The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-04-26

(rsox OUR own sossssrosDEsr.I
ARnv or MoarasRS VIRGINIA, /
kfrfl Goth. 1864.

~ ahs cavalry arm Of thos service. Thts was no
rom any waas Of appssciatioa of hs importance
"'r"m any Isdspasiton % Ao Il full justice at ths
proper ume. u was my paspcss rather 10 treat Of
the doanss ct the cavalry 10 separate letter. To
day propose 10 mate an eGort to redeem tha,
purpose.
Aaer the night At Brandy asaslon, which occurret
on the 9th of Juae, aud In which our cavalry mos
Calamity rePaiscd a. attack Of the enemy, who, II
we credit their own ssatements, came to rccoanoi
sfc Ia force, Gen Stuart was ordered by the com
manding General 10 leave a sufficient forcc on tht
Kappahannock to watch the enemy Ia front, ant
to move the main body Of the cavalry parallel tt
the Blue Ridge and on Loagsireet's right flank
who was Instructed 10 move near the base Of the
mountains through Fauqaies and Loudoun. On
the Eth Big Gen Fhz Lee moved from Pie.lmon,
towards Aidie, with the view of holding the gan il.
Bull Run mountain as n screen against Lieut. Gen
Longstrccts movements. w II F Lees brigade
was kept near the Plains, recoaaoitring 10 wards
Thoroushiare Gap, whilst Robertson was halted a,
Rector, ,wn, SO as to be able to move TO the SUP
port Of either. Fi,s Lees brigade, moving on
sldie, was halted at Dover, aud was driven back
by the eneny's cavalry, which was advancing
rom Fairfax Gen Fi'z Lee took up position on a
hill west Of Aidie, commanding the SnickersviIle
road. simultaneously with this attack Gen stusrt
was informed that the enemy was advancing on
Middleburg, via the road from Hopewell.
Al Aldie Fiiz Lees brigade, commanded BY Col
Mum 1ord, and w II Lees brigade, commanded
BY Col (nOw GeneraD John 4 Chambiiss, engaged
the enemy, and fought them with great success for
some time, until forced fall back by the body of
the enemy which was advanced by way Of Middle
burg. In this fight our cavalry was quite success
Sal v{0n "a ,xxr
cO0rs, In Guiding horses, arms, and equipments
The enemy lefi 4 large number Of their dead on
the field, Including one colonel and one captain -
Al Middtcburg, on the same day, Gen. Robertson
came up with the enemy about dark, and with
only two regiments drove 4 superior force Of the
enemy out Of the place, and pursued them for sew
erai miles, capturing one STANDARD ana seventy
prisoners Chambliss, Ia approaching on the Mid
deburg road from Aldie, during the night and next
morning captured one hundred and sixty prisoners
also horses, arms and equipments. Robertson's
loss was slight, including Major McNeill, 5th NC
cavalry, wounded, and Lieut. Col Cartweli, 4th n
G. cavalry, captured. FitZ Lees loss was heavier,
and his ightins more desperate. Ga the 18th Gen
Stuar, occupied Middieburg With R0bertson's and
w ii Lees brigade
During this day Major Mosby captured an aid of
Gen Hooker, who was bearing most important In
formation. From Information found on this aid i,
was ascertatned that the enemy were advancing
on Cuipeper II by way of WanentOn, for the
purpose OF making reconnaissance. Gen. stnari
al once dispatched to Gen Hampton to meet tha
enemy, and, II possible, to ihwart this movement.
1t Is only necessary say that Hampton the in
nj WarrentHn and drove them back most success
fully. On the 29th the enemy. in front n; Middle
burg, composed Of all arms of the service, showed
signs of an advance, and our pickets were driven
In beyond Middleburg, on RobertsOn's and Cham
bliss's fronts. The enemy next advanced and at
tackled with dismounted men employed rs infantry
Brig Gen Fitz Lee meantime engaged the enemy
on the SnickeySvie road. The fight ragged for
some time, with decided result to either party,
when the enemy, finally gaining possession of hill
of woodland in front of our line of battle,
abled 10 bring our forces more readily under their
carbine FIRE, and our troops being also exposed 20
the ehemy's artillery, Gen. thought ii prudent to
retire 10 better position some haif mile in the
rear Brig Gen Junes's brigade got up this even
ing, and was ordered 10 ibs left, near Union Mills.
Hampton also joined the main body OF the 2Qth,
which day heavy rain set III.
During the engagement just ended Major Won
Borck. whilst riding with Major General Stuart,
was wounded by the fire Of the enemy's sharp
shooters, who were posted behind stone fence.
