Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-09-17

counI ofThe Affair.
Tne Washington S!ar Of last Thursday {, ell
ing mas the following account OF the Skirms!
on Wednesday, near Chain Bridge
Yesterday "Wednesday morning, al
O'Clock, in pursuance OF orders reconnoi
tering party Of about !: 900 men. infantry; &c
tween eighty and ninety volunteer cavalry
and Grifin's United States Light Battery
started under COL Stevens, Of the New IoI.
Se7enty.nineh, from the camps in the vicinity
Of Chain Bridge, and proceeded leisnrely W
the Lcesburg turnpike. They advanced a!
far as Lc9insyille-saven mies--without see
ing anything of the enemy, whose picket:
fed before them On the way, however, they
were informed that the enemy's retreatin:
pi cket guard expected to return with sufi
cient reinfoTcements to cut them of.
Lieut.. Poe, OF the Topograp phcal Engineers
executed his orders to obtain correct sketch
Of the country reconnotcred, using plane
table to that end.
On their return they were opened Oh from
the wood and a curn.hed to their right and
left, with artillery and muskelry, though the
foe engaged kept concealed throughout tn:
skir1nish. The Two forces were between cigh
teen hundred and Two thousand yards apar
during all Of the firing. No musketry was
fred by the Union troops, Grifia's battery
being alone actually engaged on our side. The
enemy's battery consisted Of two rifle guns
throwing Hotchkiss shells, ai two G.pound
crs the riHed guns being heavier than those o
Captain Grfin's, 32.pounder was sent after
the force, but did not get up with Colonel Ste
vens until after Griffin had completely ST.
lenccd the rnerny's guns, when slngl shell
thrown by it caused the cnemy'S cavalry, be-
tween seven hundred and thousand strong,
THAT made their appearance in the rear Of our
force, as though disposed to dispute the way
with them,) to scamper of-scatitrlrg In all
directions
1t is not kn,wn whether any oi their caval-
ry were killed. Nor, indeed, whether any Of
the enemy were killed, as from first 10 last
| none of their infantry or artillery were seen
by any OF the force under Col. Stevens. The
fact that the enemy's battery was silcnccd, and
the engagement given by him, is, ho~e7eT,
strong circumstantial evidence or which to
found the impression that he met with more
or less loss.
Persons residing in the vicinity brought 10
our camps last night reliable information that
! the force OF the enemy engaged consisted Of
two regiments Of infantry and Stuarts regi-
nent Of Virginia cavalry, with a single bat.
tery-four pieces-of artillery, that was hur-
ried forward to the end Of cutting of Colonel
Stevens force OF its return.
The troops under SteYtb: consisted Of Sc
lected portions Of the Vermont I'd, the New
York 10Th, the Indiana 9th. (Col. Merediths)
with few other small attachments " infan.
try from other regiments.
The purpose Of sending cut this lorcc was
not to bring on a general engagement, but to
oh: lain certain in(orlnlton, which was obtain
ed before the force faced about 10 return !;
shortly after which the attack began.
1t was 6 noticeable fact that Col, Stevens
had great difficulty in preventing his men
from advancing upon the hidden enemy, and
they left the field after the enerny's battery
was sienced with evident reluctance. No
force ever showed i better spirit for the light.
Indeed, those who were killed aud wounded
for the most part suffered through their over
eagarncss for the fray that led them TO expose
themselves against orders.
General Mcclellan, on receiving intelligence
that the enemy seemed disposed to dispute Col.
Stevens return 70 our lines, mounted, aod
accompanied by his staff, FASTENED in the iii
rrction OF the affair. He was enthusiastically
checred by the troops whcreve: he was seen
by them, both going and returning. When be
reached the command Of Col. Stevens, that had
been engaged, the men one and all raised trc
mendous Shout Of welcome. O,.r poor fellow,
in the very agoaes Of death from his wounds,
as the Genera! took his hand, suddenly spraug
uo and thanked him for his kind attention. He
probably did not survive fpr hsif an hour af-
forwards. Gen. McCall:s brigade gave him a
most remarkable welcome, cheering him as he
passed. As colnman der was hardly ever before
cheered.
We learn from headquarters tEat our loss
was one actually killed on the field, one died in
short time, five desperately and 1--WE slightly
wounded All our wounded and Killed were
brought away, with tts single exception OF one
man, too badly wounded to be moved, VINO was
left al farm bouse to be cared for.
Capt. Boggs who arrived in Richmond feT
days since, informed US that the forces en-
gagged on the Confederate side amounted 10 on
" some three hundred men under Col. Stew
art. Capt. Boggs was ordered to hold him
self in readiness at certain point, to reinforce
Col. Stewart if necessary, but, that alter few
shots from the rife cannon Of the Confedcrates,
such was the destruction received Ly the enemy,
who were some three thousand strong, and who
were commanded bT Mcclellan in person, that
they fled from the field precipitatcly; conse.
quently there was no necessity for Capt.
Bocg's reiu(orcemsnts 300 Uo1f!lerates
having put to flight the Lincolnites, lei on
By Mcclellan.
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