Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-09-19
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.


Lees Cavalry at Work-The Raiders
Reported 5000 Streng-Prompt Pursuit
Of the Rebels-A Severe Battle in Pros.
pect-Gen. Lee Again Anxious about the
Weldon Railread-His Ny sterious owe.
ments on our Left.
(Dispatch to Philadelphia Inquirerl
NEAR PETERSBURG, VA, Sept. 16.-Many Of
those who awoke early this morning were
somewhat surprised, If not startled, by the un.
usual sound of musketry in the rear. Soon
after day light men were seen hurrying In from
the cavalry picket line, in a state of mind con-
siderably discompesed. The stories told were
all more or less startling, and from some of
them of them one might have inferred that
nearly the whole rebel army was in our rear
and within a few miles distant. Upon certain
points, however, there was a very general
agreement between the several accounts.
The picket line Of Kautz' Cavalry Division
had been attacked and driven in, and between
two and three thousand head OF beef cattle
had been captsred by the enemy, and a consid-
cradle portion Of the First Regiment Of Dis
trict Columbia Cavalry had been gobbled mp
i presume that everyb body knows that from
the left Of our infantry line, near the Weldon
to the James River, thus enclosing certain
region of the Old Dominion, which is set apart
Tor the various uses of the army and guarded
against inimisai lntrndeIs. The part Of this
and lies between the James River and the Nor.
folk Railroad. The Fifth Pennsylvania Cav
airy, which formed the right of the division,
was engaged in light skirmishing as early as
two A. NJ, but the main attack was made
some miles further to the left and over two
hours later.
, In the rear of the LIST District OF Columbia
cavalry, which was the regiment furthest on
the left and had its headquarters at Sycamore
Church, there was a drove Of beef cattle. mum.
berfng over two thousand head, and so near the
picket line that only narrow strip Of woods
interyened between 1t and the field where they
were grazing. How 1t happened that SO tempt
ing prize was left In such an exposed situa.
ton / shall not undertake to explain, but how.
ever this may have been, the enemy appear to
have had accurate information as to its locali-
~, and their attack seems TO have been made
for the special pupose of capturing it.
The rebel force is estimated at about 5000,
comprising Hampton's Legion and William H.
infantry, the whole under the command Of
Rosser. With this force they attacked along
the entire line of the LIST District Of Columbia
sragiment and portion OF that OF the 18th
Pen, sylvania. II their numbers are as large
"A ahove estimated, it is not surprising that the
slender nicnat line opposed to them was in
stantly swept awsV ana cor SIDERABLE part OF
the men captured. nav.Hs Oroken In, their
frst care was to surround the cat..es:: and COM
meRoe driving them of, while with anotSer
part of their troops they followed up our men
and picked up as many as possible Of the fugi-
tves. A party OF them, supposed to mum Der
about 500, advanced as far as Prince George
Court House, at which point the Sd New York
cavalry was held in reserve. On hearing the
bugles OF the latter, the rebels faced about and
retreated.
Our loss in prisoners Is not accurately known,
but IL no d0u bt much smaller than was at first
supposed. The dense wood which covers q
great part OF the country would enable many
Of our men to escape capture, by concealing
themselves until after the enemy's retreat and
II il hardly likely that our entire loss in killed,
wounded and missing will reach one hundred |
The following officers of the First District of |
Columbia Cavalry are among the prisoners
captured Major J. 5. Baker, commanding the |
regiment, Major J. II. Cloudman, Captain II. |
Howe, Lieutenant Merrill, Lieutenant McCus. |
sick, Lieutenant Gof, Lieutenant Wolfe, Lieu. |
tenant Spaulding. Lieutenant Mortford was |
killed. His body was rescued and for wafdsd |
TO Oily Point to be embalmed.
Prompt measures have been taken to inter.
cept the enemy and prevent them from getting |
away with their plumber. A brigade Of infan.
try was sent down to Prince George Court |
House this morning, and General Kautz, with |
his cava ~ and the Fourth Wisconsin Battery |
of rifed 10 Founders, started In pursuit OF the
raidsr s, while the greater part of Greggs Divi-
sion, under General Davis, supported by q
brigade of infantry, moved down the Jerusa-
lem plank road, in he hope Of cutting of their
retreat. An officer of kautz's Division, who
left the command late this evening, reports
that the enemy is hemmed in between the
plank road and the Blackwater, and will be
unable to get away without fighting their way
through. IL was a daring act on their part, to
swing so far around on our left, and 1t is to be
hoped that they will not be allowed to escape
without such punishment as will encourage
them not TO repeat the experiment