, 1862-12-04
THE WAR I'M. VIRGINIA.
A Federal Success near SuofflIkl.
Operations From Fortress
EHonroe.
LATE aND IMPORTANT INFCRaIA-
TI0N FROM TIE HEBRLs.
Statements Of a Texas captain and
a clerk In the Rebel Quar-
termaster's Department.
TEE REBELS SCOUTING BEYOND
IHE RAPPAHANN

HEADoUARTERs ARNT OF TIE POTOMAC
near Falmouth, Dec. 2-Gen. Burnside has
issued q general order dismissing from the
service Capt. George johnson, 81 Pennsy1va-
MA cavalry, for allowing himself and picket
under his charge to be surprised and captured
by the enemy.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY oF TIE PoToMAc,
Wednesday Evening, Dec. Sat 8 o'clock
yesterday morning, parts OF two companies,
Numbering in all sixty men, belonging to the
9Th Pennsylvania cavalry, under command OF
Capt. Wilson, who were stationed ut King
George c. a., were attacked By about 800
rebels who crossed the Rappahannock in
smsn boats at ford some distance this eide
Of the Court House, thus getting between
this command and the main body Of the cav
airy.
Forty Of the sixty escated, and there is rea-
con to believe that more Of them will yet re-
turn. Capt. Wilson is among the missing.
How many TIE had killed and wounded is
F not l1ncTsr... ---- --.= .---.~.-.
The enemy retiring left three dead.
Citizens living in King George county, who
had applied to generals to protect their prop
erty we're known.to be among the attacking
party and doubtless gave the information
which led to the attack. Deso2ters from the
| rebels continue to arrive daily. The repre-
sent their army as being very destitute, par
ticr1arly in clothing. No salt meat has been
issued since they left Maryland.
Last week an order Was issued by Gen. Lee
that such soldiers as we're without shoes
should make moecasins from raw hides, or
otherwise do duty barefooted.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The following has
been received from the headquarters Of the
Army here's.
FORTRESS MONROE, Dec. =, 1862.
| To Maj. Gen. H. ". Ha1leck:
An expedition sent from Suffolk by General
Peck captured to-day the celebrated Pittsburg
battery, taken from our army, and drove the
| enemy across the Black Water at Franklin.
| We have thirty additional prisoners, and are
| picking up more on the road. Many of the
] enemy are killed and wounded. Our loss is
triaing. JouE 4. DIX, Mai. Gen.
| HEADQUARTERS AExE OF TIE PoYoMAc.}
December 2-Mi1night. (
Gen. Ayerin, commanding the cavalry brig
/ ade, started on a reconnaissance up the Kappa
1
rett's Ford, whence he dispatched word here
that he had met no enemy.
/ jackson is believed to have reached Culpep-
| per with the intention Of Joining the rebel
forces at Fredericksburg.
] The batteries have been silent tor the past
! two days. The enemy continue to tarrT there
| and increaEe their works Of defense. Nothing
| has transpired to show that the rebels have
made preparations or commenced to fall back
from their present position.
NEW YORK, Dec. 3.-The Times Falmouth
dispatch etates that Information has been re-
cei7ed to the effect that the rebels were post.
ing their pickets in rather close proximity to
our lines on the right 4 detachment Of 500
cavalry and 500 infantry, under com mand Of
Gen. Ayeril1, were sent out yesterday to re,
connoitre and take possession OF the ground.
| It was asce1toiced that the eneuay's force was
| ally retired, not offering to dispute our pro.
gress. Last night our forces encamped in the
vicinity Of Grove Church
LA1ER.-One Of Stnart's scouts Was captur
ed last night, and reports that only fer O
the cneEay's p1ckets were on this side Of tAt
| river yesterday.
from the N. 7. Times OF Tuesday,
FALMOUTH, Va, Nov. n, 1862.
| On Friday night, about l2 O'Clock, whit
Capt. Byron McCutcheon, Of the Goth Michi
| gan infantry, Was on duty with 200 men or
the Washington Farm (the old Homestead o
the Washington family. abont two miles eas
of Falmouth, where George cut the tamou!
cherry tree,) two rebel officers crossed the
riyer in skiff and delivered up themselve:
and arms, asking the protection Of the STAR
and Stripes. They were well dressed and in
telligent gentlemen one Captain in Texa1
regiment and the other clerk in the Quarter
; | masters department in Richmond.
They left Richmon nearly three weeks agt
| and have since remained secreted by an Irish
man ii Fredericksburg, only Venturlng abou
By night.
, l. is valuable. and contains matter coniirmato
~ Of and additional to that contained In oul
: Yesterdays dispatch. They agree that th.
| rebel force at fredericksburg numbers frou
Is. 0CD to 100 eco men, and certainly has mo-
: exceeded the latter figure, and that, though
suffering for want Of clothing and many kind:
they 1Fe s apparently eoPs1a
Les and his associates are puzzled over ths
| movements Of our army, which they do no
) seem to comprehend, and have finally coaclu
l ded the advance upon Fredericksburg to be
3 | teInt, designed to amuse them, while the mali
attack upon Richmond is to come from snoth
er quarter. Upon this theory, they now be
+ fieFe our force In front OF Fredericksburg il
Q reality 10 be small, and that immense host
are Being embarked at Bellplaine, and con
veJed In transports mp james River. Actin
upon this idea, they have commenced erect
8 Ing earthworks for the protection OF garrl
: a@oR @ force, while the min body Of their arm
has again commenced moring toward Rich
mend.
In addition to these facts OF great presen
? / Interest, the Quartermastar's clerk states
from his own knowledge, that The entlre rebe
:. army has never exceeded 475, 900 men, an
.s this was the largest number tor which cloth
It. ing and rations were ever required.
8 These officers were In fredericksburg Wne
i, the recent national cavalry dash WIS made
and state, that with 100 more men we nigh
have held the city until the suival Of y nor o.
- men who fought with desperate valor, an
y contended single banded with five rebels, an
u wounded them MI before being Killed Fl
It dead body Was instantly stripped Of clothiR
g. | snd subjected to most barbaro1s lndfgnlties.
n the men kicking 1t their rage, aud the fem IL
- - unworthy the name Of wonen-spistin
Il upon It as they passed byi Finally, one ~
G. man, less iDhuman than the rest, came out (
Is house aud covered It With . guilt. Eve
Indian ssvages respect courage In an enemy
but It has been rtserged. for. Southern rebe
+ to eurpass In barha1Ism race proyerblal fl