DOCUMENTS. consulting with the Colonel commanding; and, as the command was separated and communication cut off, the entire force was betrayed into the hands of the enemy. I merely state the facts as they were told me by men whom I know to be good, reliable men, and whom I believe to be gallant soldiers. When the history of this raid shall be fully known, many men who have been loud in their denunciations of good men, will hang their heads in shame because they allowed themselves to abuse those whose every pulse throbbed only with patriotism, and whose every wish is for the honor and glory of our country. There is a habit of throwing blame upon immediate commanders, without reflecting that it is probable they have not only done all that it was possible for them to do, but, perhaps, even gone beyond, and offered suggestions which would have prevented disaster OLD SOLDIER. if followed. Doc. 89. FIGHT AT DUMFRIES, VA. WASHINGTON, January 1. GENERALS Stuart and Fitz-Hugh Lee's cavalry, with a battery of artillery, in all about three thousand five hundred men, crossed the Rappahannock, above Burnside's army, on Saturday, the twenty-seventh ult., and advancing between Brentsville and Stafford Court-House, were joined by Hampton's Legion, when they made a combined attack on Dumfries, on the Lower Potomac, at two o'clock the same afternoon. Dumfries was garrisoned by a portion of Gen. Geary's division, consisting of the Fifth, Seventh, and Sixty-sixth Ohio regiments, (of the General's old brigade of veterans,) a section of the Sixth Maine battery and the Twelfth Illinois cavalry, all under command of Colonel Charles Candy. The enemy surprised the outpost pickets and captured about fifty of the First Maryland and Twelfth Illinois cavalry, a portion of which was a patrol. The rebels opened with artillery, shelling our Our loss, officially reported, was only three killed, (one commissioned officer,) and eight The attack was promptly telegraphed to General Slocum, commanding Twelfth army corps, at Fairfax Court-House, and Gen. Geary put his division under arms, on Saturday evening, advancing as far as Wolf Run Shoals, and taking both sides of the river, where he awaited daylight, the enemy having possession of the roads in advance, and the work of opening communication to Dumfries was to be effected by dispersing the rebels. The fight, which had already occurred, was necessarily desperate, for Stuart had cut off comAt the gray of dawn Gen. Geary crossed his munication both ways, and the river was behind. whole command over the Occoquan and advanced, General Williams's division following several miles behind, by order of General Slocum. It evidently had been the intention of Stuart and Lee to attack the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania and other regiments at Wolf Run, for during the night our advance drove in a scouting-party of the whole force. In a The enemy left their camp on the Neobsco on the same morning, and moved on the road from Brentsville to Occoquan to near Occoquan City, and, turning to the left, surprised the Second and Seventeenth Pennsylvania cavalry, routing them by superior force and advantage of position, capturing nearly one hundred, and killing and wounding over twenty. Some of them took reflater, hastily took position in line of battle near uge in General Geary's lines, who, ten minutes the Brentsville road, where it crosses the road General Geary threw out a company of cavalry from Wolf Run Shoals to Dumfries. The bait was a good one. (the First Maine, Captain Brown) to draw them under his fire. few minutes, about five hundred of Hampton's Legion charged down the hill upon them, discharging their carbines and yelling like demons. and again closing and presenting a solid front, Our infantry opened and admitted our cavalry, met the advancing foe with volleys of musketry, and Knapp's Pennsylvania battery greeted them with a storm of shell at the same moment. With the rapidity of lightning they turned and fled in confusion, leaving horses dead upon the road, As near as could be ascertained which was strewn with their caps, sabres, and haversacks. twenty of them were wounded, three of whom died. General Geary encouraged his men to the utmost, and himself and staff were assiduously The charging rebels came within about forty laboring for vanquishing the force before them. yards of General Slocum, who was constantly with the advance, and ever manifesting his proverbial coolness and tact. The enemy retired to a thick wood, from which forces. They then attempted a movement to our they were quickly dislodged by our advancing right, under shelter, but were speedily driven back by our artillery. General Geary pressed Since we have been here we have had a plentivigorously upon them, and they finally retired ful supply of rations, and we have succeeded to the Occoquan, which they crossed at Select-in making our quarters reasonably comfortable. man's Ford, two miles above Occoquan City. The object now was to communicate with our band at Dumfries. The enemy was driven northward, and their return south cut off by Geary's division. Messages were sent back, and all the troops from Fairfax to Alexandria apprised of a probable raid of Stuart. Gen. Williams's division was ordered back to protect Fairfax CourtHouse and Fairfax Station. Every thing