The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-08-12

From the Vermont Cavalry.
CAMP NEAR THE RAPIDAN RIVER, Va,

August 81, 1862.
EDITOR FREEMAN Living almost all the
time in the saddle the opportunities tor writing
letters are necessarily Ilnllte1, yet we OCCASION
ally find a moment ot spare tune To write to our
trends at home. The past three or four weeks
have been weeks of hard service for the Cavalry
in this Department. Since We have made our
headquarters at Cul pepper We have been on
several scouting expeditlons, but We have met
NO force oi the rebels OF any great strength, ex
cept near GOrCUnsvIlle, Where their tOices were
too strong to make attack On them practical
bic, until yesterday, when We had quite shaI p
engagement with the reOes at Orange Court
House. On the LIST inst. the lst teTMUnt, 5th
New York, Pennsy Ivanla, and an ONO kegl-
meEt OF Cavalry, under cOInmanu OF General
Crawford started to make Reconnaissance to-
wards Oranae county Cont Aousc. The Nc.-
mont and New YORK keglmen.s Proceeded to
The RAJ ldau river, abou. zen miles from Cul-
pepper. (lhe remainder OF Tie COMMAND TOOK
another road and their dies unatlun Is unGnOwn
70 the wrlter.l We enc4mpt1 near ne river
that might, ard the next lDuynlDg, me u Inst.
started early Tor Orange Co4rl House " ar
rived III the outskirts VI the town about A.
NJ, and drove IN picket to1ce stationed about
d mile from the town COMPANIES Vi inc New
J
Ilght and left OF the town 10 make the a.tac K,
and force was held III reserve 10 charge d.
y-ctly through The center OF the Gown. Sharp
uring was coon heard IN the toWn, indicating
hat there was work III progress The New
York Cavalry, ana ali Ut tne Vermont Cavalry,
with the exception OF the 9TH squadron, was
soon engaged with the enemy. 1ne New YORK
boys charged them IN splendid style driving
them from the town into piece ii woods, but
tAey soon rallied and came Dack charging upo1
our men who fell back, unable TO wltostaud tie
shock. 1t was evident that something must be
done to check them, or the day was lost. just
al this time the 9th squadron came up, and Ad-
Jutant Pltkin rode towards our squGdEon calling
US to come on and charge upon the rebels who
We're coming in considerable tor t Lharge
Was the order and 1t did not need TO be repeated
The street was full OF rebels, and they were
pouring in heavy fire upon our men. Capt
ErEards OF Co. A, with half dozen of his
men, was surrounded by twenty or thirty rebels
they could hold out but u moment longer
against such odds But the 9Th squadron, Co.'S.
aud + went TO work with u will and dealt
out sabre strokes TO the right and left with
such vlgor hat the rebels were soon chased from,
The town. Co. G alone captured ten or fifteen
prisoners, esldes sending several more to their
oIg home. A rebel MAJOR set upon d %. F.
man, but he found his match that time. and
soon measured his Length upon the ground. with
sabre cut upon his h ad. He was afterwards
taken prisoner. Capt. " ell, OF Co G.. led his
Company in gallant style through III, town. but
N passing through gateway, by some accident.
the gate closed, rhus cutting him of from his
Company, with only five men. Yet he I'D no,
stop, but went on, driving, with only five men.
'hirty or forty rebels for the distance of half
mile, when finding himself surrounded by rebels
ne ordered his men to f" right about - The
Feoc.s poured in perfect shower of bullets
upon them, and ordered them to halt, ou, the
captain couniermanded the order and they all
got back again safe Two members Of ). O.
mclaughlin and Hoyt. got separated from the
company and mistook body of rebels for ou.