Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-17
The Fight at Lewinsvflle.

| The New York Heralds Washington cor
respondent gives the following detailed &C.
count of the skirmish on the l1th, near Lew
insville:
In accordance with orders from Gen Nc
| Clellan, this morning Gen.Smith commanding
| the advance brigade on the South side of the
| Potomac near the Chain Bridge, directed
| typographical reconnaissance in force to be
| made in the direction of Townsville.
The accommodating 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 Lieuten-
ant Colonel Alexander P. Shaler; two Sec
tions -four pieces) of the West Point Bat
terry, Captain Griffin; fifty men OF Company
81. Fifth United States cavalry, Lieutenant
McLane commanding, and one company of
Young's cavalry-the whole under the com
mand of Colonel Isaac ]. Stevens, acting
Brigadier General. The scientific corps was
in charge of Lieutenat Orlando M. Poe,
United States Typographical Engineers, as
sisted by Lieutenant West. of the United
States Coast Survey, who were to conduct
the reconnaissance.
The accommodating party, thus organized,
left Camp Advance about seven A. M, and
proceeded without molestation to Lewins-
ing that point at half past ten A. NJ, just in
time to get sight of the heels of rebel
cavalry picket, about fifty strong, which
evacuated the village, and retreated in the
direction of Falls Church, without firing
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 and
rto for Afaf. or AAlf
mile. Scouting parties were also sent cut to
observe the movements of the rebels, should
any be attempted.
At about eleven o'clock A. NJ. q 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 In
terfere with the operation of the reconnoiter-
ing party.
Lieut.. Poe of the Engineers, with a corps
OF assistants commenced his surveys and
proceeded over an area of four miles square,
obtaining valuable typographical informa-
ton.
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 plckets responded
to the recall except a picket of the Third
Vermont and one from the Nineteenth Indi-
ana Regiment. Col. Stevens sent detach-
ment out to learn the reason of their deten-
ton, and subsequently, learned that they
were watching the advance of Q column OF
the enemy, consisting of seven hundred cav
airy, two regiments of infantry, and four
pieces of artillery, who were coming from
The direction Of Falls Church.
Little or no attention was paid to the reb-
Ell advance, as the objects of the expedition
had been accomplished, and our troops had
proceeded 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 rap
Id cannonsds on orr forces with shot and
she'll The firing was kept up for ten min
utss, when section Of Captain Grinan,s bat
tsfy, consisting Of two ten,poandsr riesd cam