Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-02-12

day OF tTo, If an extremely valuable aud
much needed cnrgo on Government account,
A few raars such c~a-tnea wolld place the
~cora:.r - Il G~;il:rent :oat!n& from that which
it now occupies, and relieve ;he anxious fears
now entertained by many.
---.--aas-S ~-----
MORE ABOUT UEN. R0SSEKS EXPE-
DITION.
IcoKI.sipN DEycE Oh. THE RIcuXoHD ENovIKER.
. CANr MEAN New MARkET,
Feb. 18th, 1864.
After !eNcning Moorete,d, Rosser crossed
through tic Patterson Creek range Of moan
tai.s. hF q rad which iuteroects the Teters-
burg and Burlington grade. about twelve
miles hciuw Petersburg, willie the infantry,
under Gc,,crai Early. MARCHED on another
road, directly 20 Petersburg. Tnei"forne,!pn
Jhas :: train III uiaety-tbsce wagons, under 4
gua1G g. "islrhur&r:d infantry and one hun
ared aid twenty cavalry, was proceeding along
the Burlington and Petersburg grade, added
no littls incenti,c to his II s~scr'sj movements
On reaching the gap in the mountains atnTn
xliudci 10 il was fuurd b'cckadcd by fillcu
tlccs, aad. wi,h n for. us three hundred Yam
kec ir'antr.F, prepared 10 dis2ute it's passage.
This was soon driven out by the. dismountcd
cavalry, ma they failing hack upon the main
body. The enemy packed his train, chose his
own p~osition and prepared ,3r IL stubborn de-
fence.
General Rosssr nothing ,li:eompcseG by
the appearance of {. sesrieG line of infantry,
greatly Superior in numbers 10 his own ts:ce,
and confident OF v~ictorv-advarced against
the eight hundred iuiautry with three hurdrod
disn,rurted oaralrymen, while about three
hundred mounted men were sent around TO
.threRtcntf cir faux and rlnr.
Curu.en. wi.!n cheer, received the fre Of the
enemy, aud, with The customary irregularisy Of
di-mJUnIcd cavalrymen, presenting The appear
ance IF an eHi!lunia>tic mol, rushed on with
shohts, dischargipg their fire Mt them n3 they
advanced. and making the Heavens re-ccho
with huzzas as the enemy gave way before
them.
The rapid advance Of our sharpshooter5.
under the ever gallant Maicr Myers, Of the
Seventh, assisted hy the flank movement CT
our mounted ner, compelled the enemy, after
a stubborn conflict, u give mp the trains and
seek shelter oE from the road among the hills
and trees. n the meantime about three hun
irei more infantry had hcen sent out from
L ctS!SbGTS ~ iCtlLlpiSb AlS htGpu A'N
rcsrhed !" IN tine to STARE in the defeat
Thus did six hundred cavalry drive of
apd rout ahou; eleven hundred infantry
and one hundred and twen;y cavalry CT the
enemy from :. position deliberate ychace-.-
Our loss was about twenty-five Killed ard
wounded, while the enemy confess a less Of
eighty killed aud wounded, and We h~.cughttti
fifteen or twenty prisoners.
Hopr cf Tho ,n,,1au bovipJ haao unbirnbea
nv the enemy, il, became necessary to destroy
f5rty os the captured wagons, while the re-
manning sfty-;hree was sent to The rear and
turned over TO the Infantry.
IL has not yet heen definitely ascertaincd
what tue "infan;s" lrsve done With the Wa
CONS, though | believe it is generally under
etood that their contents, consisting Of quar-
termaster, commissary and sutlAr stores, have
been disposed Of in the usual manner by tile
aforesaid infants"
The cavalry. however, with their customary
~proIpsoess, succeeded il abstracting from
the captured stores the choicest articles, while
such omnCn things us rice, beans, coffee and
sugar, we've handed over with conte,nptu3us
ind; ference - tho ravenous infants"
Amcns the captures in the early partof thu
coz fict was an immense base drum. which
the owner had in his terror Abandoned. En.
numbering himself with this, and improyisi; 2
6 drun.stick, a humorous cavalrynlan &C.
yanced with tho front line Of. skirraishsrs.
amusing ard deiigh'ins everybody with HE
unexpected rnueie
Curious were the incidents that OCCURRED
among the ~ees:atic md triumphant cavalry
men as eonn as the enemy abandon ID the
train. Tho grea5 difficulty Vas to tell what
to ssttle upon. FIRST one thing and then an
ether woald Il icll"w seize, fearful t'at he
ha! not tone ~ well ga ha might DO.
Tho only lnsn that seemed satisfied with
his plumber was Il snc3v hooking sci iier. wit
q very precious !oosiIg bundle, wrapped ard
couatc,-wrsryd ami sealed. after all Wa;
ever, he ouietlr sat lin dcwn - open hi,
casIat. mni, 70 his I,:er u2torishnieIt anc
disnay, il contained nothing hut religious
tracts. Thus ii waa, just like y | ttery--aorne
irew blacks AMI s"nI4 crew prizes.
Proceeding tn Petersburg, RosscT fund !:
evacuated aod hoat cf the stores burnt -
Enough was fund, however, To sata'1 the
Numbering prop"rsitiss OF both infantry and
cavalry--thc infantry corning up after the
cavalry had run over everything.
General Roaser then went down the Pettcr-
son Creek Valley, collecting cattle, horses and
sheep.
Reaching Burlington, he mado a teint upon
New Greek, and, pr ceedinE with tbH main
column 70 patterson Greek depot, On the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad. burnt two bridges
and q considerable quantity OF stores. "
this tiuc, Ros:er was III the very heart of the
cnemy's lines, while tacy. under Averill, were
10 his rear, endeavoring to Inherent him
Like an astute fog, he doubled and lodged
and escaped the willy hunter, bringing out
about l,$:U0 cattle ard 90 Yankee prisoners,
not to sneak Of other things. Averill followed
until ls reached Moorfcld, and then very in
gloriously retired. bEr1us.