, 1863-10-25
THE WAR IN VIRGINIA.
The Cavalry Advance to Back
land Hills.
TEE LATE FIGBT. OF THE THIRg
CiFdLn1 DIV&SI3Nr.,
From the New York Tiu1ce.1

1EE LII T. f4U6 L UF 1MG IGxitB
ia. ClPdLfl4 DIVlSI3K1::
From the New York Ttu,ce]
HEADQUARTERS ARMY or TnB P0zoNAc,l
Wednesday, Oct. ziht, teG3.
The recent gallant cavalry fight Of General
KilTatlick's cVision at Buckland Mills and
vicinity, is ttill the subject OF converaatlcn
maid is ip, am able to furnish more reli.
able account of that affair than the first des-
patches, Which we're necessarily incomplete,
owing to the absence Of aportion OF the CON
mano. The commanoer If the division re-
ceived orders Oh Sunday last TO move .s fur
10 possible toward Warrentou, under the sup
1oaitton that nolhipg but csyalry vouid oIs-
Uoee his progress, aEd knowing Klpattick
lau whipped Stuart al0ue OH teycral nell
contested fields, it WAS not thopght- worth
while to advance Infantry within iuluedtate
supporting ditance, Notwithstanding this
aud The men and 1orscs Wcie considerably
The Wo1se for Hcar, the order to march was
obeycd with a1acrity, and the command was
mosipE by O'Clock p. m. OIL Sunday. But
little progress had been made FROM Bull Run
before the enemy'6 pickets we're encountered
Gainesville, where two regiments we're found
drawn NJ in une OF battle. Night comiog
Oh, tie command e1campel. EARLY ALoacaY
morning tie advance mas sounded, and the
enemy retired from Gainesville, lighting IS
ney went, taking the Warrenton Pike.
PROBATION to send the Fist Virginia regiment,
Major Parable, to Haymarket and vicinity to
guard the right fink, and the Seventh Aichi-
gan, Col Mann. to Greenwich and vicinity to
guard the left faux, while the reInslnder Of
ihs division moved up the Warrvnton pike
FT&0 cd nftff IL ~ hGr haH
crossed Broad Run, at Bucklanu Mills, whe.e
Hampton and Jones' brigades, under the in
me6late:command of Stua1t, with two batte-
ries. occupied very strong posltition west ot
The run. The banks Of Broad Run In this Vi
cinity are verf steep, and, therefore are ferda,
Elders batteries were opened With effect,
compelling the enemy to more their
batteries eeveral times. Alter IN artllle-
ry duel and diminishing for nearly
two hours, and the Commanding General
my near ut hand on his right or left, under
concentrated fire Of the artillery . crossing
was effected in force BY the pike bridge. Taa
bki1mishers, not to be left behind, boldly
waded the river, and notwithstanding all the
obstacles to such movement, kept up an ex-
cellent line, the whole command pushing tor
ward under very heavy fire. Tho conflict,
Though comparatively brief here. vas sharp,
the enemy contandinG manfully for every foot
ofE1ound, but when they did give way, Gen.
Dayia' brigade, which had bef,re been held
In hand while Custar's had the advance, moy-
New baltimore. While Gen Custai5s com
came In, on: cf breath, to Gcn. Kilpatr{ek,
with the Information that column Of the
enemy was threatening his left. Suitable
to resist this unexpected danger By Ma
jor Cock, Chief Of Staff, and Adju-
tant- General Eetes. No sooner had this
bee done than portion Of tie 7th Michigan
which bud been stationed on their fl,Ank Wls
forced back By line Of rebel infantry, aetlcg
ed to hare been Al least fall division, ,tw:th
brigade Or more Ct cavalry. The .extfe1ne
EaDser Of the command as Eitu1ted was seen
at glance by Gen. Fitzpatrick, acd be dis
PATCHED Lieut.. Hickey, with orders TO Gen
Da,ite TO fall back IT once, as he was in
part, anticipated the order, for upon herring
f]zi1g ut bis resr, had fallen back to within
one mile and half Of Gen. Casters b:igade,
ard was there awaiting orders when the mes-
eebger arrived. Willis this was transpiring,
the 5th Michigan, Col. Alger, was dsployed
I Two hrtgaoss, md KEEP back q threatened
movement Of the enemy to divide the com.
ruand. L severe struggle now took place for
| possession Of tie p1ke-out forces trJlng TO
hold it 80 as to enable Davies to pass and Take
| up new position, while the enemy we're de-
made. HaTirg both infantry and cavalry, in
this they we're successful Gen. Custa1, how
| erer, succeeding In getting his command
in etfety across Broad Run, after the most
desperate fghtinE-in which Peuniug:on's 5
Battery, {Co. u, "a artillery as usual, took q
most Important part-,1ring with great rapid;
ity und making their guns terror to all
massed forces With which the enemy threat
cred tie retiring troops, though at one time
they boldly came within a very short distance
| Of the guns, intent upon capturing them.
Once ac.oss the river the bri3ge was held
tough some Ct tbs men were entirely out Of
Colts revolyers, in which the officers took q
conspicuous part. The enemy, however, ct
fected crossing come distance to the left,
and the brigade fall back fighting to the II
cinity Of GAINESVILLE, where the troops disap-
| 1inc Of Sixth corps infantry skirmishers there
| concealed, whom the enemy, not seeing,
made bold to charge, and Mete repulsed with
great loss, the officer leading the charge ts-
lrg among the Killed.
When Gen. Fitzpatrick saw TINT Custar's
tt d him to fall back slowly, and lighting If
pursued, and then started, accompanied by
IN orderly only, to join Gen. Davies, Whom
be bad notified previously BY an Aid that he
| WIG cut of, and must make his way to the
pike leading from Thoroughfare Gap to
Gainesville. To many, not acquainted with
the circumstances, this might seem q fool.
which he did at the bridge, aud to run the
gauntlet Of EkirmisheIs for more than
mile; but Gen. Fitzpatrick would rather
have Lost his own life on the field than to lose
brigade, the fate Of which then hung iu
the balance; and while having the utmos,
| $n1fidarna In rho ah31{fv ard raafuaee NJ
realized the faet that his own., pres.
ence Hou!d do something toward encour'
aging the troops, particularly as some ol
them had been associated with him for years
Providence permitting, he succeeded il
| gallant spirits, both officers and mer, who
see1rg the noble conduct OF their General, re-
eolyed to accompany him, without orde-s
Fortunately, as the sequel Will ahow, Dr.
Carpebaft, Chief Surgeon Of the brigade, wat
familiar with that section Of country, and
Avoiding the main road leading 10 Thorough
fare Gap, reached the pike short distanct
above the village Of Haymarket.
Tie difficulty of this Increment Will be IN
derstood when It Is sisted that his reduced
brigade was attacked in the r1ar BY bott
Hampton snd Jones' brigades, and that Fit
would take when cut Of: When Gen. Iii
patrick reached the command, be at oncc or
dered the Har1is Light {s:cond N. r. cav,
to act Is rear guard. $50 hard paessed wsre
they in rear ard flank, that the choicest spirits
because tbs brayest. both officers and mel
| Of the command Joined the rear-guard, ani
1oblF did they witness the onsets Of the enc
mY. and eTen Knocked them--Hhile exultIul
at the idea Of eyen driving OF Kilpatrick'
comu,and-tn their beast like yelp, and hus1
ID them back On more than one occasion b,
g.! rxurr3 o1onp At time +ha rur RI