Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-01-03
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.


FOraging Parties, and SkirmiShirg around FatfaI
Court HOuse-Necsssities Of the Euemy-The
Enemy Surprise a Forging Party under Gen.
Stuart near DraiRSviHe-A sharp Fight-LOss
on both sides.
LEEsBURG, December %, 1861.
EDITORS APPEAL Our whole brigade were
startled, on Saturday morning and the previous
evening, with rumors that several of our regi.
ments had suffered a sharp reverse in an encoun-
ter said to have taken place near Evansville the
day before, and, in absence of anything reliable,
our loss was magnifed tenfold. Waiting pa
tiently for details, l find that the whole matter
has been greatly exaggerated, and that although
opposed to odds of three to one, and with every
advantage of position on their side, the enemy
received a very rough handling from the detach-
ment under General Stuart's command. The
facts of the case, as far as l can learn, are these
On Friday morning some hundred and odd
wagons left Centreville on a fOraging expedition,
and knowing that the enemy were in the habit
of visiting Drainsville, d~etschments from four
regiments were detailed to protect the wagon
train and suit any emergency. With two guns
Of a Georgia battery and a few cavalry, tine
infantry (l500 strong) moved along without let
OF hindrance, but their approach was well known
to the enemy, who, in large force, lay perdu for
their approach. Unconscious of danger, Gen.
Stuart quietly moved along and did not deploy
any OF his force as skirmishers. Hence his
wagons trains had scarcely reached the junction
Of the Georgetown and Alexandria ~turnpikes
when the enemy were suddenly seen in line OF
battle, and opened a heavy cannonade upon us.
Surprised as he was, Gen. Stuart made every
disposition to repel the foe, who appeared to be
about 5000 strong, heavily supported b. artillery
and cavalry. The Ilth Virginians were deployed
as skirmishers and gallantly drove the enemy out
of the woods, while the lst Kentucky and 9th
South Carolina advanced on the right of the road,
fighting splendidly and carrying all before them.
Meanwhile, the wagon train being almost in the
enemy's hands, the Georgia battery took up a
good position and replied finely to the foe, who
literally " shOweTed canister and grape upon our
advance. Extricating the wagons, cur whole
| force fell back some short distance, and seeing the
train safe and out of range, advanced again,
sgainst the enemy who were receiving heavy re-
Inducements every minute. Nothing daunted at
their superior numbers our men fought magnif-
Gently, but instead of pursuing their advantage
the enemy retired slowly towards their reserves,
and no efforts of their officers could prev all upon
their men to advance 10 close quarters, numerous
as they were. Far away from all support, and
being rather roughly handled by their rifles
and artillery, our little band fell back to their
original position and waited for them to ad-
vance but such a word was not in their vo-
cabulary, for perfectly satisfied with their twelve
wagon loads OfwOunded they retired from the field.
During the night heavy endorsements reached
Gen. Stuart, and On Saturday morning he ad-
vanced and occupied the battle field, inviting
the enemy to hOstilities, but su-
periOr as they always are in number, their
whole force fell back, and no inducement could
prevail upon them to renew the attack. Thus
the matter now stands.
Although the " boys - fought finely, the little
affair should teach our generals not TO despise the
enemy as supremacy as some do, for although our
men are willingtO s. DO OF die when called upon,
l cannot see that any general should lose fifty or
sixty men, 81 uply from his own carelessnes
in not providing against a surprise. A gem
sTal never should be caught " mapping. ;"
and old Napoleon was right IN saying that " for
an officer to suffer a surprise is the greatest and
most culpable fault Of which military man can
be guilty, and is worthy of prompt punishment s"
Gen. Start is avery funny brigadier, and it is
said, of very great promise y but Of this we
are certain, the enemy will never have to rejoice
at his oversight again, for this affair at Drains
vile win suffice as a lesson for his whole life,
Great credit is due to the troops engaged, tor
those present say the Kentuckians and Carolini-
ans fought ike demons, cutting up the United
States regulars opposed to them in a most I'M
nerciful MANNER, and although Yankee duplici-
ty nearly caught them in a trap, and well nigh
surrounded them, their style Of fighting was
such that their well drilled opponents were very
glad to take to the woods for security. In fact,
there are not in this whole army men who have
seen harder service, or posses fighting qualities
superior to Col. Tom. TaylOr's LIST Kentuckians,
and should they ever again have but " halt a
chance with the foe, the L~incolntes will rue the
day they ever met them.
As / have mentioned in previous letters, the
necessities of the enemy are such that they are
obliged to send out foraging parties frequently,
and as the environs of Fairfax Court House suit
them best-being near their own lines-they
frequently detail a few brigsdes, and sometimes
a whole division to protect their predatory expe-
ditions, but except in the present instance they
have never had the hardihood to fight, and would
not on that occasion, had they not known that
the extent of their force was much superior to
ours. The loss Of the enemy-learned from citi-
zens at Drainsville-was two hundred killed
and wounded ours sixteen killed and thirty
wounded. The skirm.sh lasted some fifty
minutes. Yours, I. L G..