Evening star., 1863-05-06

GORDOESVILLE AND GORDONS-
WILLIE AND CHARLOTTES-
WILLIE.
THE COMMUNICATIONS OF LEES ARMY CUT
IN EVERY DIRECTION.
THE ELEVENTH ARMY CORPS FIGHTS
BRAvELY ON MONDAY AND YESTERDAY.
Since the first edition of to.day's Star went
to press, we have further important news of
the events Of the past eventtul week on the
field where Hooker operates.
Stoneman's force was divided into three
columns, one Of which, that moving in the di
rection of the Richmond and Fredericksburg
railroad, he commanded in person, though the
havoc worked from Hanover junction down
to within five miles of Richmond was made
by a subdivision under the command of Col
DAVIS.
One OF the three columns, commanded bv
Brigadier General Averil1, after crossing the
Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, pushed on to
Brandy Station, where it met the enemy's pick
ets and drove them back in a short skirmish,
1t then pushed on direct to Culpeper Court
House, where Generals Fitzhugh and William
Henry Lee were found with rebel force of
perhaps 800 cavalry, which fled precipitately
back across Cedar Mountain.
AT Cuipeper Court House General Ayerill
captured a lot of rebel government flour, and
then pushed on after the retreating Lees, fol.
low ing them to Rapid Ann Station, where they
burned the railroad bridge, over which thew
retreated after a smart fight, in which they
lost Col. Rosser, date of the U. S. Army,)
who commanded one of their brigades. Our
loss there was inconsiderable, and they lost
several killed besides Col Rosser, and also 3,
prisoners, whom General Averill brought back
with him. The object Of AverilI's expedition
seems to have been to destroy this (Rapidan)
bridge, which the enemy in their panic did for
him. After proceeding as far as Orange Court
House, he returned with his force to the main
army, joining it at Charlottesville on Sunday
last.
Another column OF Stonemans force, under
command of Gen. Buford, which left the Rap
pahannock at the same time, pushed on di.
rectly towards Gordonsville, and positive In
formation has just been received announcing
its success in cutting the Central railroad be.
tween Gordonsville and Richmond, and also
between Gordonsville and Charlottes vile; thus
with the achievements of the column in de
stroying the railroad between Fredericksburg
and Richmond) completely stopping rail com.
munieation in any direction out from Lees
~ ofn army and hro q hin o. n N fo- thn <;-.
the eaemy's facilities for forwarding supplies
or reinforcenents to 1t from any direction.
According p the Richmond papers Of yester-
day, Longstreet, in person, joined Lee some
days ago. bu was accompanied by none Of the
troops with which he had been operating be-
fore Suffolk.
We regret to have to say that Briadier Gen.
A. W. Whipple, who was wounded In the re.
cent engagement In which Gen. Berry was
killed, died yes terday at pm
by way Of illustrating the wildness of the
rebel newspapers concerning the recent events,
we may mention that they claimed yesterday
that Lee had actually driven Hooker's army
across the Rappahannock on Sunday!
The latest information from the field states
that the aggregate rebel loss in the four days
fighting has been far larger than ours-which
is natural enough, us they were necessarily in
every case the attacking party, and followed
their old practice Of massing their troops very
heavily against the points they selected to as
SAIL thus presenting numerous opportunities
for our artillery 10 now them down in great
numbers.
The Richmond papers OF yesterday claim
that Lee took In the engagement Of Saturday
5000 Of the Eleventh Army Corps as prisoners.
This is the corps that behaved so badly on Sat-
urday, but the number of prisoners taken from
it is nothing like this number.
It is but fair to the Eleventh Corps to say
that they retrieved their reputation measurably
by good conduct On Monday and yesterday,
showing that their bad behavior previously
was from enc Of those panics that will some.
times overtake the best troops.