Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-06-06

others to look out for the she'll which
would Immediately be bursting over our
heads. There was for few moments a
rush of men, mounted and dismounted
back upon the road and through the fields,
as if they had already seen large numbers
of the enemy. The infantry were kept
somewhat in the rear, until the general
and his body guard had advanced to as
certain the position of the enemy, and the
space between us was filled with tie bag
gage wagons, which were soon being re-
possessed by their timorous possessor un-
der the inspiring influences of the wagon
masters whip, who, enraged at their
cowardly rout, was driving them back
with most unmerciful lashes to their dcs-
erted charges.
DISASTROUS CAVALRY CHARGE.
The. other end of our column encoun-
tered the force which was to have. been
sent to attack our rear. First the Zou-
aves d'Afrique, body guard of Gen Banks,
had been stationed in the rear to burn
the bridge across Cedar Creek, three miles
from Strasburgh, after all had passed ex-
cept the cavalry under Gen. Hatch, who
were yet to come up and would ford the
river. While they were besmearing the
bridge with tar, unsuspecting any dan
ger, the enemy charged down upon them
from the mountain on the left, cutting
them up in most unmerciful manner,
and capturing all of them except FIVE.
The most disastrous and bloody slaugh-
ter of our cavalry which has occurred
during the three days fighting now fol-
lowed. Cut off as they were from the
main body of our troops by a vastly su-
perior number of the enemy most crit
ical situation was before them. There
were five companies of the lst Maine cav
airy, and two Companies, A and G, of the
Vermont Lieut.. Col Doughty of the
Maine was there, and Maj. Collins of the
Vermont cavalry. A charge was made
to describe which it is not a desirable
task. In such desperate straits nothing
seemed to daunt the determination of the
men, which only served to make their de.
struction the moro sure and terrible. Dash
ing onward with drawn sabres, at the
greatest speed, the foremost were sudden
ly stopped, and those behind, unable tc
restrain their horses, fell one upon anoth
er, forming large pile of men and horses
some of whom, pierced through with th'
sabres of their own comrades, were killed
and many in the promiscuous heap wer'
crushed, and died urable to help or ex
tricate themselves. A few only escaped
fleeing acros the fields to the mountains
All the time the rebels kept up yell
and killed many with their sabres anc
bayonets who lay wounded upon th'
ground. This fatal catastrophe is said t.
have been the result of an unauthorized
order to charge, given by Maj. Collins
the third officer in command, who wal
taken prisoner by tho rebels. Co. A o
the Vermont cavalry were all lost, captur
ed or killed, except Capt. Platt, his lieu
tenant, and half dozen men, who mad
good their escape from the tolls Of th
enemy most crelitably. .g
After this affair the enemy turned
back upon the baggage train which wa
between them and Strasburg, and causet
the greatest confusion which can be i'm
agined. The wagons, some of them wer
turned about and running against Others
broke down, filing up the roads, Will
the mules and horses and cattle remain
ing in the greatest fright, produced al
indiscribable state of confusion.
TIE FIGHT AT WINCHESTER.
I AT Winchester, early Sunday morning
the enemy attacked our two brigades-
seven regiments containing 5000 men
There is ridge extending along the ives
of the town, and along the side of thi
our infantry was placed-Gordan's brig
ade upon the right and Donnclly's upol
: the left. The enemy occupied position
where there were woods in the rear, wit
ritle-pits and batteries in front Of Cor
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