On the evening Of the Goth Col ROsser, 5th Vir
ginia cavalry assisted by Brig Gen Jones, attacked
the enemy aud drove him across Goose creek. On
the 9ist, about 8 A NJ, the enemy opened with ar
tiliery. Hampton aud Robertson were moved rap
idly forward, aud took up position of much
strength, and one which had been previously se-
lect.d 10 be occupied Ia case of attack. Tie enc
nv were held IN check for a long time, but having
large force Of Infantry aud cavalry, and our cav
nlrv having no Infantry supports, were compelled
TO fan back, which Hampton and Robertson pro-
ceeded TO do ig retiring: one Of The be horses at
artillery was struck by fragment OF . she'll on the
ankle thereby disabling the horse from service aud
causing the gun to fall into the hands of the enc
nv. This was the first gun Of the horse artillery
ever captured by the enemy. Whilst falling back
these briRadcs received and repuised an attack
which was made npon them with great spirit Oh
the west Isnk Of Goose creek. in the meantime
Joues's and w H + Lees brtgadeS we're bpsily and
hotly engaged with column OF the enemy moving
psrniieI TO the one which was engaging Hampton
and Robertson, and were gradually retiring On Up
perviIle. Before reaching which place, no Tever,
il was discovered that the enemy had pressed so
closely up as to render junction at that point
impracticaLie, or at least extremely hazardous,
and making It necessary for Hampton and Robert
TO move to the west side qi pppervllie, on ac
count OF Number of roads cOAyerging at that point
In passing through Uppervie the enemy began to
press our boys rather heavily, whereupOn they
wheeled rapidly and drove them of. Gen Stuart now
withdrew to Mountain Gap, west Of UppeTviiie. Gen
Robertson, whilst bringing up the rear guard, was
attacked by the enemy, but repulsed them fi,z
lee's brigade being At SnickeTsvllie, did not par
tic pate ia this engagement Early next morning
It became evident that The enemy were leliring.-
They were pressed vigorously as far as Aide, and
! number captured.
On The 25th Robertson's and Joness brigades
were left to observe the enemy la front, whist
Uampton's, w II Lees. aud Fla Lee's Lrigades,
having COOKE three days Eat0ns, were ordered to
rendezvous at Salem depot with six pieces OF ar
ti,iery caissOns and a,nbuances From III point
Csp en route for Ilaymarket, In Prince William
coun,v. As our cavalry neared HaymaTket, the
discovery was made that Warren's Yankee corps
of Infantry was passing through the place. Gen
stuart at once selected suitable position for bis
artieTy aud opened upon the enemy with admlra
HE effect. compelling Warren to advance his
whole corps in line OF battle, In order to force Us
to desst.
the enemy had disappeared entirely from Wolf
Run Shoals, strongly fortified position on the Oc-
coauon, he marched thither, sending Fitz Lee TO
cross above and form junction near burkc's sta
tiOn. When near Fairfax station, Hampton had
s1arp flight with, and chase after, "scoips Nine
Hundrcd' cavalry, killing, wOunding and captur
turing the greater portion Of them, among them
several Oiiic ers and also, large number oi horses
besides arms and equipments. In this ensasemen'
Major Whitaker, Of the hrst regiment. was
Killed. He was a most able and excellent ofhccr
on reaching Annandale, Gen Fitz Lee ascer
tanned that the eneiny's mobized army bad crossed
the Potomac moving through Maryiahd, anu shat
the local forces had retired within the iortinca-
tons at washington On the night u ins ~ ;
reached Rowser's ford on the Potomac. and finding
the river not picketed, the cavalry pfoceedea 70
cross. Gen HamptOn's brigade leading the way
The night being quite dark ana the nVeI muc"
swollen, II reQuiIed great energy, perseverance
and skill to carry across the artillery, eut oy MD
nieht ali obstacles were overcome, and Gus Dixie
boys are again Maryland soil. une Q. lne n.ss
matters claiming attention was the Cnesapeake
and Ohio canal lock gate was qa!c..y D1oKen'
and very soon Col Wickhan, OF t,e AIN vAcasa.Iy
cantured several boats laden with troops, heyfoes
and stores.
On the 28th the cavalry resumed theif ma'cn
Northwasd Brig Gen Hampton was Sent Dy
Jamestown 70 Rockville, and the Oihef pHsaues
were sent by the direct route 70 .ne san;' ,ss.,
On hts way thithes Gcn n encountered sevsfa.
small parties OF the enemy aaA some !eams, a. u
~h.ch he captured, and reached kOckutic :" a1
vaace Of the main cOiumn. Al kocevIis usn 'a,..,