passed off very smoothly up to the twenty-seventh instant, but on that day MajorGen. Stuart, of "rebel raid" notoriety, with two thousand five hundred cavalry and four pieces of artillery, disturbed the quiet of this unprepossessing locality, and attempted to displace us. About half-past twelve of Saturday we were ordered under arms. The rebels made a vigorous attack upon the south side of the town, with the idea of Should the troops to the northward do their frightening and chasing us right out, but it hap duty, Stuart would be completely hemmed in, pened that we were not in a driving humor. Col. and these impudent raids suppressed. Geary Candy who commands at this point, ordered the was awaiting their being driven back for him to two pieces of artillery that we had into position take care of, but a screw was loose on the other on a hill in the town, to reply to the rebel guns, side of the river somewhere. Making a forced and ordered the Fifth and Seventh Ohio regiments march, our troops bivouacked within a few miles to support the artillery. Our regiment was or of Dumfries, and troops were sent by the General dered out on the Brentsville road to guard against to strengthen the post to such an extent that they an attack on the right wing, and to prevent a A detachment of carare safe against an immense body of the enemy. movement on our rear. Meanwhile, Stuart and Fitz-Hugh Lee, conver- alry from the Twelfth Illinois, and also a detachsant with all the neighboring country, from a long ment from the First Maryland, numbering in all residence-Lee having lived on Arlington Heights three or four hundred, were distributed along the -drove in a battalion of the First Michigan cav-line as skirmishers. During the first hour they alry, near Wolf Run Shoals, and would have ad- brought three pieces of artillery to bear upon us, vanced to that point but found the Twenty-eighth (twelve-pounders,) and it became evident that and other Pennsylvania regiments in line of bat- they had a strong force of cavalry. They were tle, having been prepared by the information sent very daring and persistent in their efforts to ef back. They then approached the encampment fect their purpose, but the promptness of the of Geary's division, but found his reserves ready Fifth and Seventh, the gallantry of our little band for them. Similar disappointments met them at of cavalry, and the superior skill of our artiller Fairfax Station, Fairfax Court-House and Chan-ists were more than an equivalent for their superior tilly. force. After a couple of hours' ineffectual effort They took the road to Annandale and Berks to turn our left and break our front, during which Station, at which latter place they cut the tele-time several charges were made by the enemy, graph wire, tore up the railroad track, captured which were repulsed and resented by a charge by about fifty teams and empty wagons, and a few our cavalry, backed by infantry, and during citizens. From thence they proceeded on the which time our artillerists dismounted one of road from near Annandale to Vienna, and from their guns by exploding a shell under it, they there towards Gum Springs, between Fairfax shifted around to the right. Court-House and Drainesville, passing between the forces in front of Washington and Fairfax Court-House. Rumors afterward reported them as going to Leesburgh. On Monday night, Gen. Geary's division, with the exception of the reënforcements left at Dumfries, returned to Wolf Run Shoals, and at Tuesday noon reached camp, noar Fairfax. Dumfries was almost battered down by the immense number of shells thrown into it. This has been the most unsuccessful raid of Stuart, who, flushed with victory, came forward, but found his match. The only regret is, that all were not taken. None of our men were hurt, except at Dumfries. URBANA "CITIZEN" ACCOUNT. DUMFRIES, PRINCE WILLAM Co., VA., FRIEND SAXTON: In the absence of your regular correspondent, I will attempt to furnish one of the series of letters from the Sixty-sixth Ohio, in order that those who have friends here with us may know how we are faring. We During the engagement on the left and front, the Sixty-sixth was not idle by any means. were on the move most of the time, from point to point, so as to be ready to cooperate with the other regiments, or to be ready to check any demonstration that might be made on our end of the line. About four o'clock P.M. the enemy opened upon a company of cavalry on our right, and in a few minutes they raised their yell and came dashing down for a charge. Just at that moment we were moving toward them, left in front, and the advance of our regiment emerged to their view, when they were about three hundred yards from the cavalry they thought of driving so fast. Company B was deployed as skirmishers, and the regiment was brought into line ready to receive them. Company B poured a volley into them, and at the same time our cavalry let them have a round which sent them back as fast as they had come, our cavalry folowing up the advantage by a charge on them. We manoeuvred for a short time in that locality, to prevent a threatened advance of the enemy, and then the left wing and company C of the ring wing, were ordered about half a mile to the right to support a piece of artillery, and the remaining four companies were posted on a ridge