Louisiana capitolian., 1879-06-28
A Night of Anxiety.
HEMMED IN BETWEEN TWO COL
UMNs OF THE ENEMY AND
FEARING AN ATTACK.

HEMMED IN BETWEEN TWO COL-
UANs OF THE ENEMY AND
FEARING AN ATTACK.
Major II. B. Mcclellan in the Niladel-
phi0 Times.
On the morning. Of the 18th, while
Lees army was concentrated at War
renton, Stuart was ordered to make
reconnaissance towards Carletts Station.
He received these orders about ton
o'clock and Immediately sent forward
Lomax's brigade. Hunters and Cor
'don's brigades had been so constantly
engaged with the enemy during the past
four days that thoir ammunition was
exhausted, and some unavoidable delay
occurred while waiting the arrival Of
their ordnance wagons. Lomax ad-
vanced to Auburn where he learned that
the enemy occupied Warrenton juno
tion in force. Having gained this in
telligence he halted his command to
wait the other brigades. The proximity
of the enemy rendered it likely that
some severe fighting would occur in the
reconnaissance, and Stuart carried with
him seven pieces Of horse artillery,
under Major Beckham, and five ord
nance wagons, that he might be prepar-
ed for any emergency. 1t was perhaps
as late as four o'clock in the afternoon
when Stuart joined Lomax at Auburn.
Leaving Lomax to guard his rear at
Auburn, Stuart proceeded with the re-
mainder of the command, including
nstillery and ordnance wagons toward
,Catle It's station. ABOUT three miles
from Auburn the road debOuches from
the woods into tho extensive fields
through which passes the Orange and
Alexandria railroad; and from this point
the whole country between Catletts and
Hanover Junction 10 plainly visible.
Here an exciting scene met our gaze.
An immense park Of wagons occupied
the fields between the two stations,
while infantry, artillery and wagon
trains were hurrying northward along
the line of the railroad, at first in fire.
ouent attachments, afterward in steady
columns. Hidden in the woods, we re-
NAMED in quiet observation Of the
enemy for long time. Satisfied that
he was witnessing the movement OF a
large part of Meade's army, Stuart sent
Major Venablc, of his staff, to convey
this information to General Lee, and to
suggest an attack by the army upon the
flank of this marching column. When
Venable arrived within sight of Auburn
he found it in possession of the enemy;
but making "A detour to the northward
he avoided them and continued his
course to WarrentOn, having first sent
word to Stuart of the condition of
things in his rear. The explanation of
this surprising circumstance is this
The Third Army Corps, which had been
stationed at Freeman's ford during the
18th, moved on the 18th to rejoin Meade's
army, marching by way of Auburn, The
Second Army corps, recalled from Gull
pepper, reached Fayetteville early in
the morning of the 18Th, and there re-
NAMED until the Third corps had taken
the advance, followed on the same road
Reaching Auburn late in the after
noon, the advance Of the Third corps
easily brushed Lomax aside. This oc
Cured Immediately before Venable's
arrival at Auburn. Lomax had sent 9
messenger to Stuart with this informa-
tiOn, but he failed to reach us. Evening
was closing down upon us when this
state of affairs was announced, and a:
any movement toward the railroad was
clearly impossible, we retraced our steps
to Auburn, if perchance a passage
might still be forced to that point. A
brief reconnaissance developed the fact
that we were securely enclosed between
two large columns of the enemy, ant
that any attempt to force our way
through could be successful, if at all, a
great sacrifice. But what shall we do
Concealment seems impossible; for ou
advance is now skirmishing with th'
enemy at Auburn, and an occasional
shot in the rear tells us that our rea
guard has been observed by partie
thanking the march of the column OF
the railroad. Between the advance ant
rear guard stand the two brigades OF
the road in close column, w0nderin,
what will be tho result. Stuart hesi
tates not moment. With all his fond
ness for attack he knew when to remail
quiet as we'll as when to act. Ever
available officer is employed in with
drawing the command from the road t
the field on the northern side. The ad
vance and rear guards are drawn il
with orders on no account to return tn
enemy's fire. AS if by magic the road
cleared of horsemen, artillery and wae
ons; and darkness finds us snugly she
tered beneath the hills which raise thei
friendly crests between us and danger
How thankful we are for those hills
How thankful for that darkness! A
hour of daylight would have wrougf
our destruction; for even with Lomax
assistance on the opposite sido, pa
sage of the difficult ford would hay
been impossible in the face of Warren
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