New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-12
q Operations of Cur CnyaIry-Greatest Cav
nlrT Fight OF the War-Lisis OF the
Killed and Wounded.

Sfe-lM Dlbraleh 70 Al.c ~ !. iisuHHr.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday. May TO- 1864.
Your correspondent L. c. G.. sends tho follow
ING details Of our cavalry operations thus far;
The cavalry corps has been actively ENGAGED daily
since the advance OF the army and generally with Sig
nal success. The heaviest and most brilliant cavalry
fight Of the war occurred at Todds Tavern yesterday,
resulting in complete victory over tie forces Of tie
enemy 1t viii sluded to in its regular connection
TIE CROSSING OF TuR RAPIDAN.
Wilson's, formerly Fitzpatrick, division
crossed tie ri,er Ct daylresk Wednesday morning
tho 9Th inst moving without opposition to Parkers
Store on the Plank road leading " Orange Court House
A reconnaissance was modo by the % y. Y. during
T., day to the vicinity Of Mine Run where the enemy
were discovered in force Tho regiment then returned
70 PalkeIs Store or It Is sometimes called, Inc
wilderness Tavern" who're II Joined the d'iscnWmch
eherward marched to piney Brunch Church. forming
junction with Gregg who, crossing lhe iapdan as tho
VANGUARD Of the I'd Corps had eready marched without
! fighting TO the place mentioned.
Torbetts division acted guard for tho whole
army during the movement shoud have stated tha'
th " Y Of Wilson's division had been left at Parker
Store 20 hold tina, point gntil Warrcns arrival posi-
BILE superior force Of the enemy attaching they
were obige. to fall buck the division at ney Branch
Church. ,-....
TIE FIGHT Of THURSDAY, JTH INST.
On Thursday, at daylight tie I'd Corps eit Its bvou'
scs ~ the night before at Charlottesville and marched
doxu the Catharpin Road 10 Todds Tavern. where
+, was formed in lie Of battle. holding the Brock and
CathaJpin Reads At 10 o'clock noon the guns OF
Wilson's end Greggs Cavalry were heard to the "es''
ward on the Catharpin Road.
| Considerable cannonadng took piece until p H.
whcn couriers from the front cane In with intelligence
that we were gradually falling back toward Iodds
Tavern This town which consist u solitary dwell
ing Of ancient construction and style was deemed
Of considerable strategic importance and Determined
efforts were made by tie enemys cavalry 10 retain pos
session Of il.
The importance Of the possession Of this point VIII
readily DC perceived gancing at the map, and dis
Towering that the Brock Caharpn roads nefeect
here.
The enemy were driven from the crossroads In the
morning after n sharp slirmish and pursued sew
eral miles towurd Shady Grove Church where he,
were encountered by n cavalry and infantry and
were slowly forced back on Iodds Tavern.
Meantime Warren. on tie Brock Road was holly en-
gazing the enemy three or four miles north Of the
Tavern. and Hancock ordered to advance up The
Brock Road to take position on his loft
The re,r Of Hancook's column had hardly left the
Tavern when the enemy charging with the greatest
imDetuosjty forced back cayasryxith shouts and
yels capturing large number OF prisoners mostly
members OF the leth Pennsylvania.
The Tavern and Cross roads were heid' however ny
our cavalry. in SPITE of the desperate eno'S Oh Tue
enemy 10 dislodge Us from tie position.
FKIDAYs OfERATIONs.
On Friday the cavalry we're engaged with inc enemy
near Todd's tavern. but the fighting was not oil he
desperate description Of that OF the previous day ouf
losses on Friday did not exceed seventy IN kiieu'
wounded and prisoners
THE GrEATEsr CAVALRY ENGAGEMENT DukiNo TIE
i wAR.
Yesterday Saturday morning at 10 O'CLOCK Poru""'
Of three divisions Of tho cavalry corps advanced rom
Pincy Woods Church and attacked the enemy IN Inc
vicinity q Todd's Tavern. Custer, commanding prs
ado Of Torbes division held the right Of the line near
the tavern, Col. Greggs brigade Of Gregss division
following his left Merritts brigade next. and Da
yes's forming the extreme left
Attacking the enemy at halfpast eleven. our forces
with tie aid Of few pieces Of artillery drove the enc
my four miles toward Spotsyvana to poinilknoWn a
Corbn's Bridge.
At one o'clock our cavalry withdrew 20 within mile
ofthe Tavern, slowly followed By the enemy, Who III
three p m flrousy attacked Us. seemingly bent on
obtaining possession Of tho Crossroads. EepeaieS