near the town. As soon as we got into position our gun opened upon the enemy, making some fine shots, which were replied to by a twelvepounder. The enemy's shell all passed over our heads without doing any damage. A squadron of cavalry dismounted and engaged them, and the picket-guard, which had been drawn in and posted advantageously, also poured into them a heavy fire. The conflict was kept up until dark, and our men maintained every inch of the ground they held at the onset. So far as we can ascertain, we punished them severely for their temerity. At any rate, they became satisfied that we would neither scare nor drive worth a cent, and so they gave it up as a bad job, and put off under the cover of the darkness. They not only filled their ambulances with their wounded, but also a number of sutlers' wagons that they had captured on the road to Fredericksburgh. Some of their men were so badly injured that they were obliged to leave them behind, in care of one of their surgeons. Colonel Candy maœuvred his forces with great skill and tact, meeting and repulsing the enemy at every point. He out-generalled and defeated one of the most brilliant officers in the confederate service, Major-Gen. Stuart, who was backed by Brig. Gen. Fitz-Hugh Lee, and Col. Lee, two of the most promising of the rebel notorieties, and this too with only about eight hundred infantry, three hundred cavalry, and two pieces of artillery. All the officers and men are highly elated with the success, and well they may be. et. in triumph over Van Buren. On learning that Hindman had been reënforced, and contemplated making another attempt to force his way to Missouri, I determined to attack him. Leaving my transportation north of the mountains, I marched from Prairie Grove at eight o'clock yesterday morning, upon this place, a distance of fifty miles. At ten o'clock this morning, my advance came upon two regiments of rebel cavalry at Dripping Springs, eight miles north of the river. Dashing upon them with three thousand cavalry and four mountain howitzers, a brisk running fight took place, which was kept up into the town, resulting in the capture of all their transportation, forty wagons, with six mule-teams, camp and garrison equipage, one hundred prisoners, a large amount of ammunition, four steamboats and a ferry-boat. The latter was taken in attempting to cross the river with rebel troops, and was shelled from the howitzer. When in the middle of the stream the boat was disabled and a number of men killed. The remainder jumped overboard and swam to the shore. Three large steamers heavily laden with supplies, had got up steam and attempted to escape down the river, but were pursued by cavalry five miles and brought to by the fire of their carbines, and returned back to the levee. The enemy then brought their artillery to the opposite bank of the river and commenced shelling the town, for the purpose of driving out my cavalry, but resulting in no other damage than the destruction of some buildings. My artillery coming up, soon silenced their batteries. On our side there were three killed and nine Quite a number of the enemy have been killwounded, and about thirty taken prisoners. Not ed. During the day's operations the only casua man of our regiment was either killed or wound-alties on our side are five or six men slightly ed, but nine were taken prisoners while on pick-wounded. Their names are as follows: Corporal G. My long-range guns are now shelling the rebel B. Light; privates L. W. Bryan, Chidister, and camp across the river, five miles below this place. Stokes, company A; privates Blair, Hendershot If the enemy does not retire during the night, I and Kesocker, company D; privates Beightler shall endeavor to cross my troops over the river and Constant, company F. in the morning, and offer them battle. Respectfully, Gen. Slocum, commanding Twelfth army corps, came in last evening. He had heard of the attack, and feared that we had been taken prisoners, and so started with a strong force for our relief. He reviewed us this morning. He said that he could not leave without thanking us for our gallant conduct; that he was ordered to leave his best troops here, when we first occupied the place, and he believed he had done so. A want of time forbids my writing more, so I will close by assuring the friends of the regiment that the boys are in fine health and spirits, ready and willing to do their duty. W. A. S. Doc. 90. THE CAPTURE OF VAN BUREN, ARK. DESPATCH FROM GENERAL BLUNT. VAN BUREN, ARK., December 28. ( JAMES G. BLUNT, Brigadier-General Commanding. MISSOURI "DEMOCRAT" ACCOUNT. HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF THE Frontier, FAYETTEVILLE, ARK., January 3, 1863. Since my last report of the battle of Prairie Grove, another dash has been made by our gallant army of the frontier, which, as I suppose, will be soon again forgotten, like all other efforts for the success of the "Flag of our Country" made by this far-off Western army. In the battle of Prairie Grove, it was principally our artillery and infantry that vindicated their valor as veteran soldiers. The incident of which this is to be but a mere recapitulation, must now pass entirely to the credit of the cavalry of the army of the frontier, the artillery only to some degree sharing in the result. On the twenty-sixth