, 1863-06-13
GREAT CAVALRY FIGHT.
The Engagement at Beverley's
Ford and Brandy Statioa.
Eighth Illinois and Third Indiana
Cavalry Engaged.
l0o Prisoners and one Stand
Of CoIors Taken.
Our Loss About 400 KILLED, Wounded
and Missing.
The Rebel Loss Much Heavier.

and Missing.
The Rebel Loss Much Heavier.
Correspondence OF the n. 7, Times,]
In B1yoUAc At DKALEroH, VAIL
ORANGE AND ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD.
Tuesday Evening, June Q, 1868. J
This has been IN exciting day. About the
tue middle OF Last week, Information Of q
pretty positive character, was received at
headquarters, concerning the masslng and
drIllipg Of large force Of the cncn1y's cayal-
reports had been received before, but they
were more or less conflicting, especially that
portion of them which concerned the move
ments Of the rebel infantry forces ia westcr-
ly direction. 1u my letter Of Monday, I gave
in substance such information rs I had, CON
corning the strength and character Of tho enc
my's augmented cavalry force. It WIS, IN the
main, correct; but, in the light Of to days
operations, lean give you the details as spc.
clacally Us you can desire. f:'r, beside defeat
ing the enemy in severe battle, we have ray
eyed bis camp, ascestained his strength to u
figure, and frustrated bold plan, tho exc
cltiop Of (which was to have begun tomorrow
morning at daylight.
The bold Reconnaissance across the Kappa
hammock on Friday last, below Frcaericks-
burg, which We rightly thought would
startle the Indifferent public, had more than
one object. Its first object Was to discover
the exact whereabouts of the rebel army,
which WIS accomplished Saturday norning.
It's second object was to remain where it was
as diversion, while we hastily gathered to-
gcthcr force to feel "f, and if prudent, to at
lack this threatening mass Of cavalry oppo-
site our extreme right flank.
Gen. Hooker conceived the whole plan very
quickly, and caused Its execution to be begun
with that rapfdity aud sccresy for which Lie Is
noted.
Saturday evening the composition Of the
force was Determined npon, andall tue cavalry
that could be made Immediately available was
detailed for the work under command Of Gen.
flsasantont (Gen. Stt,ncman having been re-
leved, } assisted by Gems. Huford and Gregg,
and Col Dute, as subordinate commanders.
In addition, two small brigades Of picked In
tantry, under Gen. Ames, r the 11th corps.
tailed to accompany the expedition. A detail
Of artillery was made in the proportion Of one
battery to each brigade, the horee-batterics,
with cavalry, being In charge OF Capt. Rob
trtson, chief Of artillery on Ten. Plcasanton's
staff.
Tic infantry force selected challenged par
ticnlar admiration. Theregiments were stllull,
but they we're Ttlidble-such for instance as
the I'd, sd and 7th Wisconsin, 2d unG SD Mas.
eachusetts, 9Th Mainc, S6t1i and 12tth New
York, and one OF two others Of the like char
acter.
Tic force, when completed, did not exceed
10000; that Of the enemy from 1900 to
15,0C0, but then, as fur Us cavalry were con.
cerned, we sent NIL that could be spared, and
rs fur rs infantry were concerned the sequel
proved that fully as much was sent as could
be used to advantage. And then there was u
strong supposition that the force Of the enc
MY had been exaggerated.
Gen. Pleasant0n's S cavalry rendczroused dur
ing Saturday and Sunday at Catlett's Station
and Warrenton Junction, getting supplies of
forage and food from both places, by the
Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Gen. Ames
ted Tavern, and On Sunday to Bealeton Sta
lion. Gen. Russell's brigade moved on Sun
day to HARDWOOD Church, and on Monday to
Kelly's Ford. The plan was to rendezvous
the command at two points on tho Kappa
hammock. Bcverley's Ford on the right, and
kelly's Ford on the left, the two being six
miles apart, and then move the column for.
ward toward Cnipepper. on roads conTerGins
at Brandy Station, where a junction Of the
forces Was to be formed. OF sooner, If neccs-
Rary.
fo1d's column left Warrenton junction, and
followed BY Gen. Ames from Bcalcton, biy-
ouacked for the night near the Bowen MAN.
sion, about one mile from Bcycrley's Ford.
