The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-22
THE BATTLE OF CULPEPPER.
FULL AND PERSPICACIOUS
ACCOUNT.
REBELS DECIDEDLY WoRsTED.

REBELS DECIDEDLY W0RSTED.
The editor OF the Washington Star, who
was on vsi, TO his family at Culpepper
Court House at the time of the battle on
Saturday week, gives the following account
of il, containing items of interest not meg
toned 10 other accounts
On Friday morning last, Gen. Pope, staff
and escort, reached Culpepper Court House
from bis last encampment, near Washing.
ton, the county seat of Rappahannock,
having put the corps d'armee of General
Banks, encamped there, in motion in the di
rection of Cupepper, and passing the en-
campment of Gen. Sigel, at Sperryville,
twenty miles from Culpepper Court House,
by the way. At Culpepper Court House
General Pope found Brigadier General
Crawford, with bis brigade OF Banks corps
d'ormee previously Gen. Hatch's) and Gen.
Bayard's brigade of McDowels cavalry,
the extreme advance OF bis army of Vir-
ginia; also, Brigadier General Ricketts,
division OF Major General McDowelIs corps
d'a,maee, that had arrived two days before
from Waterloo and Warrenton, Mcdowell
himself being present and in command OF
all the forces then there.
At noon on Friday Generals Pope and
Mcdowell received intelligence from the
gallant Bayard-whO with the two regi.
ments of bis cavalry command doing duty
Immediately under him, New Jersey and
a Pennsylvania regiment had been 10 the
saddle night and day, guarding the Rapi.
dan for week, from the Racco0n ford down
to point fourteen miles below and south
of the railroad-that the enemy at day.
break had crossed the river, with two regi~
ments of Louisiana infantry, two pieces of
light artillery, and three small regiments of
cavalry, and driven in bis pickets Bayard
retired slowly before them, his force of eight
hundred tired out cavalry only, not being
sufficient to hold the ground in front of such
foe. He, however, disputed it inch by
inch with the enemy, and succeeded in cap.
turing abont thirty rebel prisoners, includ-
ing major, captain, and two lieutenants
on his retreat. His own loss was not over
three men. He retired to the north and
east side of Robinson river, about eight
miles from Culpepper Court House, and
there awaited supporting force to arrive
from the immediate vicinity of that point.
At noon of the same day General Pope,
on learning these facts. instantly ordered
General Crawford to march his brigade to
that end. In half an hour after receiving
this order Crawford was on the march, As
his brigade-tbe 18th New York, 10th
Maine, 46th Pennsylvania, 5th Connecticut,
and ten pieces OF artillery-fled rapidly
through the village of Culpepper Court
house to the gay music of its four splendid
bands. its appearance was the theme of
admiration of the many experienced officers
of the stats of Generals rope and Mellow
ell, who went over from their encampments
near by to see it start out. Crawford pro-
ceeded rapidly to the front, and occupied
position about seven miles from Culpepper
Court House, Immediately in rear of the line
of Bayard's cavalry.
Shortly after ordering Crawford, Gen.
Pope also ordered the rest OF Banks corps
to move rapidly from Hazel river bridge,
near Gaiftinsburg, nine miles from Culpep.
per Court House, where it had arrived the
night before, to the scene of expected con-
flict.
By eight clock P. NJ. the heap of Gen
Banks column was deserted marching
around the village to its destination, which
it reached before midnight. That point was
Immediately in the rear OF Crawford. Ma
jor General Sigel was also at the same time
ordered up from Sperryville, and by a forced
march of twenty miles bis advance reached
the village by daylight.
Throughout Friday night and Saturday
forenoon Bayard continued skirmishing with
the enemy's advance, until the latter, at 2
o'clock P. M. had progressed to within long
range of Crawford's artillery. At 4P.M.
the enemy developed heavy increase of
artillery, when that of General Banks came
up, and went into the action, there not be-
ing room enough in the position our forces
occupied for bringing the whole of it into
play. The contendiDg forces at the OPEN
ing of the battle were apparently about
mile or more apart, the rebels showing their
front upon Slaughter's Mountain, sugar
LOAF eminence. situated two miles to the left
OF the Orange and Alexandria railroad at
Mltchel's Station. Our front was on much
lower ground, with Cedar run in our rear
and a small wooded ridge in the rear Of
that.
Gradually, from four to six, P. NJ, the re.
bells opened new batteries from the woods
surrounding the basin or plain laying be-
tween the fronts Of the two contendiDg
forces, each succeeding one being nearer to
our position than the former. Thus they
played cross fire from both sides, as well
as direct front one, upon our troops, in.