Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-08-28
THE WAR IN VIRGINIA
Quiet at FredeIicksburg-Neise Of Cannon
Repo.ts by On Intelligent Csntraband.

Quiet at FredeTicksburg-Nei Of Cannen-
Repow by On Intelligent Csntraband.
| From Y Tribune's special cores pendent
| FREpERIcksBuRe, Va, Aug "a ALI 10 still and
qIet at this point, but reports of every descrip
| ton coming In from our army on the Kappa
| hammock visited our advance pickets In the
fen, of the town yesterday They report that
! they have heard cannonading continually for the
/ last two DAYS; the firing, which was arst heard
| on their right, has been gradually moving back
! to their rear, which would indicate that the
enemy ar falling back. Musketry firing was
| beard this morning. An Intelligent contraoand
| came IN yesterday and reports that our troops
were licking the Rebels, and that we had cap
| tured thirteen guns Lieutenant OF cavalry ar
rived last evening, and he corroborated the con-
| traband's story, but saws the number Of guns
| captured was sixteen; he also states that when
| Stonewall Jackson's forces reached the Kappa
hammock at Benefits ford, some eighteen or
| twenty miles from here, part Of McDowelrs
| for were on the south bank Of the river He
| says they secreted themselves under cover Cf the
woods, and that Jacksons forces passed them
and attempted to ford the river.
While in the attempt Gen. POpe's troops
opened a destructive Are on them, and at the
same time McDowell's men threw themselves on
his officer says that this portion Of Jackson's
f0rces-he can't say how many-were utterly an
nihilated, and that the river was red With Rebel
| blood. Th, sc reports give you for what theyare
| worth; the story is believed here That hghing
10 going on Is certain, and we only hope the
above will turn out true. Our pickets In front OF
this town have been doubled during the past two
DAYS, and every precaution to ward of surprise
has been taken by Gen. Burnside. Gen. Burn
8 de and Gen Fitz ohn Porter have just left 40
O'Clock a. M for Aqua Greek, to meet Gen
Mcclellan, who Is at the creek No more OF
Gen. McClellan's troops have arrived here since
wrote YOU last. understand the transports do
not stop ct the creek, but continue on up to Alex
a1dra and Washington. we had terrible
thunder STERN Yesterday afternoon, and to-day is
quite cool and oracing The troops that remain
hare are IN the very best Of splits, and very
anxious that stonewall would pay them visit,
when / can assure you he would get the warmest
reception he ever met in his life.
THE REAR GUARD CAVALRY ENGAGEMENT BEYOND
BRANDY STATION.
WASHING ON, Aug. rs An officer Of the Har-
ris Light Cavalry, who was wounded In the en-
counter on Wednesday beyond Brandy Station,
and Is now here on regimental business, gives the
following account Of the fight and disorderlv
flight OF part Of his reg iment. AS has already
been stated, the rebel advance guard first came In
sig ut OF our rear guard OF cavalry on Wednesday,
little beyond Brandy Station. Their skirmish-
ers were deployed and our pickets driven In; after
which, regular bpshwhac fight ensued, and
continued FOR over three hculs. All the way from
Culpeper TO the RsppahanDock Gen Pope's re
treat was covered oY Bayard's cavalry force,
moving IN three columns, Of which one came by
the main road, another by the Stevensburg road,
and the remaining one over the fields in the
centre. The rear guard which was attac ked COM
prised the Harris Light Cavalry, 1st Pennsylva-
MA and LIST New jersey
For more than an hour and a hef-in fact until
they had fred sixty rounds Of ball cartridge from
their carbines-the Harris Light Cavalry stood
their ground, and when their cartridge boxes
were emptied, skirmished with their sabers The
ammunition train was six miles away, at Kappa
hammock Station, and there was nothing else for
II but to keep a bold front and make a show Of
resistance until cur army had got safely away
over the river. SO little by little General Bayard
fell back, disputng every inch Of the ground as
far as Brandy Station, and repulsing all the
charges which the Rebel squadron. msde. The
country road crossed and recrossed the railroad
track several times in the course Of three miles,
and at one Of these points charge of the three
rear platoons CT Major Rarhans' battalion OF the
Harris Light was ordered. Tue Major was not
a. hand JUS: at the time 10 dire CT the m ovement
and dashicg Lieutenant Colonel Fitzpatrick had
ridden Oh 70 the left to secure the operation OF
the New Jersey cavalry In d combined charge Of
the two regiments
The order was given to a Lieut. Smith, hut not
obeyed Tor, In NONE mt, an attack by the enemy
seeming imminent, he turned and fed, and his
platoon, panicstrc ken, clattered at his heels and
broke 70: the nearest shelter Of woods. With
tuem they carried away the two supporting pla.
toons and for awhile disc der and confusion
seen ed likely to infect the whole rear uard But
hIp4trlck, leaving all plans and consultations to
No MADE at another time, galoped across the
delds through shower of rebel bullets to the
weeds, where the brosen platoons were wildly
riding ABOUT, ana waving mis- SABRE, ne shouted,
n bel hat halt! VIII no one stand by me ,
Hat You disgrace the regiment. Stand by
M, and we'll rally, boys" And then he swore
by all that was s,cfed that he would not leave
that spot but 90 alone and charge the enemy. In
a few minut,s the men were rallied and at their
head Fitzpatrick dashed upon the rebel Cavalry,
and checked their advance long enough for our
column TO reg ain its steadiness When Fitzpatrick
saw bis men break he cried from modification,
and AFTER the days work was done he gave them
such talk that the disgraceful thing is likely
10 happen again. The regiment has made such
reputation for Itself in previous actions and
skiIInishes that this one unfortunate affair will
not bring much discredit on 1t.