of December last, there was a mysterious bustle visible in the three divisions of the army, occasioned by a verbal order to GENERAL: The Stars and Stripes now wave pick all the best men out of each command— To Major-General Curtis: mounted men to provide themselves with one equipage behind them, and took up their usual peek of shell-corn for each animal, and every body to take six rations in his haversack. Each regiment was allowed but two wagons. It was evident that no retrograde movement was in view, as all available ambulances of the whole force were also put in readiness, each having the red flag hoisted. Early, at six o'clock of the twenty-seventh, each division commenced to move-the First division by way of Cove Creek road, and the Second and Third divisions over the telegraph road, toward Van Buren, Arkansas. The various divisions marched that day toward Lee's Creek and rested there for the night. According to reports, the rebel pickets were but two and a half miles from Lee's Creek, a little back of Oliver's farm, and on account of the close proximity, each company was allowed but one small fire for cooking purposes principally. Pickets were thrown across the creek, and ordered not to build fires. Here we rested until daybreak of the twenty-eighth of December, when the army was set in motion again. The crossing of Lee's Creek presented a novel sight, especially on the telegraph road crossing, where the Second division (under the gallant commander, Col. Daniel Huston, Jr.) and the Third division (under Gen. Herron) crossed. "Frank Leslie's own special artist," or any other of the "special artist" tribe, could have found an item for the "illustrated." The rapid current and deepness of the creek was a little too much for the infantry, and it was therefore ordered that every mounted man should take one of the infantry over on the croup of his horse. This occasioned great merriment, especially as there were many horses that protested forcibly against such intrusion, by constant and rapid elevations of their two hind-quarters, thereby making it somewhat difficult for the fortunately spurless infantry to be comfortably seated. Other cavalry, in top-boots, were carrying logs into the creek for the construction of a bridge, but many a log was drifted down-stream before the bridge could be completed. The current was so swift that even heavy boulders rolled down. Before all hands had crossed the creek, the cavalry of both divisions were ordered forward, accompanied by a few pieces of mountain howitzers, cavalry and infantry, and rest of artillery to limber up at convenience. vocation and skedaddled, helter-skelter, over mountains and ravines, strewing the whole road down to Van Buren, with more than one half of the articles, which the haste in which it was done had allowed them to pack on their wagons. Wagon-covers, tents, carpet-sack and contents, drawers, harnesses, saddles, etc., etc., following one after another, the nature of the road, a constant up and down, adding not a little to the successful emptying of their wagons; smashed ambulances and wagons which were lying along the road, also proving the great hurry in which they must have skedaddled. The distance charg ed over by our cavalry from Dripping Springs toward Logtown, could have been selected as an admirable ground for one of those old-fashioned breakneck steeple-chases of Auld England. When our forces neared Logtown, which is but one mile distant from Van Buren, and sepa rated therefrom only by a hill or mountain, our mountain howitzers were brought forward, and the cavalry force deployed to the right and left. After a few shots from the howitzers, the cavalry en masse at about twelve o'clock M. made a dash into Van Buren, down-hill. Part of the cavalry went into the city, and some after three sternwheelboats, which, as was observed from the hill, were making a down-stream skedaddle. These steamboats were loaded principally with corn, and during the downward trip all available hands were engaged in lightening the crafts, by tumbling the corn overboard; the whole Arkansas River, as far as could be seen, was but one floating mass of corn. The hindmost boat, the Frederick Nortrebe, first gave up the contest, by landing about two and a half miles below Van Buren, near the opposite shore, all hands, officers and crew, jumping into the water and wading to the dry land, making their escape into the woods. Before the crew jumped, our men fired into the boat, and landed about twenty shots into the pilot-house and Texas. This firing hastened the speed of the fleeing. About this time the most of the cavalry east of Van Buren, went in pursuit of the other two steamboats, which were then almost rounding the point; only Major Bauzof's command, consisting of company A, First Missouri, and Major M'Kee's command of the Seventh Missouri volunteer cavalry, remaining opposite the Frederick Nortrebe. The sudden report of musketry in the distance, After a short time there appeared three perindicated that our advance had come into close sons opposite, one of them carrying a white flag. proximity with the rebel pickets, and a lively On our signal, they crossed over to this side in forward run was observable through the whole a skiff. General Blunt, who had arrived on the line of the cavalry force. (The cavalry of the spot