The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1864-12-30
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A Surprise lEy ! by BY the Rebels.
0uceessful Cavalry Reconnoissances
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UuCeeDDI0k C0v8kry
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MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, Fridays
Dec. 23.-On Monday, the 18th. inst, the
Third Cavalry Division, General Custer,
started on SreconiDissance ppT the Val
iSys, and returned to camp last Ievening,
having successfully accomplished the ob
iect Of the movement The column was
preceded by a party OF scouts, under Ma
jor Young. Rebel scouts were met with
at intervals all along the road to Wood
stock, where the command went into
camp the first night. On Tuesday morn
ing the march was continued up the pikes
At Edenburg three companies OF rebel
rcsya)ry were picksthg 81 but this force Of
fefSf but litsl8 rea[s a[stanGs, snh &er driv-
gu away by the party. On Tuesday pight
the command encamped on both sides OF
the road, near Lacy's Spring, nine miles
south of New Market, the first bfigade,
Col. Pennington, being in advance, the
second brigade, Gen. Chapman, i'm the
rear. -.
The usual precautions were taken To-
guard against surprise, and nothing trans
sssS sssa IL shs 4 5sfors sas
dayIight) the following morning, the
pickets Of the. Second Brigade (First
New Hampshire CavalryD guarding
road, gave an alarm, and instantly
whale brigade sof srebel eagaly, beaded
by Ganersl Payne, made a dash, around
the picket into the camp, and were with
in a few yards Of the Eighth New York
before discovered at that point This
regiment was instantly engaged, but
being oyerpowered by superior numbers,
fell back, when the First Vermont, Col.
Wellss, apd Fifteenth and Twentysec-
ond New York, were brought in, and the
enemy were charged out OF camp, and
driven between one and two miles
while the Second Brigade was thus en-
gagged, force Of the enemy, estimated
to number about three hundred men,,
charged in from the same side OF Cthei
road, = upon the, First Brigade. These
were in very short time driven oil with
heavy loss Here themen of the Second.
Ohio sat in their saddles until heenerny
were within fifty yards, when the Ohio
BOYS commenced emptying rebel saddles
With their .ssYensshooters, and, after fir
ing one volley, charged, scattering them
in every direction. When the dash was
made around the pickets of the First
New Hampshire, upon the Second Brig
ade, about fifty of the First New Ha1np-
Shire boys were cut off: .ThesS were all
captured except Lieut-Col. Hutchings
and fifteenmen Captain Lee, Provost
Marshal of the division, reports as hav-,
ing received thirty-three prisoners (ln-
cluding, two Captains,) representing the
Seyenth. Eighth and Twelfth Virginia
Cavalry. After this brief. affair, finding
that WhartOn's Clate RhodesO division
of infantry was coming down the pike,
and the special object of the expedition
having been accomplished, Gen. Custer
fell back, without being molested by the
It appears that the enemy received
early Information of this movement on
Monday night by scout to New Market,
and from thence the news was telegraph
ed to Staunten,. the infsntry yheadquar-
ters, and to Waynesboro, the cavalry
headquarters That night Rosser march
ed to Harrisburg, and the next morning
moved down the back road, and by
forced march, reached Lacy's Spring on
Wednesday morning, when the attack
was made. (, ~ ~ ! .tAJki
Nearly the whole of the attacking force
was dressed lin blue clothing, which
caused some 1ldicrous scenes, as it was
impossible at times, to distinguish be-
tween friends and enemies. This fact
caused ths enemy, during the height of
the excitement, to shoot down some of
their own men by mistake, and at the
same time it enabled Others to escape
who otherwise could not have done so.
The charging party had received orders
to use the sabre, only, and had it been
Jstrictly obeyed, they might have met
with soI1eidAgree OF success; fortunately,
however, several Of the most excited used
their revolvers when near the pickets,
SO that the camp was alarmed in season.
~ At least sfffteen~of the enemy were
killed, and large number are known to
have been wounded Our loss were two
killed and twonty-two wounded The
men suffered terribly: from cold, and
some of them had their feet frozen on the
march. y "a Il ( II IL y
When the First Vermont was in posi-
tion, ready to charge, a party of the en-
emy, only few rods distant, moved
slowly along their front IS if within
their own lines Major Cummings and
Captain Mitchell were ordered to charge,
hut Just at that instant q superior officer
said no; that they were some of our own
men. A Sergeant rode out to ascertain
to what command they belonged, and
the enemy responded, Twenty second
Nsw-York."' Not answering some other
suestionsreadily he became satisfied as
to the real character, and the signal was
given. Many saddlss, ware emptied as it
was, but scarcely 9 msn GOULD have es-
capped had their real character been
At another time Captain Stone, of the
Second Brigade Staff, got quite indignant
at q party of. about. fifty rebels whom he
tried to rally, for feglecting to obey his
orders Major Cummings, of the Frst
Vermont and Captain Evert OF the
Eighth Virginia rebel cavalry, met in
camp and had some talk together with
out either knowing that the other was
an enemy. The Adjutant of the Eight
New York dHdsrto0kato call rebel ser
geant to account for trying to steal some
thing from the ambulance AT one time
indeed no man dared to fire or strike for
fear of killinga friend Lieutenant Pal
mel, First New Hampshire got mixed up
in the rebel ranks, and only discovered
his mistake when rebel asked himwher
Rosser was. He subsequently, escaped.
Some of the enemy must have slept cold
thstnight, 5or many wsrs Pe8asd OF their
blue clothing on the spot
While o1 fbis trip, Or Wood, Surgeon
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