Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-16
Ritbuuno Enqulre1.
FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 1G, 1868.
FROM GENERAL LEES ARMY.
IRON OUR own CORRESPONDENT.

along 10 Wrl'e you OF the incidents Dr tht
campaign up to this writing. The forward
movement on the part of the army of Northern
Virginia began or Thursday morning last. a
which. time Ge:n-!!s Anderson and Efett
moved their divisions fGam the vicinity Of Pey.
tons Ford and i~saisjan bridge, where they
had been encamped fGr some time past, up T.
and beyond Orange Court Honse, on the road
leading to Caves ford, and within two miles
of that point, where they encamped for the
night, and set to work in cooking ~rations foi
three DAYS. The transportation wa in excel
lent order and tho men were in the finest kline
of spirits. The only drawback to the general
fine appearance of the army was the fact that
u number of men in each of these divisions
were barefoptcd. Thursday evening ever,
thing was astir and everybody was in c%oujec,
ture as to what was on foot. At an carly
hour Generals Hill and Ewell went to General
Lees headquarters and had q prolonged in
terview. On Friday morning at an early hour
Wilcox's brigade, which had, up to this time
been lying still in tlIeir camps, near Barnett.
Ford, took up the line Of march, forming t;C
rear Of \. P. HIPS column. All Of ;heSc
troops crossed the Rapidan early Friday
morning, rebel fashion, by wading, ut Cave.
ford, and proceeded on towards Madison e Ii,
At dawn. Rodes' division, which was in the
advance of Ewelrs corps, moved up to Orange
G. H., and soon were followed by Johnson's
and Early's divisions. These troops moved
across the river. at Barnett's ford, and thence
to the South Of Hills corps, on the dirt Road
to Madison G. II.
Meanwhile this movement had rren
50 secretly conducted that the enemy kasw no,
thing of our plans or purposes. We were
still keeping up q show of force in front al
them on the Rapidan by burning heavy camp
fees and by keeping up our regular picket
force in front. Aud the better to conceal our
advance we had so moved our force is to keep
it concealed from the enemy from their look,
outs on Thoroughfare mountain and other Gle,
waited points. Friday evening, about 4 o'clock,
Stuart began to advance, keeping on our
right rs we advanced, and so moving rs 10
swing his column around towards Culpcpcr
c.. H.; resting on Friday night npt far below
and beyond Madison G.. il.
On Saturday morning our infantry We're on the
move at dawn, and crossed the Robinson river
near Criglersville, and n short time thereafter
the cavalry succeeded in hanking and captur,
ing the whole of the 10Th New York infantry,
and in getting possession Of Tloroughfare
mountain, which had been the day before Il
Yankees signal station. Tho possession u,
the mountain enabled us to watch the move
ments Of the enemy, whilst ours were still
concealed from them. About o'clock in the
evening Stuart came up with the ennmyis
cavalry near James CITY. a priat about ten
miles above Culpeper Court House, and en-
gagged them whilst our infantry nassed around
10 the left. The firing lasted until after night,
and during the engagement the enemy at.
Trmpted to take, by charging Mnorman's bat.
'ery, hut were sIgnally repuiSed by Hampton's
cavalry.
On Saturday morning the enemy sent Blu.
ford across at Germanna Ford. on the Rapi.
Ian, for the purpose OF following in Lees
same time to harass him but Gen. Lee was
too old a soldier "to be caught napping."-
Fit7. Lee had been left behind to provide
against exactly such n contingency as this.
ard Butord soon "ielt him." ut Norton
Ford, on the Rapidan, across which Fi,z. Lee
drove him. and hack still az faras Brandy Sta
sinn, where Buford formed d junet;n with
Fitzpatrick, who was Just then retiring before
Stuart, who had pressed him Down the Sper.
ryville pike, and on by the Goardvinc Church
rad. Here the enemy made q stubborn re-
s~is'ance, bringing their infa"try into action.
but it was no &c: forward" was the word
with us. and "ba"kward" for the enemy
Just before night they gave back and crossed
the Rappahannock river. In this fight, we
captured some three hundred prisoners. and
some fifty of their wounded also fell into onr
hands. Our loss in the whole engagement is
about seventy-ive in killed and wounded
Thus far, you will see that onr infantry have
not been brought into play. Our motto, how
ever, is still onward. and if there is any fight
in the enemy, we will give them q crushing
defeat before the week closes
Our troops took possession Of this place
about three o'clock yesterday. The last OF
the cnemy's infantry retired through here
about one o'clock. Our movement, I ain Il ID
by citizens, was not discovered by the enemy
until about twelve o'clock on Saturday
from which time until about tho same hour
on Sunday-at which time their last train Of
cars left here-they worked like beavers, and
succeeded in getting off nearly al their stores
though l hear we captured q few from
them.
| am satisfied that they never had here
more than seven corps, viz: the lst, I'd, 81
9Th, 9th, 18th and 18th. The two latter wore
sent about two weeks ago to reinforce Rose
Grams. So that, at this time, the Yankee arm
has not over FIVE corps and not over fifty thou
sand men in all. Meade's headquarters while
here were at Dug Wallach's house, and Con
Patrick's. Provost Marshal General, were n
Dr.. Taliaferro's.
During their stay they seized and carried
off Henry Shackleford, Col. Freeman, anc
Stallard, the depot agent, rs prisoners.
Among those killed Yesterday | regret t.
hear of Capt. w. B. Newton. Of Hanove
P%countv, who foil at the head Of his regiment
calamity leading it in a charge.
I shall leave here to-day and 20 forward
You will hear from me again as soon as event
Of sufficient Importance to chronicle shall
transpire.
Hon. John Minor Bolts was arrested to
day by order Of General J. E. b. Stuart. ant
will I've sent forward to Richmond as a prison
er Of State. have not learned the charge
against him. y.
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