New-York daily tribune., 1862-11-05
Skirniish ut PhilomonT-sfuart IN Onr
Fronf-zaSs Artillery Driven Back
Wounded and 6Isis.iBs-Tae " hite Horse
"A Fight Beyond Doubt Impending,
unless Stuart Runs Away.
M Our Own Correspondent.
GRS. PLBAsLNroN's HBADQrARrI
.,oNr Va Setrra.y evening. Nov. 4.

unless stuart hNIs away
From Our Own Correspondent.
GRS PIRAsaSrON's HRlDQUARTBRs, I
PurLonoST, Va. Sstlidsy Evening Nov. /, 1862
The movement 80 long anticipated, aud which
stated, in my letter from Wheailand this morning,
must coon have reality in place Of being only an
expectation, has at last begun to develop itself. AT
O'Clock this morning. Gen. PeasaDton left Purcells-
Vile with Penningtons Battery, the sih Pennsyl-
vanis, 30 Indiana, sth New-York 9Th Regular. and
9Th Illinois Cavalry, and marched to this little ham
let, which was reached ct about III O'Clock IL the
forenoon.
Up 70 this point 10 sign Of the enemy had been
sesn although it was known that Stuart was in the
immediate neighborbood. In fact yesterday fore
noon party Of his men intercepted and turned tack
Lieut. {. +. Thomas OF Gen. Pleaeanton's staff who
had been sent with communication TO Gen. Bsyard
a. that time occupying Adie. TIE Lieutenant, with
two men, came "unawaIes" upon column Of
Rebel cavslry, who cut OF their further advance,
and fired six or seven shots at the small party, but
without doing any damage
Yesterday-to oigress L lttle-Gep. Bayard lat
tached TO Sigers corps advanced TO Goose Creek
In tue afternoon he was suddenly ATTACKED Dy a
large body Of Stuarts Cavalry, supported by bat
terry, and short and sharp engagement followed IN
the course Of which said TO have lost hfiy or
sixty prisoners, and Capt. Cove Of the LIST Rhode
Island Cavalry was killed, being suddenly attacked
and surrounded while on picket duty. Gen. bayard
was al tie time retiring, having accomplished the
objects Of his reconnaissance.
Upon reaching this point, al about noon to-day,
having, 6s | have stated above, met with ap-
pesrance OF the enemy, Gen. Plessanton halted in
tending TO camp. Scouting parties were thrown
out on the various roads. On the road toward
Unionvie Major Kenan, Of the Sth Pennsy yania
Cavalry, was allowed TO enter piece OF woods
some Lttie distance when be wss suddenly opened
upon with grape and canister from Rebel gun.
Gen. PlessanlOn Immediately brought two Of his
guns into position and sent TO Major keiDan TO
know if be needed assistance, telling him 10 send
Tor gun If he neeoed 1t. The gallant Major replied
that be could hold the wood.
At the time Col. Gregg went 20 his aid with
the remainder Of the regiment two hundred and if
nishers.
Meanwhile, from commanding position on bill
just north OF the cluster OF two tlree houses that
are gathered together called Philomont, two OF
Lieut.. Penningtons pieces were throwing shell hot
and thick into the woods 1t the points where the
smoke showed the position Of the Rebel artillery.
His practice was too good for their patience and
they shOrtly appeared with Of the pieces in sn
angle of Virginia rail fence beside the road.
Firing froIa the line Of this fence, and advancing
their pie after each sh0sO that most Of our shell
went over lheIn-they continued 10 pour q hot fire
into the cavalry, paying, as yet, no attention to our
battery. Lieut.. Pennington then brought three
pieces TO bear upon them, and instead OF firing at
their smoke fired below it each tne with such ad
Irabe judgment AID skin that they were soon GENT
{" skedaddllug" back to tie cover Of the woods.
In the mean time, the 9Th Pennsylvania having
been driven back from the woods 20 an orchard
some quarter Of a uile-the 81 Indiana Regiment
sent TO their relief hundred aud fifty Of their
men being cismounted and deployed to the rgh! as
skirmiEhers.
The gun at the fence lad been driven back into
the woods but another piece, placed IN depression
OF the ground which hid II from the view Of our bat
terry kept up sharp fire. Some attention was paid
TO this piece and 1t subsequently ascertained
that it was very considerably damaged by our fire.
A gun was now ordered forward 10 an orchard
within short distance Of the wood concCaing the !
enemy's artillery. They pushed out two guns and
opened, wien our whole battery WAS brought into |
play, and some remarkably accurate firing followed |
three OF our pieces attending 20 each Of theirs
In vain they rapidly shifted their position from
part OF the heid 10 the other wherever they balted
our shes found them out, and evidently with effect,
80 that, after severe csnnoDafng for some length
Of time, they we're forced 10 Withdraw into the sheI
Ter Of the wood
The artillery firing ceased at about o'clock, /
though sharp but snort attack upon our pickets /
was made, intellectually, some two hours later.
In this fight our percussion shells worked badly /
only small percentage Of them exploding. TIE I
Rebels were even more unfortunate, all OF theirs-
In their fire ut artillery-reiusng TO " 20 TO .
pieces" The only damage they inflicted in tue sr-
.illery duel was the killing OF one horse.
The following casualties occurred IN the oth Penn
,ylvapia Cavalry: Wounded-Lisut. j. III. Car .
,enter Of Co K, commanding Co. b. left arm frac /
ured and slight wound in shoulder; Sergt. Zsdock |
Bowen. side, severe; Corp. S. L. Keyser, Co. b. .
ight loe, serious; Private Jacob Allison, Co. +,
Ifm; Geo. Wseman, Co. II, foot, slight X. l..
3ackman, body serious; Daniel OBrien, Co. G,
light; Robert Montgomery Go. l., slight; Joseph
Ia,ter. lsg. aesh wouad--in all nine. Three men
re missing, supposed to be killed, whose names
ave nol yet learned. -
The 81 Indiana lost Capt Williams, Of Co. +,
Iilled, and private Martin Higgins was wounded IL
be shoulder.
You naye heard often Of the white borfeman whom
be Rebels seem to have stolen from the grave Of the
ste Blr. G. J.. r. james. lie was seen again to-day.
,areeniDg over tie leld eaIlopiag here and there.
rLereyer tic iIo was lotteit, was tliif man on
.i,i'e borse; end af.er the firing wac OYER he rode
.d!y sad calmly OUT, Visiting each position that
. -, ssa ~ itsr artillery. Some day sharp