, 1863-07-28
THE WAR IN VIRGINIA.
PRESENT POSITIONS
AND ASPECTS,
Sharp SkirmishiDg ThaIsiay
and Friday.

T. HEADQUARTERS Army OF THE PoroxAc.l
L =. SATURDAY, July a5-G +. u.
The positions of the rebel army are fas fol
lows: On Friday a. NJ, ut 6 O'Clock. tho all
vance OF Hlll's aud LoEgstreet' t'ecorps reached
cnlpepper. The columns were well clo=cI uE
and their entire corps must be concentrated
| there before this time. t
Ofthe retrogade movements, there caa be No
question. For two days have had flyora.
bic opportunity to take d bird .eye+7iew u
both Hills and Longstreet's commahds, and
On one occasion was quite as near them as was
prudent for a non-combatant. ::
Ewelps corps, it is understood here, still
occupies the Shenandoah valley, whsrc il is
! guarding tords on the Shenandoah mud tie
rear OF The rebel army. THIS fact Is supposed
10 e1plain the recent alarm about the alleged
movement Indicating that Les was not retreat
lug, and was indeed preparing to 5cturn to
Maryland. -. =. y
The Excelsior Brigade had a fight yesterday
ut A=hby's Gap with the enemy, where the
latter had both lntantry and cavalry After a
brief but severe contest, the enemy were re-
pulsed and large number Of prfsoner5 cap
tu1ed. !
Among the wounded Is Brlgadler General
+. B. spinola.
| Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tsibune1
| HAADQuAKrEns CAvALc1 DIVISION,
| AxlEsY1LLS, Va, July q.
Yesterday Gen. Custor with three reg1-
1ncnts Of each brigade, under command OF
Col. GRAY, Col. Town, the senior officer, being
| sick, advanced from this pln:e to Mewley's
Cross Roads to reconnoiter the enemy's posi-
tion, the 9th Michigan being in the advance.
The cnemy's plckets met within half 3
| mile Of The Cross Roads, when our advance
guard was disnounted and dcr1uyed Us skIf-
1uislle1a.
One section Of Pennington's battery, under
Lieut. Clurk, was placed in position on the
west, at the left Of the road, supported b5
the 1st Michigan, A1ajo: Brewer. For half IN
hou7 or moro a lively 6kirmieh was kept IN,
when the advanced skiru,ishers were rein
forced by three aquadrons from tia 5th
Michigan, and also tie balance Of these regl-
snerts acting as o reser:e. The men thus
thrown forward steadily drove the enemy
before them, until the crest Of hill was
reacted, near the Cross Roads, when the enc.
lny opened brisk fire with artillery, fling
shells, grape and cannistcf, and our advance
was checked.
This position was held for at least an hour,
when, much to the astonishment Of all, reg
imcnt Of the cnemJs' infantry appeared in the
rear Of tie first Michigan, while supporting
the artillery above referred to. The whole
section Of cocntry in this vicinity is 50 cut
mp that it is almost impossible for cavalry to
olelate cf1ectual1y, and particularly ditIi:u1t
al the point where the enemy first made their
appearance In our rcar, as It waS covered, not
OILY with trees up to within twenty rods Of
the regiment, but the Intervening space was
covered With an underground of pine trees
and 6tutb!e.
Gen. Custor, Hhen mads aware Of this
flank movement, at once ordered 8 charge to
bs uale-practicable under ordinary circum-
stances, but just at this point au impractical.
bility, which was very speedily discovered
Tbs result was change Of orter. The Sec
tion Of artillery exposed, rapidly moved to |
the right, while the 1st Michigan remained |
III position until the enemy: hnd fired. one |
volley, then wheeling right iato the road,
rapid rctrograde movement brought them to |
the rear, and In place ofcomp>ratiye safety. |
=; While this movement was Being executed |
on the lett Of tic road, tho enemy ndYanced |
two laees to the crest Of the hill In front, pre-.
yiou'ly occupied by our skir.nlslers, and
opened CALLING fire upon our troops, with
grape and cannlster, and at the same time ad-
'ancing column OF infantry in the came d.
lection. A portion Of the right wing WAS
fosced still further to the right and left, and
was forced back into the road, where tile ex-
freme lett had preceded It. The retreat on
the right was skluol'y conducted By Colonsi
1ray' "ho' not"ishstinaing the excitement
o. .he i9omen'' a,o mol forget to eSsend pro-
~, E'p' 'ua ~ ""a eoNoeqaen.5 sa'sa.
