, 1863-06-27
FROM THE ARMY OF THE
POTOMAC.
Capture Of Threo Hundred Of Dur
men-Attempt to Capture supply
Train.

4HGHOCGHFAEE NAI> JUNE lGG3. J
Another cavalry skirmish took place yester-
day, resulting in the capture Of twenty four
OF the 8th Pennsylvania. Capt. Corr1e, in
command Of one squadon Of fifty men, while
reconnoite1ing near New Baltimore, discov
cred small party Of rebels drawn up, and a
charge was Immediately ordered The rebels
fed after firing their carhlnes at our ad.
vancing column, and were pursued for several
miles, until surrounded By the Hampton Le-
gion, which WIS drawn up in the woods on
either side Of the road No alternative now
existed but to cut our wny ont, and the at
tempt was made, about half the original party
escaping. No one is believed to be Killed, aud
but few wounded. etahl's division went up
this morning, and will undoubtedly succeed
In driving the rebels from this vicinity. No
officers were captured.
The most impudcnt audacity Of which the
II bel cavalry have given US an earnest, Is re-
ported to have occurred On Friday afternoon
faet. By some means COO OF them got into o
thickct Of wood or grove, but few rods In
A1dfc, where they lay in wait till squad of
our cavalry CHANGED to paes through the town,
when they charged ont Of their p1nce OF con-
cealment aud captured about 800 Of our men.
Upon the alarm being given they were pur-
sued some tour miles BY our torces, small
number killed and about forty prisoners
taken, but our oWn men were not rescued.
On Saturday night, at about 10 o'clock, us
one Of our supply trains was passing between
Chuntilly and Ald1e, guarded bY q detachment
Of the 10th Pennsylvania Cavalry, a party of
mounted rebels dashed IN upon them from rho
side Of the road. capturing eight Of our men,
but owing to the darkness the train escaped.
Before closing let me refcr tn. the bane Of
the Army Of the Potomac-stragyllng. A
march Of five miles cannot be made Without a
certain number Of stragggler5, and in
days march 1t is astonishing to
note the depletion Of regiments By struggling.
The professional s'5aggler y neyer guilty Of
march he hates military precision, md hasn't
the shadow Of an idea Of his duties and re-
sponsibilitles as d soldier Of the Republic,
He is q philosopher In his way; believes in
taking everything quietly, and may be seen in
every sylvan retreat along the line Of march,
gazing with IN mir Of great composurc on his
Iassinc comrades Sometimes group may
be seen playing cards or smoking, and ffe-
quently party may be seen bathing In some
contiguous stream. Observant Of Whitman'a q
occupation, they "1oafe aud invite them
Selves" but their faVorite pastfme Is gor-
mandizing Government subsistence, to Which
the services they render do not entitle them.
Marauding motives induce most OF them to
lay behind, and every Earm house, barn,
orchard, hen-roost and pigsty Is sure to re-
ceiye visit from them.
For days after the army has reached given
point, thousands Of these fellows throng the
road leading to camp, and when, after from
two to four days, they reach it, and are asked
by their officers to account for their absence,
some speciou6 excuse is always presented.
The booming Of cannon in the advance al.
ways considerably augments the number oi
| stragg1ers, many Of whom court capture By
parolcd and receiving farlough of indefinite
ienpth