The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-09-05
THE W A r.
Operations on Wednesday and Thursday.

THE ADVANCE OF THE REBELS TO MANASSAS.
On Wednesday morning. or rather Tues
day night, report reached Warrenton juno
ton that Jackson was again in our rear, and
that instead of making an attack and retiring
as his cavalry did on Friday night of last
week at Catetts station, he had taken up
position on the railroad near Bristow, four
miles north of Manassas, and had burned two
railroad trains, torn up the track, cut the
telegraph, and took all the guards prisoners
along the road. These reports prove to have
been true. and the events of Wednes lay
showed his determination not to be easily
driven from the neishborhood. 1t seems,
from what can he learned from rebel wounded
in our hands, that Jackson and Ewell started
from the vicinity of Warrenton S, rings OH
Sunday with three divisions, crossed the Rap
pahannock some six miles south of Blue
Ridge, and proceeded by way of Orleans and
Salem to Bristow, making the distance in
about two and half days. On reaching this
point their first object of attack was the house
of Mr. Limpzombc, where ten officers were
stopping, and who were on the back porch 4,
the time, smoking. The house was attacked
both front and rear, and bullet holes in the
wood and plaster, with the fact that none of
the party were wounded, showed what poor
marksmen these rebel cavalry were. The
entire party, however, with the exception of
Capt o. A. Tilldenmore, were taken prison.
erS.
The next attack of the rebels was upon a
company of the 105th Pennsylvania infantry,
and some dozen Pennsy lvania cavalry, left to
guard the road, two or three Of whom were
killed and the remainder supposed to be cap
tured. A train of empty cars then came
along from Warrenton, and was fired into by
regiment of infantry, and one of cavalry,
| but escaped without serious injury. Orders
were then issued by Jackson to tear up the
railroad track, which was done, and second
train coming along ran off the track and was
fired into. A third train following ran into
| the second and was also fired into and some
persons on board were taken prisoners. A
fourth train made its appearance, but the en-
glneer suspecting something wrong stopped
at distance and blew whistle, and being
answered by one of the others, backed and
returned towards Warrenton. The two
trains were then fired, under the direction of
Jackson, and entirely consumed, excepting
the iron work. The rebels then proceeded a
mile down the track, burned the bridge at
Cattle Run, tore up some thirty feet of track
and cut the telegraph. They also burned the
bridge across Broad Run, at Bristow.
On Wednesday morning, Ewell's rebel
division was placed in position each side of
the railroad, having three batteries, one on
the right and one on the left, and the other
near the railroad, with infantry and cavalry
between the entire force being concealed be-
hind brushwood and the railroad bank with
an open field in front. Our troops sent down
! from Warrenton Junction to attack them
consisted of Hooker's division, with portion
of kearney's, but tie latter, it is said, did not
get chance to enter into the contest. Gen
Hooker was in command, and not expecting
the enemy to DE in any large force, ordered a
charge through piece ofwoods, and into the
cleared space, when a most musderous fire
was opened upon him from the entire line of
the rebels, their batteries throwing grape and