The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-10-27

p lhannock Tn the vicinity Of Culpepper. There were reports that he was getting ready for a raid. and to checkuAate any such intention, as well a in hopes sc strike him savage blow, Hooker planned an attack. General pleasanton vas as- signed 10 the command and under kim were placed Buford, Gregg. Kiipasxick and the best cavalry in the Army of the Potomac. Two brigades of infantry were detailed from the Sixth and Eleventh corps. and Pleasanton had his pick of horse Artillery.
 The river was crossed a; kelley's and Beverly's lords, only four or five miles apart. and the two commands took sep araie his sigays whieh met a: Brandy S:a- ;Ion.
 Eafor. cavalry. with the Eighth New lorS n advance. orossed just al day break. !; ~as hoped to capture the con- tedera,e picket without an alarm, bu, ;his could not be done. A warning was sent to the reserve and this body at once fel. back to the timber and opened hot ire and gave brigade half a mile away ,ime to turn out The confederate bugle call of boo:s and saddles" vas plainly heard by the iederals, but a mist hung o.er woods and fields and the advance would not push ahead for fear of falling into an ambuscade.
 In ten minutes the confederates were in the saddle. and four squadrons came charging down the road and fell upon the New Workers like d ,hunderboli and brcke them up and hurled them back upon the Eighth Illinois. acting as re- serve. The Eighth fell back for a mo- rnent bu, rallied and charged and drove the sluadrons into the woods About thirty men were killed or wounded n this tive-mInute hshi With the sabre alone
 Finding himself checked. Pieasanton made arr rangemen,s for an attack in iron, and I Ink. The infantry and artillery were brought up and deployed to cover the confederate front, and the Sixth Pennsylvania, supported by dragons c. the regular army. was moved to the right so as to strike the flank. Their objective point was the battery of four guns. The men formed and dressed their lines in the coolest manner possible. and hundreds of the iookers-on shouted
 :. Hurrah boys the dandies are gong to have tieh, at last, '"
 The Sixth vas recruited. the same as special regiments in Michigan and other states as a regiment oi iancerS. and Ike other lancer regiments + had been kept Tn the background and made the butt of tidicule. The lances had been thrown away for sabers and oarbines. and ;als was the frsi time m IS history that the Sixth had been in line for a ngh,. The men felt the stigma attached ,o the sesi- ment and determined to wipe |, ou,
 In iron, was an old feld On the tai edge of t was the battery and the con federa,e line of battle. As the lines were dressed the colonel rode ;e the iron; and shouted: Sixth, draw sabers ea.t.c leii-forward tfot =gallep - hatge. Away went the regiment Tn so.ld mass. bu, in a moment the guns were turned upon them. and grape and canister began 10 whistle through the ranks. S,raigh, al the guns they rode. and no, man hesita,ed until the infantry support rose up and fired voley after volley into thelr faces. nder the cloud of smoke d mob covering three acres of ground seemed, to circle round and round. shooting. slash ing, screaming and attacking and de- lending with the feroeity of tigers. The men had been killed or driven from two of the guns when the bugle suddenly sounded the recall. As the Sixth gath cred itself together. down came two con- federate regiments of cavalry.
 There was only lane leading back ,o the federal lines. The confederate horse men were on the eft-dismounted cavalry closing up on the right the guns in rear. Even the lane was closing up as the Sixth charged down it and cut its way 10 one of the dragoon regiments in reserve. There was a check. but only for a mo- ment The solid mass of confederate seemed 10 pick up the two regiments and hurl them hand over hand. and so eager was the pursuit under the smoke tha; half dozen of the gray-ooated troopers rode into the federal lines. and were captured. In the retrea, the NIN,h los, score of men captured. mos, of whom were literally pulled o. ,helr saddles.
 some of the hardest cavalry fighting of the war occurred during Lees re;Iea, from Gettysburg. kilpatrick and other federal leaders were determined to secure his trains, and Stuart and other coufed- crate leaders were just as determined :s proteo; them. From Williamsport kli- patrick ordered ten regiments 10 Failing Waters, but through some blunder never yet made clear Custer and his four skele- ton regiments alone obeyed the order. part of Lees force was crossing here. and to protect them the confederaies had thrown up strong earthworks and manned them with three bngades of 4. I. hills corps. The force of the coniederates was not known. and believing that a sudden attack would throw them into confusion, companies D and of the Sis,h Michigan dismounted and ran forward as skirnish- CTS In ten minutes they had Apparently, driven the eonfedeTaies behind ;heir works. and nos companies l. anG formed for charge and rode strAish; down upon the ear,h~orks. The charge ~as made with such speed that tue A