The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-05-21

OF the two forces wars only four huaered
yards apart. snddeoly. &c ME o'clock, thres
stiffness OF the evening air, and the whole
orMy was la coMcaoaou The "long roll"
s3nnde6, our men marched TO their resnec-
made mao for fixns. The snssny snspscsiur ga 4
StYefaGsm from this unuauA hustle, md not
wholly certain Of its n,ss ming. at Cnes slim
reded from their position on 'as rikht. and
fell back miie or two in the rear OF Farming.
ton. The object of the signai II u of course
imprudsnt to reveal, bat when mnrnty camo
It found portion Of our army 10 full rnrsaf afs,
snd tie troops one ard all fully inspired By
the prospects of the approaching engagement.
Ateleven O'Clock our advance camo NJ With
sae enemy. their front O4in4 con ,eatsd IN
heavy thicket on the Cpp0sfts Aids OF an i'm.
Ing few moments to allow the 'ionfeie-ases
10 form In their respective positions. portioa
Of Van DorE's and augSles's divisi ons opened
the ball a Louisiana battrry OF sx guns.
rndsr command Of Felix Z. R,biason, Of
Texas, was thrown forward Ia the field, and
for more tnun one hour alone sustained she
trant Of the conflict. For fully aaif I'm hour
the GYMS remained unSupported by infantrv,
Wnil0 Ii 0sket balls, round snot, and enelt
were wh.xxiIg~i il every direction around
them. Yet Nos mar iaitered, and ths oat-
terry Won golden cpinions Ior the gallant
stand 1t m ade.
Once. and only once, u Federal fssi.hoEt OF
cavalry came dashiL4 do gu upJG IL iiao a
cloud, sabres flaming lad horses run0ins Ike
ilaf bat in q molaea thers otlowe1 . ssri.s
~ q tshss aad fGi!ey AZ arapssht zes-stsrs u
them like Ice YES. Over foEty riders were dis.
mounted, and the horace yatioped fran tieafy
into our l.nss. TAs remainder returned dis.
comNtsd, and nO more was an attempt inGde
By any portion Of the Geasral army TO leave
their covert
Our troops, meanwhile, occupied the open
Held, ..nd wherever an opportunity presen ted
poured heavy fire into the ranks Of the en-
smy. g..
Gen. Price had besn ordersd esrly in ths
day 10 MAKE Gst0ar on our extreme right, 80
as to GET In the rear Of the Eederals, and en-
sancs around, or the suddenness OF tbs attack
by Van-Dorn, he Was not In pos; ton ia time,
and me grand design failed. We, no 1ever,
drove ths enemy oacx III confusion, Capturing
al their knarsacks, iooss eio.hsnE, and many
wagon loads ~ baggage. Ii fact, II may bs
said 20 nave been total rout They attempted
To save nothing but themseivss, and THAI thsy
did most eNectuaiiy.
Mure than four. ffths OF our army were d S.
engaged, out We're drawn up in iis Z awaiting
tnS various Developments .s Of Lne eEgusernayt
The force OF the enemy was rrobs6ly 10. less
thsn hve thousand, and cur owa engGs Ell no
more than two thocsaEd. Ine result OF tbs
ssirmish--for sUca i; must bs termed-was The
occupation of Farm in ION, the destr uction Of
al important base OF opern tions, from which
the enemy intended to make demons s,ra .ions
upon the Mo bile and Ohio RaiIrO ic, make an
attack upon our rfJrtfcations when the proper
time arrives ana q 50 complete their recUnno!S-
They are now com pshej to attack Directly in
front, Or not at aii. They have bssn Com
pletely outgenerallea, ano our army is i'll bet
ter position Ia every respecs than It would
have bsen without The akirmish. Dur only
misfortune was the failurs to bag the entire
opposing force, and this Is ne more 10 natural
Obstacles til an the want OF strategic ability on
the part OF our leaders.
Among other things indicative of the per.
feet organization OF the Federal army was
telegram ine which tney had cree .ed be-
tween Pi.1sburg and farmlnSton. This we
destroyed tn toto, with the exception of the
instrunents, which are now in cur pu.ses.
sion.
Oar loss was sltght, only some ten or twelve
killed ana forty or fi.y wounded. Among the
LATTER are Major Ingram tTcossalty) Ind Gap
tain 1IeftWitch, both OF The staff Of General
VIn.D born.
That of the enemy ia doubtless much greater,
but both their wounded aud dead w sra, SIS far
rs pcssi ole, carried away vgl'h them Being
concealed In the woods, We hao no means Of
ascsrtainieE the affsct OF our balls bayond the
reports or the dozsn OK TWEEN ~ prisoners who
describe the havoc as being very con siGar aois.
The FEDERAL force engaged wa- composed OF
wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan aud indiana
troops.
One Of the latter informed me taat tn Fed.
ersI force sas about oas hundred and sky
six Thousand strong. Tnsy Iarsnoed 10 bs in
Corinth In t6-es days. nsar'y h,.i: ot ihs
army, however. was sick ard oisaalad
Whether or not the fight will lag or PIE.
oiPitate general ODsrlt;cns. rsmalls 10 be
sesn. ghe epe.ry may, IL revenge Soc Ihei-
Gnoscemonicus rout, u iko II satJea advance
III forcs oa all sides tut I auprs neIc. they
Wiz 40. risk i.attle with oGr troops Sebic6
snirencnEusEts II possible, .he. via essay
TO draw Us ou:, bu. ,E Bragg and HeaaTssar.;
shey have u wary twain of Geasrals 10 cul.
W.T.. and VIII have to move with exceeding
care 20 prevent II Wsieri)1 ,isfear We snan
ncw hays firing ed sairmishing every day.
Hafith OK :hs army amprov.n. Eas thor
magnificent. Oug. Ou'us