The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-08-12
REPORT OF GEN. STUART Of HIS EXpEDI.
TON IN REAR OF THE ERaHiY'S LINES.
We lay before oar readers this uorn!ng .he highly
interesting report Of Gen J. E. 3. Stuart Of lis e.
nous expedition in rear o, the enemy's .in,s.
HDQ'Rs Cav BRIGADE, D. ". VI

NS AtHt2tis tuJt oiN
interesting report of Gen. ]. E. B. Stuart Of lis E.
nous expedition in rear o, the enemy's .insss
HDQ'Rs Cav. BRIGADE, D. u. vi
June II, 1861.
General In compliance with your written iu
strU2Tiuns undertook e3psdiI ion to the vicinity
OF tie eaemy's lines, on tie Psmunkey, with abor.
twelve hundred cave airy snd section Of tne Stuart
horse artillery. The cavalry was composed OF por
lions Of the 'st 4h and 9Th Virginia cavalry, sthe
sscoDd named having no Held officer present was
for the tine being, divided between tue f st ana
Last unsGtlcned, commanded respectively by Col
itz. Lee and Col w. Ii. Fitzhuso Lse) also two
squadronsof the JEFF: Davis legion, Commanded by
Lieut.. Col w. Z. Martin ihe section CT art.iery
being commanded by lst Lieut.. las. Breathed
Although the expedition was prosecuted farther
than was contemplated IL your Instructions, feel
assured that the considerations wh;ca sotuaed ule
viii convince you that did not depart f.ola their
spirit. AID that the bo!dness developed IL the sub
sequent direction of the march waz the guaeseelce
cf prudence.
Tie destination Of the expedition was kept q
profound secret 80 essential to succssSl and waa
kLown to iiy command only az the actual march
developed 1t.
The force was quietly concentrated tevcnd the
Chic kahouliny uear KLuys Station, uI. the Rich.
Iaohd, fredericksburg aud Potomac Railroad. aud
moqedihsn:e parallel to and 10 the lett OF thai
road Scouts were Kept far 10 the righf ascer
tan tia e1s.ly's yAhsTeabouts and advanced guard
fankers end rear ard tosecure our column against
surpriee Iptrpoaeiy directed nay lirsa de- march
towards Louisa, so as II favor the IDEA OF .airforc
ing Jackson and camped just opposite Hanover
Courthouse, near Sou:hanna bridge r., +. and p.
RRilroad,} twenty-five miles from Richmond. O6r
noiseiess bivouac was broken early next morning
and without flag tugle sound resumed 0ur
march, but one knew ULifer. / however, i'm
mediatey took OCCASION 10 make kno.vn my nstruc
tons and plans con bdenay 70 the regiHentai COM
maBdeTs rs 20 secure an intelligent action and
cooperation IA whatever might occur Scouts had
returned indicating no serious obstacles to my
march from that 10 Old Church directly in rear Of
and on the overland aveUue OF goL1rD upieat.Ou To
New Bridge and vicinity
proceeded, therefore, via Hanover Cour;. House,
upon the route TO Old Church. Upon reaching tie
Vicinity of Hanover Court House. found it il pcs
session of the enemy; but very little could be as
ce-tsined about the strength ana nature of his
force. / therefor sent Col. FitE Less regiment
let Virginia cavalry. TO make detour TO tue r.gnt
and reach the eneInys route behind him, ascer.
tain his force hers and crush # if possbe but the
enemy, proving afterwards to be hundred and
hfty cavalry. did not tarry long, but lcf,-ry col.
ulnn following slowly down, expecting every NO
ment to hurt him upon Lee ; but owing 10 baj
marsh, Col. Lee did not reach the iutsrssctoa y,
roads = time, ana the cavalry Che regular G. h)
passed cc in the direction OF Mecbanicsyiue. Tbis
course deriadng toe much from our direction, aftr
the capture OF q sergeant, they vero allowed tc
proceed on their way.
