Newbern weekly progress., 1862-11-15

no artillery. and the enemy outnumbered VI
ten to one. 1t wasa most brilliant affair
Gen. Porter was present in person, and undel
the hottest Of the enemy's fire. Their repds'
was complete, and we now hold the gap.
Captain Pratt, of the First Massachusetts
cavalry, fell at the head Of his company, sho
through the head lie had but recently beer
promoted from First Lieut.. to the cGptancy
His body will be taken to Holyoke, where his
family resides.
The wounded were brought to the Stone
church in Snickersyille and are well cared for
The inhabitants of tie village have been kindly
assiduous in their services.
During the progress Of the cannonadihg the
whole corps was put under arms, in antitipa
ton that \ general engagement might possibly
Take place.
The skirn,ishes with the Rrbci.-T Their
Present Position-GeneralE Mcclellan al
the Front. N
1 Hradquarters, Armg Gt thS Pdtomac,}
Nov 8, 1862. (
Since the FIRST advance of our troops into
Virginia the army has pressed steadily on,
with nothing to engage Its attention, save an
occasional force OF rebel cavalry, with few
pieces of artillery, which invariably fled after
a short skirmish.
Dating the shrnishing' on Sunday three
prisoners were captured, who slated that
Stuart was in command, and had four thousand
cavalry and five pieces Of artillery. ..,s
A short distance beyond Union the enemy
made another stand but were finally COM
PEELED to fall back, with the loss of several
prisoners and number Of killed and wound
ed.
On Monday but littls OF interest trahspired.
On Tuesday morning. We drove the enemy
from Uppervile, and about nine o'clock Gen.
Mcclellan arrived here, and an interview was
held between him and General Burnside, Rey.
nolds, Sturgis and Others
The enemy, it is. reported, occupied Manas.
sas Gap with but small force, and nothing Of
Importance is expected in that Vicinity.
Yesterday afternoon General Mcclellan, ac-
companied by Generals Reynolds, Stnrsis and
Buford, rode out to Ashby's Cap which the
enemy had deserted during the morning.
Our cavalry advance, riding down the wes
tern side Of the ridge, captured signal officer,
and advanced to the Shenandoah river, where
they discovered the enemy's cavalry, drawn
up in line upon the other side.
Gtneral Mcclellan rclnained'at at the gap sew
eral hours, and made careful survey of the
valley. Dense volumes of smoke were rising
from the woods in the direction Of Winchester
and the enemys wagons could be seen with a
glass packed on the adjacent field. No move.
ment of any kind on the part Of .he rebels was
discovered, their only force visible being the
cavalry drawn up across the fields beyond the
Shenandoah and On occasional squad dashing
along the turnpike in the distance. The She
nantoah valley appeared to be remarkably
well supplied with forage, haystacks and fields
Of corn meetingthe eye If ievery direction.
Smokers and Ashby's gaps are occupied by
our troops. The enemy are evidently in force
between Front Royal and Winchester, and are
not little bewildered with the state Of affairs.
Their prisoners state that the rebel officers are
expecting fight daily but profess utter iS
.norance concerning our movements.
The troops are in excellent condition, the
weather having been exceedingly favorable for
marching. The sick are carried along by thei,
respective rsgipssaa's aa'sospAa's. '