in the mean time, and his Adjutant-General, First division, under General Blunt, joined our Lieutenant-Colonel Moonlight, and some other force one mile below Oliver's farm, on the tele- officers, jumped into the skiff and oared back to graph road.) On we went, driving in picket after the skiff, with intentions to take a trip on the F. picket, and this was done with such a speed, that Nortrebe to Van Buren, (General Blunt having the rebel regiments of cavalry, stationed at a little first asked what the captain of the Nortrebe village called Dripping Springs, (about nine or would charge for such trip;) and as soon as the ten miles north of Van Buren,) had scarcely time boat could get off, (it being aground amidship, to pack their wagons, which they commenced to the machinery during all this time not having do when they heard the first firing on their pick-stopped, worked the boat fast aground,) it made cts. They left, therefore, the most of their camp its way toward Van Buren. One mountain how DOCUMENTS. itzer and one company of cavalry remaining on the spot, to see to the proper fulfilment of the contract entered into by General Blunt and the steamboat captain, who, by the way was a very The other cavalry, which gentlemanly fellow. had gone down under command of Col. Cloud of Kansas, soon secured the other two steamboats, the Key West and Rose Douglass, (one of them being captured by company E, First Missouri volunteer cavalry, Capt. Fuller;) and also a lot of rebel transportation, which was skedaddling fast. Thus ended the downward trips of these boats, and rebel teams of Col. Lane's regiment of Texas Partisan Rangers. We all then started back toward the city, and 'arrived just in time to participate in the cheers for the Stars and Stripes which were hoisted on the flag-staff over the court-house, waving deWe prepared a small collafiance at Dixie land. tion, such as soldiers generally carry with them, consisting of hard bread and bacon, and enjoyed this as well as the other fun, when, at about three o'clock P.M., all of a sudden the rapid discharge of cannon was heard from the opposite shore of the Arkansas, followed by the explosion of shells in our midst. Every body secured his horse, and the whole rallied around their commanders, and then marched to the height near the city. As luck would have it, the firing of the rebels was chiefly directed against the largest brick and frame houses, thereby showing that they could well hit the mark, and may it be recorded here, that for the first time I saw them hit something. The principal damage was done to the citizens of Van Buren. Our loss consisted of two killed -one of the First Iowa cavalry, the other of the Second Kansas cavalry; and the wounded were also two-Second Lieutenant John J. Ault, and private Paul Schleiffarth, both of Captain H. J. Stierlin's company A, First Missouri cavalry. Both will be well again in a week's time. They also killed two children. After about one hour's shelling, our own artillery, which had hastened to the ground, appeared on the height between Van Buren and Logtown, and opened on the rebel batteries, (seven pieces.) The third shot from our guns occasioned a stirring limber up of the rebel pieces, and off they went, while our artillery continued to assist their speed by following them with "a little more shell.' on the next morning, a lively appearance to the In the afternoon of the twenty-ninth orders for a return march were given, and again every mounted man provided himself with a peck of shell-corn, of which article the place was full. At about five o'clock a small party, consisting of Brigadier-Generals Blunt and Herron, and Col. Huston, his Adjutant-General, Lieut. Chandler; Medical Director, Dr. Porter, and Major Bauzof, accompanied by Henry L. Stierlin, First Missouri cavalry, and fourteen of his men armed with The ed down to the ferry-boat, and made a trip across axes and a few shooting-irons, all on foot, marchNothing of note transpired now until after dark, the Arkansas into the interior of Dixie. when our whole army of the frontier arrived in officers, except Captain Stierlin, stopped near the and around the city, the artillery placing their shore while the latter and his men went through pieces all along the landing, looking toward the woods to destroy some wagons, said to be Dixie. At about eight o'clock, firing of cannon left somewhere by the rebels. At this time a was heard some distance eastward of Van Buren, deserter came in from Fort Smith with the inand I learned that one of the Kansas batteries formation that Hindman had burned a large part was shelling a rebel camp about five or six miles of the fort, including all buildings containing below Van Buren, on the south side of the river. confederate stores; also, that he had burned two After the The rebels found this place too hot, and gently steamboats and blown up a magazine, and that withdrew from the spot. This concluded another he had left with his whole command, as was supabove-mentioned command had accomplished its Sunday fight of the army of the frontier, crown- posed, to a place called Dardanelle. ed with success. All steamboats having in the mean time effect-errand, the whole party started back to the ferryed their landing on the banks of the city, gave, boat; but scarcely had it arrived there, when |