The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-10-17
tArssT faon THE aoaTH.

..ruRpAY MORNING. .0cros0 II, isss.
tATeST fa0n the n0sIn.
". have received, through the cour-
.ssy Of the officers OF the Exchange Ba-
Ian I New York papers Of Wednesday,
~. iIth inst. The principal news in
them is about the FALLING back Of
1ssde's army, which has been going on
s;nce saturday last. A letter from Head.
ansrters Of the Army Of the Potomac,
dated the 10Th, says:
oRx. nRADs's MOvHaGxNT2
%. ~osoe dsss pest g has hssn evident
...tshss army woeld not long rraAh1n n The
..srisity q CuIpeper, and eysY go Who
yN.s .n~fhinQ Of our own aud the rebel
SS~. xn rsderstcod that Il would b. impossk
- sor m 10 advance. Hence the only quee-
..., s's r. Tor General Meade TO solve wAo how TO
s' ~, ~ immense trains and stores sway In
ssS.tv 90 Wednesday Of last week General
IssJe received information that led him TO
,'',sva thaf an extensive rebel raid was con.
.us,nnissed upon his right and rear-infOrma-
,,an rs;nce verified. II was also ascertained
,ha, m Thursday night the rebel cavalry un-
ins' ~. s,narf- and infantry under Ewell, were
.s,nr oe. The Rapidan In the vicinity Of Robin
ssu ,;vsr and making towards 0priDgvilie,
20 ismes CITY, and presume Il was this
,n;aruaaion which led to the stsaeeGy q the
ias. nso ss Meade Nas fully apprised OF the rebel
..ss0oah and knew that by making demon
s,,st;en On their right and centre he wound
en,nnel them to abandon their enterprise in
orIcr 10 protect their lines of communica-
.,on With (;ordonsville aud Richmond. Con-
ssnnenfiy strong force Of cavalry, under
Rnford appeared at daylight on Saturday at
Germania ford, ten miles below Raccoon
Ford. while infantry and'cavalry appeared In
enrce At the fords In the vicinity OF Cedar
Mountain Fitzpatrick was also sent Out 70
ofthe enemy at James City, ten miles south
west of Cuipeper. It is said that Gen. Bu
ford crossed 1t Germania ford, but the report
"a NOT confirmed, nor have we anything re-
liable from either OF the cavalry divisions,
owing TO the exclusion Of all reporters from
the cavalry arm Of the service.
On Friday night the lst and 9th corps, who
had been encampel along the base OF the
Cedar Run Mountains and extending down
TO Raccoon Ford, built fires and advanced
their lines to the river. They had previous.
Ig beeo strengthened by two divisions, 80
that at the break of day yesterday most
formidable array OF Union soldiers appeared,
ready TO cross the river at several points
simultaneously.
Gen. Fitzpatrick had also during the night
moved to the right, and at daylight on Satnr-
day morning, October 10th, engaged the
enemy at James City. learn that he was
,nent. as the plan was to lure the rebels
Iack 10 their right and centre by the demon
STATIONS In those quarters-a plan which
would be thwarted by bringing on gen
val engagement upon Our right. Con-
ssopently after hall hours skirmishing, he
fail hack In the direction of Culpeper and
took position near Bethel Church, where q
snpport of infantry was posted, and TO which
nlace they were followed by the rebels
Msre RIar a nart of our cavalry dismounted and
aenloyed as infantry, aud for short time the
dght was brisk indeed; but, the rebel force
n5oyino too strong, or, abiding by his orders,
k;,natrick fell back still further toward the
man BODY of the corps, posted two miles
wesf of C1lpeper. In this movement part
of The One Hundred and Twentieth New
York Volunteers was captured but they did
not long remain prisoners; for, watching
their opportunity, brigade OF cavalry, OF
which the Fifth New York and Filtn Michi-
gan were q part, dashed upon the guard hav.
Ing the captives in charge, and rescued all
bui some twelve or fifteen.
This. then, was the position of the forces
on Saturday night at dark, with every pros
pect of bloody fight on the coming day
buford was at Germsaia, the 1st and 9th
corps extending from RaccOon Ford TO Cc-
nRun fitzpatrick, supported by the I'd
and Sd corps, to the west Of CulPeper, from
three to four miles distant. Ewell had
moved back from his position In the morn
ing, and faced Newton and Sedgwick, while
Stuart fronted French, Warren, and kilpat-
slck in the vicinity of Bethel Church.
Sunday morning, at O'Clock, our infantry
force both at the Rapidan and west OF town,
commenced moving toward the Rappahan-
mock, their trains all having been sent back
the night before, leaving the entire cavalry
Vi PleAsantOn to cover the retreat. Gregg
had come up by forced marches during Sat
urday; SO our cavalry force was by no means
Insignificant.
A telegram dated the 18th, gives the
following account Of the crossing OF the
Rappahannock:
About two o'clock an order came for US to
march. 10 about half an hour that vast mass
Of troops was In motion, without the least
noise or confusion. Nothing could give you
stronger illustration of the power OF disci-
pllne than the silence aud order which pre-
vail throughout camp of several thousand
uen, even on midnight march. Every man,
horse and wagon is in Its place, and moves
as II by the single power Of mechanism. 1t
is an imposing sight to see these large mass
e. moving along In the dark ofthe night like
gliding spectres. Not voice, not . whisper.
The very sound of their tread Ia hushed.-
Then the abandoned camp fires glow and
cfsckle among the mighty forest trees. The
red glow mounts to the horizon, and the
dark trees cast their giant shadows around.
In the most fantastic shapes. Add to these
the lamps suspended to light our way, and
you have, indeed, q solemn midnight scene.
A We neared the river another interesting
sight presented itself to our view. The
troops marched on In two long interMinable
columns, with their gums aud bayonets glis-
teliug in the clear bright morning sum
Further on the right came long lines OF ar
ullery, cavalry, wagons, and ambulances.
One should see great army on the march
10 form correct notion Of its colossal ex-
tent, Of the unbOunded resources required
70 keep such . consuming leviathan In ex-
ntence Each corps requires nearly one
thousand wagons and ambulances. These,
with their six horses or mules each and their
drivers, make little army In themselves.-
Add TO this the immense supplies required
Tor the cavalry and artillery, and sum total
Is sswelled up that might bankrupt second
rate power.
The Herald, of the 18th, says:
Dispatches Of yesterday show that our
cavalry encampeA on Saturday night few
Miles beyond Germauia Ford, and on Sunday
morning were attacked by the enemy in large
olce, and were compelled to withdraw to
nArds the river, and crossed at MarstOn'e