New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-22
SROn THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY,
Affairs In ihe vsiicy-The late Campaign
-Briiiinnt Services Of Gen. GUSTAV
Whas Devin'. Brigade accomplished
The Encmy I'm force.
No Our Own Correspondent

4fpD Our Own Correspondent
HAHPEE's FERRY Va, Friday. Aug. ", 1864.
On the morning of Wednesday, the 10th inst.
the expedition under the command Of Nal. Gen.
Sheridan, sent ont 10 intercept the retreating
columns Of Early, left the vicinity of Halltown
and proceeded up the valley, in the direction of
6uasburg. The failure to infct serious damage
upon tho enemy, and the final withdrawal Of
Our army from before strasburg, have already
been announced, and it only remains to give
the facts having direct reference to the retro
grade movement. The presence Of consider
able force Of the enemy In the formidable works
on Fishers Hill to the right and two miles
beyond Strasburg, gave US no prospects OF
results commensurate with the loss which would
Inevitably attend q direct assault, while the
appearance Of another rebel force at Front
Royal rendered the position Of our army
ysrilous one.
COL. DEvTNs SENT TO FRONT ROYAL.
On Sunday night the cavalry brigade of Col.
Deyins was sent ont into Chester Gap towards
Front Royal, where it was discovered that Ker-
shsw's Division Of Anderson's Corps, formerly
Longstreet's, and ,Wickhan's cavalry were sta
TONED The rebel force had been conveyed to
Nitchelrs Station, on the Rapidan by rail, had
marched from thence through Culpepper on the
10Th, and moving northwsrd crossed the Blue
Ridge and encaniped at Front Royal on Sunday
the I4th inst. On arriving in the vicinity OF the
Bouth Fork Of the Shenandoah, Col. Devins i'm
medately threw ont his pickets towards Front
Royal and rested in his position undisturbed IN
81 the afternoon of Monday.
CUSTER SENT INTO THE GAP.
Early in the morning of Monday Custer was
sent up TO the support of Deyins and on his ar
rival near noon assumed command of both bri-
gades.
A BRILLIANT LITTLE CAVALRY FIGHT.
At half-psSt three in the afternoon force Of
rebel cavalry was discovered crossing the river
near the Front Royal pike, and dispositions were
81 once made for the reception OF the enemy.
Ransom's Battery wss placed in position on the
left OF, and commanding the pike, with the LIST,
9Th and 9TH Michigan regiments formed in
mounted squsdrons for the support, while one
hundred and fifty men of the 9Th Mich, under
the command of Maj. Dean, held the skirmish
line In front Of Clusters brigade. Skirmishing
soon after commenced, and Col. Kidd with the
remainder of the same regiment REINFORCED and
took command Of the skirmish line. Sharp Skin
rishing then ensued lasting for three quarters
of an hour artillery being used on both sides.
Eight guns were trained upon us BY the enemy,
but they succeeded in in6icting no considerable
amount OF injury, while Ransom with his four
guns swept the pike leading to the river and
was powerfully auxiliary in repulsing the rebel
charge Called by the fire Of our battery and
the Spencer carbines, seven-shooters, used by
cur men. the enemy finally charged furiously on
our line held by the 9th Mich. and 4th and 9th
N. J. Their charge was met by counter
eharge by the regiments mentioned, and, ss
usual, when our veteran cavalry with uplifted
sabre dsshes upon them, they fed broken and
routed back TO and across the river. In the
charge q color each was captured by the 4th
and 9Th n. Y, and number of prisoners taken.
In the charge Lieut.. Z. g. Granger, A. d. c.
70 Gen. Custer was taken prisoner. He is sup
posed to be uninjured, as his horse was seen to
carry him into the rebel lines during the action.
The charge of the 9th Mich, of Clusters, and
the Attn and 9th NJ Y, Of Devin's brigade, is
spoken Of as gallant in the extreme.
The enemy driven over the river, our advance
returned to It's former position, and for half an
hour artillery only was used by either side. 1t
was soon reported, however, that the eremy's
infantry were crossing the river half mile be-
Low, with the intention Of Ranking US on the
left. With quick conception Of his situation,
Gen. Custer immediately took measures to pre-
vent the contamination Of the enemy s intention.
-Four or FIVE hundred yards below the point at
which the rebels were crossing and near the
river, is situated large hill over which the en-
envy intended to dash upon our left To meet
this assault the 5th Michigan. Col. Alger, was
quickly moved under cover of the hills TO the
side of the crest referred to. and, dismounted,
awaited the advance Of the enemy. A moment
after, and the yells Of the rebels gave the signal
for their charge, and immediately advancing the
9Th swept up the hillside, gaining the crest and
pouring down upon the enemy storm of bull
lets from their Observation-Disclosures which the
enemy again broke and fed towards the ford.
But the gallant Custer was not content with
simply repulsing the enemy, and the lst Michi-
gan, Major Paldi. was ordered to the right to
take possession of the ford and out off the retreat
Of the enemy, which was successfully executed,
and over hundred prisoners captured. mum.