Gen. Gregg, taking his own and Col Dulles
command, moved to the left from the juno
tion, and encamped for tile night in close
proximity to KeilY's Ford, where Gen. Rus
tell had already arrived. No fires we're allow
cd and yigi1ant watch was kept to prevent
disturbances or thing which might give
any Indication of our presence.
The orders we're to aronse the commands
at 8 n. H., and to make the passage Of the
liver no soon rs It WIS daylight.
At dawn Gen: Bufords command was In
motion. Col. Davis brigade, led by two
equadrons Of the 8th New York, and sup.
no.ted ny the 81 nos ana had
pleasant, q thick mist hung over tho river,
and objects on the other side were rather in
distinct. Our cavalry soon reached the river,
dashed In, dashed up the bank, and were well
OF the opposite side before the rebels in their
fortifications were aware Of their presence.
The suddenness OF the movement completely
surprised them, and they at once broke for
the first friendly timber, which was about
one-fonrth Of q mile in their rear. Our cav
airy followed rapidly, and in these woods the
speedily lost one Of the most yalued officers
Of the command Col. B. F. Davis, Of
the Sth New York cava1ry, and Captain
in the 1st regular cavnlry, and the same
gallant officer who led the gallant charge ont
of Harper's Ferry last fill. aud captured
rebels, who were dismountcd, reached the
woods, they began to ekirn1ish, and detained
our f;..ce there Tong enough to gire the alarm
to Jones' brigade, they being cncamped just
beyond, In the outer edge Of the woods.
Though their horses were grazing In the
fields, yet they speedily fell In, and in 4 very
short time two or three squadrons came
charging down the road and through the .im-
her. Hurting their force upon the 8th New
York, they broke it and forced 1t back. and
killed and wounded quito annmbcr. Colonel
Davis, who was CALAMITY leading theadvance,
4.~ f%,ntv, u1r1
to the Sth Illinois, shouted, "Come on, boys"
when rebel rode out IN front Of him, and
fired three shots from his pistol ut him, the
last one taking effect in his forehead, and In
Aicting mortal round. Quick Us thought,
Lfeut- Parsons, acting 4: A General to Col.
in his stirrups, with one well directed blow
Of bis sabre, he laid his head open midway
between eyes and chin, and the wretch fell
dead in the dust at his horses feet. Rarsons
is but youth; his adversary was strong,
athletic man, yet the former, though young
jn years and l s1ight M stature nooly avenged his
By this time the gallant 8th Illinois, though
mccting with q hot reception, in which Capt.
Clark and Capt. Forster were both wounded,
had charged upon the rebels, and driven them
back upon the main body Of the encmy, who
in the reai Of the woods. and just beyond their
camp, nearly two miles from the river.
Major Writings command now came up to
the support ofthe Illinois and Indiana troops.
Gen, A1nes also brought his infantry over,
and deploycd them on the left Of the road US
skirmfsheIe, and then pushed them out ia line
of battle to the edge Of the woods, in front Of
which the enemy was drawn up By squadron5,
with artillery at the intervals, which omitted
no opportunity to shell everything in sight
that had motion to it. Thus far the enemy
evidently Ind but one brigade at hand, and
few prisoners taken said they belonged to the
9Th, 7th aud 12th Virginia cavalry, Of General
jones' brigade. When asked if be was "Jones.
the guerilla" they Indignantly denied the
imraiation. Nevertheless he was. General
Pltasanton now directed Gen. Buford to make
preparations to charge this force in the flank,
while the infantry and artillery engaged it III
front. It was desirable to do this as aoon as
possible, as the enemy might be getting rein
forccnlents ut any moment. Gen. Buford
having driven the encmy's pfckets and skir-
miehefs In the open fields on the right Of
the road, sent in the 9Th Pennsylvania, sup.
ported by the 5th and 9Th regulars, to charge
this line on the flank The Pennsy'yanl-
ans came up to their work in splendid style.
This is the regiment formerly known Us the
"Lancers," and theg had matter Of pride to
settle in this charge. Steadily and gallantly,
they advanced ont Of the woods In excellent
order and then dashed across the open field
in IN obliaue direction towards the enemy's
guns. They went up almost to their very
muzzles, through storm of canister and shell
and would have taken them, when suddenly
there dashed out of the WQods!on their right