Our march led thence by 1aliafer1o's Mil and
E3on Church to Hawss shop here we encountered
the first picke,s surprised and caught several VI
vaoced guard well to the front. Ike regiment il
front was the 9th Virginia cavalry, OBI W. H. F.
Lse) whose advance guard entrusted to the COM
mand Of Adj't Lieut.. Robins. did admirable ser
v.ss--Lisut r. handling it IN the most sklful man.
ner, managing TO clear the way FOR the march with
little delsy, and infusing, by q sudden dash al a
picket such wholesome terror that It never paused
to take q second look
Between hawss shop ana Old Church the ad
vanced guard reported the enernys eavary in force
in front II proved to be the 5th regular cavalry,
(formeriy the I'd, commanded by yoursslf.) The
leading squadron was ordered forward at a brisk
gait, the main body following closely, aud gave
chase to the enemy for mile or two. but did uo,
come up TO him. We crossed the Tolopotomoy, a
strong position of defence which the enemy failed
to hold confessiug weakness. In such places halt
a squadron was deployed afoot as skirmishcrs till
the point OF danger was passed,
On, on dashed Robins, here skirting field, there
Ieapiag u fence or ditch, and cleaning the WOODS
beyond, when, no, far from Old Church, the enemy
made a stand, having heen reinforced
The only mode Of attack boing In column OF
fours along the road still preferred to oppose the
enemy with one squadron at a time, remembering
that he who brings the field the last cavalry
reserve wins the day.
The next squadron therefore moved to the
front, under the lamsnted Capt Latane. making
most brilliant and s'lecsssfI charge, with drawn
sables, upon the picket ground, and after hotly
contested hand.to hart conflict put him to flight;
but not till the gsllarf captain had sealed his de-
emy's rout (two squs Irons By Of ours) was
complete; they dispei sed In terror and confusion,
leaving many dead m the aeid and blood in
quantities In their 'racks Their commander,
Cart. Royal was rer ,rted MORALLY wounded -
Several officers and number of pr.vatsB we're
taken in this conflict and numbar Of horses,
arms, and equipments together with i've guidons,
The woods and fel were full Of the scattered
and disorganzed toe BtrasSling 10 and fro and
but for the de ay and ,e great encumbrauce which
would hayo beel march.
could and would have been captured
Col Fits. Lee, burning with irnpatisnce TO cross
sabres with his old re egment, galloped to the front
at this point aud begge to be allowed to participate
with bis regiment (the lst Va cavalry in the dis
confture of his old CO nrades-a request readily
2ranted-and his leadirg squadron pushed gallanrly
down the road 10 Ole Church but the Fragments
of Royals command could not be rallied again,
and Col. Lees leading squadron charged, without
resistance, into the enemy's camp dive companes)
and took possession of 81 number OF horses, guam
tity of aims aud stores of every kind. and several
officers aud privstea The stores, as well "a the
tents. In which everything nsa oeen isit; were
Here was the turning poaot OF the expedition -
Two routes were before mo, the one to return by
Hanover G H., tho other 70 pass around through
New Kent. taking the ehances OF having 20 SWIM
the Chickshom,ny, and make bold effort to cut the
susmys lines Of communication. The Chick ahom'
iny was believed by my guides to be fordable near
Forge Bridge. was fourteen miles from Hanover
O. H., which would nave 10 pass u Istufneoi ]
the e3emy had . much shorter distance 70 pass to
intercept me there; besides, the South Anna river
was iunpaxssbis which still further narrowed the
chances 0f escape In that direction the enemy too,
would naturally expect me 70 taks that route These
etrcumstances led ms 70 look with more favor
70 my favosite schsme. dlselcoed - ycu before
starsise Of pasaine around. II was only nine
NILS q xsnsfall's 6talipa. n the York Rivsr
1ailread anA thet pcfAt eoce paseeAs felt
hstls appsshsn1leaj bsyen1. ~ mate wae go q
~ 0thSen WhisA I ~ no tAo 1n1my Nco14 neyo1
Az1ooe - ~ tohA O ~ - = ~ ChiakA.