Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-11
LATEST NEWS.
BY TELEGRA PH
TO THE WORCESTER DAILY SPY
Brilliant Cavalry Fight
Near Beverly Ford.
The Rebel Force under Stuart De
feated with Great Loss

WAsHINGroN, June l0.-From an officer
who participated in the fight, it is ascertained
that yesterday morning two brgades of Gen
Pleasanton's cavalry, under the command Of
| Gen Buford, made an important reconnOis-
ance towards Culpepper and had one of the
most obstinate cavalry fights that has occurred
during the war. The force was composed Of
| Gen. Buford's brigade, and another cavalry
| brigade under the command Of Col, b. +. Da-
| Wis, supported by two batteries Of artillery,
and two regiments of infantry as reserve.
At half past u o'clock Monday night, the cav
airy biyouacked near Beverly Ford, on the
Rappahannock at three o'clock in the morn
ing the men were called the horses fed and
saddled, and at four o'clock they crossed the
ford. Beyond the ford was a semi circular
belt of woods, with range OF rifle pits near
the edge of the timber, and a line Of pickets
| guarded the ford and the southern bank of the
river. The eighth New York regiment of
cavalry crossed first and pushed the pickets
back to the rifle pits, and after desperate
combat cleared the woods, the enemy falling
back to their artillery and maintaining their po-
sition until twelve O'Clock, when our artillery
came up and they were driven back six miles
in the direction Of Culpepper Court House,
when our forces returned and recrossed the
river.
Nearly all the fighting was done by the cav
airy, and it was of the boodieSt character
mostly hand-tO-hand with saber and pistol,
and in the woods. The heavy timber was not
very Dense SO that horses could advance
through it, but the underground was thick,
and when Il trooper dropped, he was etfectu-
ally concealed. Our own loss was consider
able, and the slaughter of the rebels fearful.
| The proXmate number of the casualties on
| both sides are not vet reported.
The following are reported among our cas-
ualties Colonel b. f. Davis, Sth New York
cavalry, killed; Captain Benjamin +. Foote,
! 8th New York cavalry killed; Lieut.. Cutler,
Sth New York cavalry, killed; Lieut.. Reaves,
| Sth New York cavalry, MORALLY wounded;
Lieut.. Vane, Sth New Y ork cavalry, severely
wounded Captain Caulield of the regular
cavalry, killed. By this sudden and brilliant
dash of our cavalry into the enemy's lines,
their plans have been frustrated, and the in
tended raid of Suuart'S forces prevented.
Gen Lee, it was pretty well known, had as
sembled his cavalry, supported by artillery
and infantry, between Culpepper and Beverly
Ford, with the design to send them upon
raid, and this fact is further substantated from
document that fell into Pleasantons hands,
by which it was ascertained that Stuart was to
have started on his journey within an hour of
the time our forces came up with him. Gen.
Pleasanton, in view of the information above
stated, was dispatched with portions of the di-
visions Of our cavalry commanded by Gems.
Butord and Greggs respectively, to prevent
the cOnSummation of the programme. The
force under Gen. Buford consisted OF portions
of the lst, I'd, 9TH and 9th regular cav
airy, and the 9Th Pennsylvania caval-
ry, and that under General Greggs, of
portions Of the S9th 9th, and Sth Illinois, and
Sd Indiana cavalry. General Buford's force,
which was on the right, first met the enemys
| pickets, half mile south OF the ford, when
severe engagement Immediately commenced,
the rebels being in heavy force, and resisting
| the advance of our troops with continuous
| hand-t hand fighting. When Gregg brought
his forces up to the fight and became engaged
the enemy gradually gave way, disputing ey
cry inch of the ground desperately, however.
In this way our men made more than a dozen
charges into the midst of the rebel ranks, re-
lying almost enlirfly.5'nnp, the seRerv llgPmSh
on the other hand, repeatedly charged also,
| relying on their receivers for the most part
however. Both sides were repeatedly driven
back in the course of the battle, though
we succeeded in driving the rebels (Fitz-
hugh Lees and Wade Hampton's divis-
ions Of cavalry, with artillery, all COM
manded by Maj. Gen. j. Il. B. Stuart) back to
point about six miles southwest of where
those pickets were first encountered, where
Pleasanton found the enemy so heavily rein
forced with infantry and artillery, as to make
1t prudent to return to this side Df the river.
This commenced at about PM, Gen. Pleas
anton bringing off about 200 prisoners. his
own wounded and the bodies of his officers
who had been killed in the engagement. The
9th Pennsylvania cavalry, which was in the
advance under Buford, lost heavily, including
SIX officers killed, wounded or missing. OF
the 9th Penn. cavalry, Capt. Davis was killed,
Maj. Robt. Morris is missing, and Lieut.. Len
wig is also missing.
The Sth New York had the advance. under
Gen. Gregg, and under the immediate com
mand OF Col. Davis, who was killed on the
held, after slightly wayering, acquitted them
selves with much gallantry. On our return
to this side of the river, the enemy skirmished
frequently with our rear guard, doing us no
damage to speak Of however. Our loss has
not been definitely ascertained The propor-
ton of horses killed on both sides, in this al
most uneXampled hand-to-hand cavalry bat
tie, was very large. The field from where
Buford and Gregg first became engaged
throughout the whole distance of five miles
over which the enemy were driven before get
ting back to their reinforcements, was strewn
with dead and wounded rebels. We had two
batteries of artillery engaged, and the enemy
the same. Much credit is given our artillery
for bravery and efficiency.
A train arrived here to- day, bringing about
40 wounded officers and men from the en-
gagement of yesterday.
New YORK, June l0.-The Times special
dated Beverly's Ford, evening, 9th, says:
You can record the greatest cavalry fight of
the war. Gen. Pleasanton this morning at
daylight crossed the Rappahannock in two
columns, his right at Beverly's Ford, and his
left at kelley's Ford. six miles below. The
lords were captured without loss. Beverly's |
Ford was taken by a spirited dash of the Sth
Illinois and the 8th New York, and we were
on the south side before the enemy were
aware OF it. Gen. Gregg took Kelly's Ford |
with slight skirmish and no loss.
The right column was under Gen. Buford, |
and he had proceeded only mile from the
river when he came upon Gen. Jones' whole |
brigade, who had just shaken themselves out |
OF their sleep in time to get ready to receive
us The fight now commenced and continued |
from A. NJ. to P. NJ, by which time the en-
tire force of Stuart, consisting, according to |
papers found in their camp, Of 10000 cavalry |
ana 70 pieces Of artillery, has been engaged |
ana driven back three miles on the right and |
hve miles on the left with heavy loss, our
FORCES forming junction near Brandy Station
at 2 O'Clock.
The fighting of both columns under Gen.
Buford and Gen. Gregg was very gallant
MOTT single instance of misbehavior occurred
The grandest charge of the day was made by
lhe 9TH Pennsylvania cavalry, supported by