The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-27
SHERIDAN.

tempts 60 surprise the Camp-His
Forces RcpuIsed with Heavy I.oss-The
Rebel Force sim In the VnlIey-Our
Losses.
MIDDLE MILITARY DIVISION, December o.
On Monday, the 18th instant, the Sd Cavalry
Division, General Custer, started on reconnois-
sance up the valley, and returned to camp last
cvenng having successfully accomplished the
object of the movement. The column was pre-
cctcd by party Of scouts, under Major Young
Rebel scouts were met with at intervals all along
the road up to Woodstock, where the command
went into camp the first night.
On Tuesday morning the march was continued
up the pike. AZ Edtnburg three companies of
Rebel cavalry were picketirg, and were driven
away by the scouts under Major Young, captur-
ug four Of the party. On Tuesday night the COM
mbud eucampod on both sides OF the road, near
Lacy Spring, nine miles south OF Newmarket, the
lst Biigaoe, Colonel Pennington being in ad-
vance The % Brigade, General Chapman, in the
rear The usual precautions were taken to guard
against surprise, and ROthng ranspired during
q night to alarm the camp; but at about s
O'Clock 0ust before dayDreak) the following
morning the piCkets OF the "a Brigade lis,
New Hampshire Cavalry guarding road lead
ing iu westerly direction to the back road, gave
~. alalm, aud instantly q whole brigade OF Rebel
cavalry, headed by General Payne, made dash
around the picket into the camp, and were within
q few yards OF the Sth New York before dis
covered at that point. This regiment was Instantly
engaged, but being oYerpowered by superior
numbers, fell back, when the LIST Vermont
Colonel Wells and the 10th and 22d New York,
were brought in, and the enemy were charged
out Of the camp, and driven between one and two
miles While the I'd Brigade was thus engaged,
a force of the enemy, estimated 10 number about
three hundred men, charged in, from the same
siue Of the road, upon the LIST Brigade.
These were, in a very short time driven off
with heavy loss. Here the men of the 2i Ohio
sat in heir saddles until the enemy were within
fifty yards, when the Ohio boys commenced
empty ing Rebel saddles with their seyen-shooters
and, after firing one yOley, charged, scattering
them in every direction. When the dash was
made around the picket OF the LIST New Hamp-
shine, upon the ID brigade, about fifty of the lst
New HamF shire boys were cut OIL. These were
all captured except Colonel lHutchings
and fifteen men.
Captain Lee, Provost Marshal of the DIVISION
reports as having received thirty-three prisoners
(incudiig two Captans), representing the 7th,
Sth, and i2th Virginia Cavalry. After this brief
affair, finding that Whartons (late RhodesD divi-
sion OF infantry was coming down the pike, and
the special object Of the expedition having been
accomplished, General Custer fell back without
being molested by the enemy.
IL appears that the enemy received early infOr-
nation Of this movement on Monday night, by
scout to Newmarket and from thence the news
was teCgraphed to Staunton, the infantry head
quarters and to WaynesbOro, the cavalry head
quarters. That night Rosser marched to Harris
burg, and the next morning moved down the
back road. while the infantry came down the
pike, and, by a forced march, reached Lacy's
spring Wednesday morning, when the attack was
mace.
Nearly the whole of the attacking force was
dre, sed in blue clothing, which caused some
ludicrOus mes, as il was Impossible, at times,
TO distinguish between friends and enemies. This
fact caused the enemy, during the height of the
excitement, to shoot down some OF their own men
by mistake, and az the same time it enabled
Others to escape who otherwise could not have
done so. The charging party had received orders
to usc the sabre only, and had II been strictly
Obeyed, they might have met with some degree
of sucCess fortunately, however, several of the
most excited used heir revolyers whom near the
piCkets, so that the camp was alarmed IN season.
At least fifteen Of the enemy were killed, and
a large number are known TO have been wounded.
Our loss wastwo killed aud twenty-five wounded
| The men suffered terribly from cold, add some Of
| them had their feet frozen on the march.
When the LIST Vermont was in position, ready
to charge, party of The enemy, only a few rods
distant, moved slowly along their front, rs If
within their own lines. Major ummings aad
Captain Mitchell were ordered % charSs, but just
at that instant superior officer said no; thai
they were some Of our own men.
a sCrgCat rode out to ascertain to what com
maDd tney belonged, and the enemy responded,
22d New York" Not answering some other
questions readily, ho became satisfied as TO the
real character and the signal was given. May
saddles were emptied rs 1t was, but scarcely
man could have escaped had their real character
been known AT another time Captain Stone, of
The I'd Brigade staff, got quite indignant at a
party of fifty Rebels whom he tried ~ rally,
tor ueglecting TO obey his orders.
Major Cummings, OF the LIST Vermont, and
Captain Eyerts, of the Sth Virginia Rebel Cavalry,
met in camp and had some talk together, without
either knowing that the other was an enemy.
The adjutant OF the Sth New York undertook to
call Rebel sergeant TO account for trying to
steal something from an ambulance. At one
time indeed no man dared fire or strike, for fear
,.f a frinnH Iipnfpnunt lar Va
Hampshire, got linked up in the Rebel ranks,
and only discovered his mistake when a Rebel
asked him where Rosser was. lie subsequently
escaped. Some OF the enemy must have slept
cold that night, for many were peeled OF their
clohing on the spot.
While on this Tip Dr. Wood, Surgeon-iu- Chief
of the Division, undertook to ascertain the fate of
some of our wounded men left In Rebel hands
several weeks ago. He succeeded in ascertainiug
that VIM. p. Abbey, Co. IL, I'd New York Cav
ally, who was wounded in the abdomen az Mount
Jackson, November p, died on the following
day, and that j. Loring, Co. H, Is. West Vir-
ginia Cavalry cd DiYison), shot through the
lungs at the same time and place, died December
8. Both of these men have before been reported
as prisoners.
(Rebel) hospital on the 22d November, insensi-
6lc and died that night. His name could not be
ascertained, because he had Deeu robbed Of every
thing before being brought there. DR.. Wood
says the Rebel surgeon admitted thai MS books
had been very impertecty kept and IL was
possible others had died whose names were not
recorded.
The only Rebel force Low in the Valley Is
believed TO be ROssers cavalry and Whart9ns
division of infantry. The prisoners taken had
not heard Of Hoods disaster, nor do they know
much about Sherman.
On Monday last party Of guerrillas dashed
into the camp of the Second Cavalry Division
during the absence Of that command, when only
a few men were present, with view evidently of
destroying property. They not only failed In
accomplishing their object, but left dead man
and several prisoners behind when they were
driven out.-Nei1 York Times,
LEGAL INTELLIGENCE.