'-4 sns'' ',:, .a.. 'u's "ese neiu III cneck Ut
ts' "n,s NV eo".A.ao 1!''ans iet
4D-'4D' .sn .'a.n w amlss'u1e' FROM
s .4no4 ~ nlAeon oounlea 'tom feaaoie
~ "''7 "s.e4 @'lleu t'l'' our column
',ueN NV .e"t " a" l. LII : con1tnaho. 1ne
aa'aAee o1 Lobgstrcc1's corps passed through
Thornton Gap and Sherryrille on Thursday.
and on Frilay morning at six o,c1ock re,chc,
f.n,nonne-
o4ipnppes. 1;t',,,
d1us command Was Immediately In the |
rear. To day the cavalry moved nm to Gaines,
Cross Roads. wb.r,. The en.nov,a z,;c,-a+= ..aro
~, -. =.
e"eoan'eteo ano a11'en III but the nam eom-
'land WAS beyond RI ,ch, as Gen. Cu.tor's or.
l1ars were sc,:ly TO ascertain the position Of
tha o,o,a., ..,,.;,... - .,.,.
lug snems' LII ooeo1ei'ce 10 ILLS osaer NC 1el
oaek 10 Aml5sVallc-
Our loss during the two lays reconaols-
s,nce w;1, no+ evce.1 q l,,,.d ,,a On v,u,;,oa
49,. 49," taNa ~ "oaaoeo'
Llcui. oaoln. OIL Gen' tu6tor's etaf, was
severely wounded In the side by she'll, and
vas left on the field, The enemy sav f3f ne,.
tho, -. ~a~o1. ~ t,,-. 49,. -.-... 49,.
M s'.o1s ~ t1As .41a ''"a'' 'uo Luis
uort1ng ne was brought In.
Dusipg the most exciting time yesterday, |
.orsn IN f,o,+ or ri f,-,r ,v,e ,-;,ra, ~,
ooAs, - 'o'ss y, w. way "as anieu eo4.
afas morse leu over tIe dlsao4cd animal, nna
before tie Colonel could regain his feet, be |
.as RIM over hv whole snr,dron of 1od
,,-r., ,o1,.,o;ro ~ ~. s,-;rn,f,ho., n,.
i''Sss o''"ns.ns W LUG sAlunsnces. dls es'
a1e from fatal injury is attributed to the fact
Lat many Of the horses were upshod.
WASHINGTON Jnlv o7-Adv,cea fr,r, +no
,,,c IT tf,a Pntnnac nav thst lara ru4a,ar
f + horscs have hcen fan;d IN the mnnntein s
.orgcs and appropriated by our troops.
r. ,~,.slrE XIX ti,a iirs ~ 10 peea-,.,,
~. ~ avlu .a1 Luz E. nna napt5naa
TaIat,no 0~'"-~A AAsa5 fo3o I'LL"
- 'a1etioo. a1sa e. ~ r,,a 1..
ns n e,9' s On ne 1nuptaas ar 1ast T1lle the
y ara rI ir,,,e+ a. ~ st,, uu e eoes army
* eian ;nS.r,na3,n., ,.ea ] W. naassas zap,
nnratr ~ ~ We saI5,,rt m rSeeea iaa1 den.
I'd IN order - qns5e.e ~ nis cofps
General Sninoia comnon59nss ~ ~ '4s aap. '
;or Rrt~adt vii, son ,s,a- naa ~ ESesl-
leled forward. The commandinc Isu Genap,1