Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-29
A Reconnaissance IN THE VALLEY.
Correspondence Of tho Nso York Times.

Correspondence Of the Nsio York Times
MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Dec 49, 1894
On Monday, the 10Th instant, the Third Cavalry Div
son. Gen. Custer, started on reconnaissance up the Val
ley and returned to camp ast evening having successfully
accomplished the object of the movement.
The column was preceded by party of scouts, under
MAJOR iouhg Rebel scouts were met with at intervals
all along Inc road up to Woodstock where the command
went into camp the first night On Tuesday morning the
mafeh was continued up the pike At Edenburg three
companies Of rebel cavalry pcketing but this force
offered but little resistance and were driven awav bv the
scouts under Major Young, capturing four of the party
On tuesday night the command encamped on both sides
Market, the First Brigade Col Pennington being in ad
vance, the Second Brigade Gen. Chapman in the rear.
Inc usua precautions taken to guard against sur
PRISE and nothing transpired during the To alarm tho
camp put at about ak o'clock Gust before daygh) the
following morning, the pickets of the Second Brigade
(flrst New Hampshire Cayalry) guarding road leading
IN westerly direction to the back road, gave alarm,
ana instantly whole brigade Of rebel cavalry headed bv
Gen. fayne made dash around the picket into the camp
and were within few yards of the Eighth New York be-
fore discovered that point This regiment was instant
fell back when the First Vermont Col Wells and Fif
teenth and Twenty second New York were brought in,
ana inc enemy were charged out of camp and driven be
tween one and two miles While the Second Bripsds
thus engaged force of the enemy estimated to number
about three hundred men, charged in from the same side
OF the road upon the First Brigade These WERE in very
oiiVcu ou Win ntdVy Here the
the Second Ohio sat in their saddles until the enemy
within nifty yards when the Ohio boys commenced emp
tying rebel saddles with their seven and after
nrDg one Voey charged scattering them in every drec
ton When the dash made around the pickes of the
First New Hampshire upon the Second Brigade about ftv
OF the First New Hampshire boys were cut off These
were all captured except Lieut. Col Hutchnps and f-
Teen men, Capt Lee provost marshal of the division re-
ports having received thirty three prisoners ncudnp two
captans representing the Seventh Eighth and Twelfth
Virginia Cavalry
After this brief affair, finding that Wharons (ste
Rhodess division OF infantry coming down the pike
and the special object of the expedition having been ac
complished, Gen. Custer fell back without being moested
by the enemy.
1t appears that the enemy received early information of
this movement on Monday night by scout to New Market
and from thence the news telegraphed to Saunop
the infantry and to Waynesboro the cavalry
headquarters That night Rosser marched to Harrisburg
and the next morning moved down the back road while
the infantry came down the pike and by forced march
reached Lacys Spring on Wednesday morning when the
attack was made.
At least fifteen of the enemy were killed and a large
number are known to have been wounded Our loss was
two killed and twenty two wounded. The men suffered
terribly from cold and of them had their feet frozen
on the march
The only rebel force in the Valley believed to be
Rossers cavalry and Whartons division of infantry The
prisoners taken had not heard of Hoods nor do
they know much about Sherman.