The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-12-04

Report Of . enMieanGs and sktrs
sA,.h near Fairfax Cears Reuss.
Tho following Is an Interesting report Of
Reconnaissance maie within tho enemy . lines
on Wednesday:
oAa' KIaar' ssAS Ass sy !, ri vA'I
0; q; ..s; Sparrow rr.'r a a o. Als,';d'i'
Sia-A reconnos;cripg party Of squadron
II cavalry, consisting OF my company AID
Captain Benne,t's, was ordered out this day,
M der mv command. The commaEd pro
ceeded along the Little River turnpike to
within q ,hoys distance Of AnuRndaie, where
we passed the last VI our ickets. Here we
matted, and oritr.d the aims 10 be loaded,
aud sent forward an advance guard, consist
log IL & dozrn good men, armed with Sairp's
rified carbiaes, undes command OF Lieutenant
Stevenson, Of my Company. l also detsch.
ed rear guard aud flank patrols, under the
dir ction Of Lieutensus Woodruff and
Thomas, Captain Bernelt and myself remain
Ing with the main body. In thu order We
proceeded to Within one mile and quarter OF
Fairfax Court House, where wo learned that
ABOUT c,xer Of the enemys cavalry had
been for corn early In The morning. Hence
We marched Ia within about Y thousand yards
Of .ae Court House. when our advance
guard was suddenly fred upon BY the encmy's
infsntIy, from beDild largo ,,he pis, runuine
diagonally across Tie Turnpike, covering the
approach ~ The village. The direction Of The
tire was fI0m cur right to lett. The advance
guard immediately deployed 70 tho right and
Lett, some OF them shelteripg them
selves behind house on the right OF
the pike, from which they kept up
lively fire upon the enemy scivalry, which APP
heared IN scattering groups a. varnss points,
evidently for tn. purpose Of drawing 10 cu'.
s shot bling areS IT,, roo. s;" 10
and leaving them under cOlninsss-~ .;a
Bennett, where they remained conce~lec
from the enemy's view, during the whole A.
fair. mono out the advance guard beng en-.
uayed. AZ che Of nv men, who was dis
mounted behind the house, raised bis catbiDe
TO bis shoulder, he said, l wish had my
old rife here" With The remark he hred,
aud Que Of the rebel cavalry dropped from
ois horse, During all this Time the enemy
kept 10 desultory FIRE from the ride pit,aud
fearing they might be maLpuvring to GU! flank
us, ordered the men 10 cease hring, and We
stal ted on our way home.
IL gives NE pleasure 10 be able TO tia G
that curing the whole affair the officers and
men of my command behaved with NJ st ad
mirable ccolress, standing where tho enc.
my's bullets whslled all around them, aid
aiming their pieces in calm and determined
manner. It was with much reluctance they
lett the dSld.
On our return the enemy followed rs at
respectful distance, firing upon our rear
guard. Our men returned the IRE, and the
pursuit was abandoned.
We returned on the Little River turnpike
as tar as HUGHES house, where We took the
Jeff hand road leading TO Mills Gross Roads,
aud thence on the Fairfax road to Falls
Church.
When on this road, about a mile Gom
Mills Cross Roads, we were challenged b.
the advance guard VI the Twentieth New
York volunteers, Colonel Pratt, VINO mistook
us ior rebel cavalry, Us a lot of cavalry had
been seen en- the hill rec0Dnoi .cring all day.
Toe officers Of the regimen. showed con.
p'e!e knowledge OF their duty, aid 1t would
Oe well tor the service II all our OutpOsib
would exercise lie same vigilance. We met
no further oOstruclions, and reached camp
about five P. NJ, having been In the saddle
since niue 4. NJ.
There ought U be signals adopted so that
outposts and patrols may DO enabled To re.
ON nize each other. ana thus avoid very III.
pleasant suspicious AID trs quently accidents.
1t is my sp;nisn that II atquadscn q cavalry
were allowed TO bivousC out over Light,
sone prisoners m eht he captured, a. the
enemy's cavalry, In squads OF about dozen,
are In tie habit If patrO!lp9 the road early
in the morning aud late IN the evening.
A few companies Vi in an!ry, = section OF
ai'illery aud ,qsadion Of cavalry mig t
d;sloase the cneuy from Fai'fax Court
House. The roads to Fairfax Court House |
Gre In excellent condition Tor ali arms Q! the
service.
l have the heror to be, sir, very respect
fully, your chsdi@nl strvans,
". Il. BOYD. cao', %. Lineoln Cavalry.