The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-06-05
A Nleh, Firh.- surpri,s ssOnr rr,ep.

"A NignS Ffgnt- Surpris0 0kXR Ifseps-
A CORE spondeut of the MsLile Register
sends that paper an account ~ the surprise vf
our troops at Middleton, TsnE, on the 25th
ult. The post, which ia midway between
Murfreesboro' and Shelbyville wns occupied
by the Sth Confederate cavsy aud llth Ala
bama, and was under the co1hnand of Lieut.
Colonel Prather. The writefsAys:
This morning, about early dawn, large
BODY of Yankee cavalry an&11Ounted infantry
(about three tiousand) mede dash upon our
pickets, vi ho were stationed Nbout two mills 8
still further out, capturing D0me, dispensing
the others, and beating them TO the place Of
our camp; and before the camp guard could
give tho alarm, the camp Of the krs. Alabama
was completely surrounded and filed with the
Yankee hirelings, yelling 1balt!" .'hal, r.
Bang-bany-reDt the heavy morning air in
every direction. 1t was not3et well hight
A scene almos. indeecribabla now followed
All were sound asleep, bag the officers and
men, reused by the nous1al sound, eprang
with an electric leap % iFen their ha ear'hy
tempted to form his stMtsd, halfawake,
confused msn, but was Intercepted be-
fore he could reach th1In by hun
dr.d Yankees, and narrowly escaped
being captured, only saving himse.f ty
hiding: The several captaiia and isutenants
were crying "form, men /, Storm on foot r'
camp grouads were Eow literally cove. ed
with Yankees, firing upon Ass from every di
reesisa. Everything wafsn cus-saei1n. horsea
breaking loose and scampering about, euus
ont of place, and some not loaded, too dark TO
distinguish. friend from foe, men end etfi GERS
shoeiess, hatleas, en- dishaba7e, confused, star
tlsd, aud, ray almost cay, panic-st,icken,
could be seen lying in every direction after
q short, sharp contest. 1t soon became evi--
dent that there were but two courses we
could pursue-si either to surrender, or each
man to take care of himself by fiight-for re-
sistance any longer was useiess they being
ten to one against us. Most of us chcss Hi sht,
and hid ourselves among cedars, behind rocks,
fences, etc , in full, hearing of everything that
was going on, for we could get no father; but
"a good many who were net 30 fortunate e, lie
In. completely surrounded and overp0wered,
OF course surrendered.
The Yankees low had complete possession
Of The camp, and made quick veoik u destroy
ing. A large naInbsr OF guBa that were let
by The men were broken TO pieces, saddle -bags
yiheG, blankets, clothing, caFiouch boxes, and
everything Of any value, was burae6, with the
rude aud hastily CONSTRUCTED shelters under
which tbs men slept, destroying the outfit,
both public and private, of q great many.
While this was going on, q large foIes was
cent to the camp OF the 8.h Confederate regi-
lnent, which was so1ie three hundred yards
distant, aid made aa attack upon them. Nearly
AL the regiment were out q aziug their hcrses
TDey soon captured aDd diapelse1 tho fey, g.
manning, and "a similar scsue was enacted TO
that which had transpiI cd in the ist Alabama
turning and destroying what they could find.
IN the meantime they had SCH. a small De
tacLmeDt across to the pike, aI'i did actually
succeed n capturing one Of the guns, coulpeii-
ing ths dliveIs OF the battery 10 hitch UP aud
drive it ch, who soon managed t. Capsiza it;
bnt fortunately they were pursued, AID the
piece and drivers recaptnred; also, several oi
the Yanks, by portion Of Col. Morgans regi-
ment As coon ar the Yankees had left, Col
Prather collected as many Of the Refugees
as could be found, and thcrs of the lst Ala
bama and his own regiment, who had been
grazing, and gave them chase. Before they
had leit Middleton he was manfuly fighting
their rear, killing several of them and some
six or eight horses Our loss, strange to say,
during the night attack, was hut one killed
and two badly wounded. Ilcw it was posi-
ble for 80 many guns to be fred by SO many IN sn
and no more killed, when we recoiiect that it
was almost hand-tc.hand fight, cannot cay.
We killed one aud mortasly wounded three of
them at the same time. Some fifteen 10 twenty
on both sides " ere killed during the tsht They
will be hard t" replace now. They also cap
tured about 10 men, aaloog whom were Capt.
Turkman and Capt. Webb. Capt Webb, al
though about 50 yesrs old, fought them brave
". When the alarm was given, he seiZad his
repeater, and jumped out with only his night
clothes u, and emptied every barrel at them
befora he would surrender. They then cap.
tured Kim. He asked them to let him put on
his boots and dress, which they refused, but
l. 10 x,EJ hnr tad Iona ohan Sal
and with nothing on but his night clothes,
double. quick over one of the Iongnest, rock
lest roads imaginable. La loss OF horses and
equipments the Yankees got largely ,hs al
vantage; but in loss of life l think We got the
best Of it, killing and wouuding several more
of theirs than they did OF ours
You will naturally ask who is to blame
about this affair. Isay no one. There is not
a braver, more prudent or viglant officer of
the sane rank in this army than Col. Pra.her.
No one here thinks that it was caused by any
remissness Oh his part. Col. Prathor is one OF
thoss officers vino taka pride in seeing how
we'll he can do his part. l do not think he is
to blame, nor any of the officers or men. Ii is
q thing wbiciehas been done be ore, and will
he done agaiu, aud the wonder to me ID that 1t
has not been performed more frequently ty
both sides. A trusty guide-one vno uuder-
stands the position Of the pickets and the
CAMPS to lie a.tacked-a thousand brave men,
under brave officer, and the successful sur
prise of an outpost camp, is not hard job, nor
are the officers who are surprised necessarily
cuipable. However, TO say the least OF 1t, the
expedition was bold one, and very Wei exc.
cutsd. L. seems of late that ths'Yankees and
ourselves are exchanging modes of lighting
they fighting now as We formerly did, and we
as they formerly did. Gsls. Wheeler and
Morgan must look we'll to their ianrels, else
they may be taken from them by Maj Gen.
Stanley, Chief Of Cavalry OF Rosecrans's e
army-he, understand, commanding the exps-
ion that attacked us.
FROM VICKsgURG.-The Montgomery Ad-
ye,tiser publishes the following private dis