Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-11-08
THE FIGHT NEAR ALDrE.

CAMP NEAR CHASTriLr, VRe Nov. 1, ie62-
ESifor Star: ! srnd you n short account Of the
little nFht that occurred in our front, near
Aldo, on yesterday afternoon, in which he
"first Jersey took its usual share The ist
cavalry brigade, in two demi-brigaaes one
consisting Of the ist Penns yIvania Ga VARY, the
Ioth New York Cavalry and a section OF SchIr-
In,r's Mounted Battery, bring under Colonel
Jones, of the Ist p, nnsyivauia: the other COM
pcsed Of the LIST New Jersey Cavalry, the 90
New York Harris Iight) Cavalry and anoff-r
seciicn of artillery, under command OF our
l-irut Colonel. thy brave Joseph Ka-sr-had
b-1n weeping the country from Aidie tc Upper.
Nili', Driving In the enemy Piek-ls and taxing
lew pitsoners. After doing this for two dayy,
t'n th" 3isi We were IN biSouac a short dis tance
e"st OF Aide. Part of the list Rhode Island
Cavalry, belonging 20 0cnerrl Sioasraan's COM
mand, by seme inconceivable carelAssness,
allowed the enemy 20 surprise them. " i'm their
horses unsaddled and their arms laid axissr; aud
the hrst intelligence thai We received OF any
hostile force being IN the neichborhood was
brought by fugitiyes rushing past n. Ia disorder
k"rFe immediately had his force under arms
and In fiye minutes the ist Jersey were pushing
through the town, led by MAJOR Beanmoni.
whore our pickets, under Captain X s;er. wen.
holding the enemy in check. Our fellows
charged fercely upon the rehel ady ans.c. dsivfrg
IL hack upon their reserve, and Irnlng the head
Of the reserve back in confusion. Having t6ls
secured good position b-yond The town, the
Jerseys formed NJ the foot Uf a hin, deployed
skImishcrs regularly, aud kpr. the rebels in
check. In the mean time, Colonel karge brought
up the Harris Light and formed them rs a
reserve. The enemy were visible along The
SnlchersNnle rod as far a. theeye could reach,
and they had already deployed strong columns
on both sides of the road, I'm the woods aud
fields. The rebels made vigorous effort. 10
drive Us fran our position, three several times
attempting 70 deploy IN a cornfeld 70 our lef,:
and three several times our skirmishers dashed
right into them, and drove them back in dis
order, with loss. After holding the ground for
three quarters OF an hour with cavalry alone,
under heavy hre OF round shot, grape ard
shrarnel we succeeded in bringing our section
into position, and inf iicted further damage upcn
the enemy, who were unable 20 do anything
with their strong force against the front shown
by our few men-the whole demi- brigade AZ.
that time numbering only seven hundred ard
nifty men. About an hour before sunset, Colonel
karge received an order from Brigadier General
Bayard 10 fall back. The Colonel, however,
held the ground until nighifall, when the rebel
infantry, slowly pushing along the wooded hiIl
sides, Were gradually thanking rs. Our men
then withdrew in splendid order a force or
carbIneers remaining in the town until IAa
General sent them peremptory order 20 falI
oack. Inc OBJECT OF me reconnotssanee having
been already accomplished, we returned 20
camp that evening, having snly eleven men
killed, wounded and missing. Captain SAWYER.
While leading the skirmishers with his usual
toldness, was painfully, bat not dangerously
wounded. Sergeant Whitfield Lam, Of COM
pany h, was hat in the same manner. Orderly
SERGEANT louis Fahs, Of companSH vas killed
Nitehen, though il was his first field, won high
credit by his GOODNESS and intelligence. a. acting
aid 10 Lieut. Colonel karge. Captains Lucas
end kcSt;r managed their pickets admirably.
Lieuts. Maulsbury and Brooks, with their
skITmishers, faced superior numbers, and held
an exposed position for an hour, and until
recalled Major Bea unont again wen admira-
tion Tor dash and iudlcious management OF lhe
gallant men and officers inirusted 90 him; WI 10
karre WAS everywhere, doing everything, Just
when and " here he was needed. The Harris
Light did all they had 10 do with a steadiness
that was remarkable, when we remember the
number OF raw recruits included in their force
a renewed proof Of the propriety OF filing CD
old regiments rather than forming new: but
had il not been for the LIST jersey, for the rapidIiy
with which IL got ready for action, the dash
with which IL went into action, and the steSdi-
ness with which il wheeled and formed after
the disorder Of a charge mp and down hill. tha
whole command would have been taken at
great disadvantage, and probably been cut to
pieces by the mere weight and impetuoeity OF
the Confederate attack P