipni Col EeaIh-
~rstnn. leIYinz the 18th Mississippi tssi
karksdaie, 10 hold the enemy in check 81
'hSt point, and prevent his throwing force
upon our II nix. The 18TH rived III scod
lime, an er-d the woods, ia the rear and on
the right f!anh OF the slh and co1niDencpd
their attack with sii that desperate valor
which chayaet erizes the great raca # which
thes were on this Gcca-I IN the worthy repre-
sAutafIyes. The eEga cement, which had be-
gan TO itnguish upon OFF side, In come de-
gree, from tne exhaustion Of our ttoors thus
r.commes ced with NV fury. The volleys
were tucessHpt, and the CHEERING rung an0ye
the WOODS like the shout of victory. Let
this fact here be placed record in words so
plain that o one can misupderstand From
me beginning 70 tss taG If tlis face fare combat
6efrec7G 90 h0T;aeFncTs, oad tess shsr 1900
So9tterElrs. tbsre aaspeY moment nhea me
.>0athTpcrs G6re back one iRcA-- esyg zaoncmset
was fo;g ard; thsir officers coufc nor control
ue% ahd "U%1at 9Graatdge % grcRad, oppdsed
mo than fac 10 one, dFd kooscjng thdt Ftder,i re-
M Tctrsfnis tcYe c0RlR 0aky 8ss9 e. teg -aacsd
d0gRodly, ste ~ sfep aud BE- simple sup ridrfts
heartS and arrested Ihe uictorg from M e.emg
Happy and glorious men True soas OF the
sires Of the Revolution, an noble ofshoots OF
the Southern oaa You had truly heart5 of
oak On that day the men Of Virginia ard
mississippi covered themselves all over with
undying glory. There were those of Your
brethren, near 81 hand, who listened to ire
mortal yolioys, AMI with flushed faces and
hot tears. burned 20 leap To your rescue for
ihe honor of their blood ard race and
stand or fail with you. But this was denied
them, and the glory remains all year own
Col. FeatherstoG' 8 regiment, the 18th Mis-.
sissippi, came mp on the enerav'a left flank
just IS the battle ended. They We're already in
full flight. Down the rocky hlaff. peli-meli
dropping mnskets, Rwords, pistols, every
thlng--Crowded and erowding into th. boats
aud on The rude rafIs-nastered by wild
panic. and anxious only to get away from the
southern devils thus did the fine coiann
f-NiSf77 ehfN '''tA- ~htssss na SrtlEts QUIZ fa1t
with some 80 sunk, aud the scene il repre-.
seuted as having been horrible One was
heard crying as DE sank, 80 my dodi help
heip'-beip!'-many chung to sac n other and
went down TINS To their watery grave--others
tainted from wounds and fell In tostAe stream
which was soon crowded with dead bodies
The ront was thus terrible, bloody, complete.
should say here before lose sight Of IT.
and in order 10 make the readers comma
heDsion of every thing aecurate--tha4 we had
besides rue forces enumerated, four com ma.
nj 8 OF the 18Th Mississippi on cur extreme
left flank, aud at Fort Exams, and a wooden