The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-11-10

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pAv--FukTHea PARTICULARS:
The ers,tsd reports clrcalet1d h the city
s.1,Aaey: about tAe capture of two W4ole
,eav.Ses a Coafsderasss On the RAppaAan-
- bv tie Yank6es, tura out 70 have been
msssiy exaggerated. We srs e1abled, ffQnl
Conversation with number II wounded Of
sceis and men who were In tie light 30 give
EYler and more reliable narrative Of the Il.
air thau has been pablished. The nght oc-
cn,rcd near Kslley's Ford, our forces being
,,on the farther side Of the riyer, and the Yam
seee appearing In force to drive theieofr and
eorce pessaxe of tho stream. The Confede-
r.te. engaged were Hayes's brigade, coasist-
inc of the 5th, 7th and 9th Loutsiana regi
n,eu,s. commanded by Gen. Hays; and the
6,h and 3oth N. c. regiments OF Hoke's bri-
gne:. commanded BY Col Archibald c. God.
win.
These troops had been st1ltoned on the
north side Of the RappA6Snnock, doing
n,cket service, when, about II O'Clock on.
saturday morning, the drums beat to quar-
ters. and orders we're given that every man
must fall into the ranks and be prepared for
an immediate attack. In very short time
our outpost pickets and the encmys skir
mIshers were hotly engaged, our own pick
cts gradually yielding the ground TO superior
numbers. Themain body Of tho enemy was
not long in making ita appearance, emery
ing from the woods, and soon our small
force were confrQpted by overwhelm-
ing numbers, estimated at between ten
and fifteen thousand. Then commenced
a terrific battle, which continued with.
out. iptsrmission from two o'clock In
the cSSesn6on till dark, at which time, 1t
seems, VIC had been entirely surrounded, and
a large portion of our troops had already
fallen into the hands of the Yankees. The
situation becoming desperate, and it appear
Ing that the longer resistance was continued
on our side the less chance there would be
of escape, orders were given for retreat,
which Wa done under very great disadvan-
tages. The bridge crossing the Rappahan-
mock being commanded by the enemy in
such manner as to render it madness to at
tcpptto cross by that means, the whole OF
our retreating force took to the river, which
! they forded.
The number which fell into the hands OF
the-enemy is about fifteen hundred. We
learn that the 9Th North Carolina regiment
entire fell into their hands, and that about
400 of IIays's brigade also failed to escape.
The fight is represented to have been OF
1.-The most terrific character, and when we
take into consideration the great disparage-
ment in the two forces engaged 1t is remark
able that any of our gallant men escaped at
ALL For the space Of three miles in an open
field, we learn, that the ground seemed lite
rally swarming with Yankees, who, to adopt
the expression of one Of the wounded,
seemed to rise up out Of the ground. In
this fight their artillery was used with great
efficiency, aud, unlike what has hitherto
been their practice, it was used at shorter
range than usual. Part of the time the con-
hict was hand.to-hand, and it was in this
manner that the most of our men were
pressed upon by oyerpowering numbers
and compelled to yield up to them.
1t is regretted that our artillery were not
supplied with shrapnel shot, as it is believed
greater destruction could have been done
with them than the solid shot which were
used Never were guns more stubbornly
defended or more efficiently manenvred, and
charge after charge was repulsed before the
enemy finally succeeded in capturing them.
At one stage OF the battle the impetuosity
of Gen. Hayes led him into the very heart of
the enemy's ranks, and before he was aware
of 1t he was hemmed in on all sides; Draw.
Ing his sword and putting spurs to his horsc,
he dashed through them, and finally escaped
capture. In his flight he leapcd a parapet
Of considerable height, and plunging his
horse into the river reached the south bank
of the Rappahannock uninjured.
Col Peck, of the 9th Louisiana regiment,
Lieut. Col Hodge, of the same regiment,
and Lieut. Col. Terry, Of the 7th Louisiana
regiment, were also taken prisoners at one
time, but succeeded In making their escape.
Among the prisoners are Col. Penn, of the
eth Louisiana regiment, and Capt. John An
gel commanding the 5th Louisiana regi
ment. It Is also believed that Col. A. {. God
win is prisoner, as on Sunday, the day after
the battle, both brigadcs were under the
charge of Gen. Hayes.
The list of killed and wounded On our side
will probably not exceed three or four hur.
dred, a very small proportion of whom being
officers. Col. Sellers, of the 3Oth North
Carolina regiment, received mortal wound
In the right breast. This officer led his
regiment into the fight on foot. and is rep
resented to have showed great fearlessress
and courage. In the early part of the en-
gage nent he received q severe wound In the
arm, but refused to leave the field, and con-
t!nued to cheer on his men till later In the
evening, when he was struck the second
time, and had to be borne off the feid. Capt.
John Weatherspoon, accompany X, 3Oth N.
c, regiment, was also severely wounded.
Among the Yankees it is believed that &c.
veral General officers were killed, as a short
time before the close of the day, and when
perhaps the enemy thought they had cap
tured all our troope, group of mounted Of.
heera, evidently prominent leaders, rode
right into party Of cur troops who were in
aravine, when they Immediately rose up and