Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-27


army and the rebels 1t began on Nednes-
day at place between Culpepper ana the
Rappahannock, called Brandy Station Sigel
covered the retreat and ''would not be hur-
RED" ii was said. Our loss in killed, wound
ed and missing during the four days is sup
posed to have been from 500 to 900. Gen.
P0pe's management OF the retreat was mas
terly. He gained his object and bafiied the
purpose OF the enemy. letter in the New
York Tribune giving an account of proceed
ings up to Saturday night sums up the result
as follows :
Gas on Thursday and Friday, so ON Satur-
day, the enemy kept working up toward War
renton White Sulphur Springs, on the south
side of the Rappahannock, with the view of
thanking us, and we moved further and fur
Their away from the railroad to battle their de-
sign. As on preceding days, so on Saturday,
the grand artillery duel went on from right to
left and left to right, the cannonade being
heavier now at McDowell's position, now at
Sigel'S now at BankS'S. We were guarding,
and successfully guarding, the swhole river
bank, and allthe fordS from Kelly'sto Warren
ton, and the enemy, with an army of 100000
to $50, 900, had been held in check by Pope with
amuch inferior numerical force. Their great
game was to turn our position, take us in
rear, whip us, and then rush on with stream
ing flags to Washington. Ours the desperate
task of showing fight, and yet not fighting, of
playing with our monstrous antagonist until
he lost his golden time, and until our rein
forcements from Fredericksburg, the PENN
sula, and the north, would so strengthen us
that we could crush his armies and capture
his capital. If we could save ourselves until
,,-rf,A ii J II
greatest crisis of this IcGr occurred betlceen
Thursday morning and Saturday might. 1t
is passed, and we are safe. Washington is
safe, our army is safe, the nation is safe For
Pope's artillery is now guarding the line of
the Rappahannock and Fitz John Porter with
a very heavy force joined Pope on Friday
evening, and host of regiments have joined
and are joining him now, by way of AleXan-
dria. And now look for the grand move
ments of the war within thirty days. Do not
forget that Burnside has massed a large army
at Fredericksburg, and Pope is nearly or
quite as strong as Lee and jackson, and Me-
Clellan is freed from the net which-whether
selt-woven or not-held him in its meshes on
the peninsula"
On Friday the rebels made heavy attack
on Sigers corps, who were guarding the pass
es of the Rappahannock. 1t failed, and then
he tried his hand at the rebels, as follows =
''When the artillery attack on Sigel had
lulled a little the brave general determined to
feel the rebel strength opposite his position.
Accordingly he ordered Gen. Carl Shurz to
reconnoter with his division, and, if possible,
to cross the river. Shurz's division comprs-
rs two brigades, of which he took only the
first, Gen. Bohlen, for the reconnaissance.
The 18th Pennsylvania was sent over first, the
lra Il,
holding their pieces and ammunition above
their heads to keep them dry. The Sth Vir-
ginia and 6lst Ohio followed after, and some
time after McLean's brigade was sent to sup
port them in their engagement with the en-
envy,
'Schurzs crossing was unopposed lie
kept on up the opposite bank and out upon
the level ground, and went more than a mile
before his picketS came face to face with the
enemy's. As soon as our fellows saw the
''grey-backs,' they fired, but the rebels, in
stead of standing ground or making a show
OF force, fell back, in no very leisurely man
ner either, for half mile. Sigel followed
while, until it was evident they wished to en-
trap him into an ambush, when he halted and
took up fine position in the edge OF some
heavy timber, the approaches to which were
over open fields. Their design foiled, the en-
envy had no choice but to face about and at
tack Schurz in his own position, which they
did in force. One of the officers who was
wounded in this fight tells me that he counted
twenty-five pieces Of ordnance on their side
which were IN action at once, supported by
adequate forces of infantry and cavalry
''Ihe fight on this trans Rappahann ock
field was hotly contested-as you may well
imagine from the fact that it commenced at
about 8 A. NJ and lasted until o'clock in the
evening Charges were repeatedly made by
both sides, and the rebels, seemingly deter
mined to conquer in spite of every obstacle
even stripped to their pantaloOns in many
caSes-as our Irishmen are said to have done
at Bull Run. But although the musketry
was sharp and the fighting mostly at short
range, the rebels seemed to have forgotten
their craftsmanship for once, for up to five
O'Clock, when | passed that way, Sigel had
not lost above so or 60 in killed and wounded.
But one brave man and true patriot had gone
to his account-Brig. Gen. Bohlen of Phila-
delpha, commanding the LIST brigade, Sd di-
vision, SigePs army corps, had fallen, while
at the head of his command he was waving
his sword and cheering on his men. The
news of his death will be received with the
deepest regret in Philadelphia, where his So
cial qualities are so well known. Besides
him few officers, very few considering the
number engaged and the stubbOrnness of the
nght, were Killed or wounded, but except
those in the list annexed, | could not obtain
their names in the confusion of the fight.
Toward evening, Sigers object having
been accomplished, and Schurz' force not
being sufficient to hold his extremely advanced
position, our troops were withdrawn to the
north bank of the river. They were hotly
pursued to the very waters edge by the enc
my, and during the passage through the ford
the rebel yoleys were as sharp as any ever
heard. All of our killed and wounded were
brought safely across, and small number of
prisoners, mot five whole regiments, us one
report has it, That General Sigel should
have come safely through the day himself is
truly remarkable for he exposed himself in
most reckless manner wherever he thought it
necessary to do so, and in the final grand fu-
SHADE he was in the midst of real storm of
bullets"
Some of the New York reporters send diff
ferent versions OF a story to the effect that the
rebels appeared at Catletts Station, Friday,
did considerable damage, and captured Gen.
Pope's papers, maps, and private baggage. We
are satisfied that this story deserves but little
credit One version Of it is as follows -
Some stir was caused in camp--and a
thousand times more in Washington, | find
by sudden raid of $50 guerrillas upon Cat
lettS station under cover of the night The
devoted band dashed in upon our small col
lection Of men and wagons, and stampedinp
lot OF suffers and servants and teamstcrs,