The battle at Drainsville.
We publish this morning a full account of the Drainsville fight, from our regular army correspondent.
There is nothing to add to the minute details there given, except a report which reached us last evening, that the troops which were subsequently sent on to retrieve the reverses of Friday, were unable to find the enemy.
The Yankees undoubtedly suffered severely, and lost no time in retiring to their strong position about Alexandria.--The report of the death of Col. Tom Taylor, circulated on Saturday evening, is, we are gratified to say, erroneous.
e.
Gen. Ord captured eight wounded prisoners and two caissons with ammunition.
In their haste the enemy left behind arms of all descriptions, clothing, &c.
Their loss is estimated at 150 killed and wounded. Among their killed was Colonel Tom Taylor, of Frankfort, Ky., and commander of the First Kentucky regiment of rebels.
[The reported death of Col. Tom Taylor has already been denied in this paper from a very responsible source, and the report of his death above is doubtless erroneoCol. Tom Taylor has already been denied in this paper from a very responsible source, and the report of his death above is doubtless erroneous.] The forces of the enemy consisted of three infantry regiments, First and Eleventh Kentucky and Tenth Alabama, with a cavalry regiment and a battery, all under command of Colonel John H. Forney, of the Tenth Alabama, Acting Brigadier-General.
The dead rebels were left on the field.
The loss on our side was six killed and eight wounded, most of whom belonged to the Bucktails.
Colonel Cane received a slight wound.
At nine o'clock our troops had returned to camp, bringing in fifty
Ashby's regiment.
He wanted to convince the Colonel that he was wrong. &c., but the Colonel declined.
Mr. Carter seemed to think that his quarters would be at the Gap all fall, and wanted his mother to visit him there.
I guess he will wake up there soon and think otherwise.
They all appeared to think that the Gap could not be taken.
My opinion is that to take it by storm will cost us half of our attacking force, if they defend.--From my conversation with different officers, I think the most of their forces have gone beyond the Gap; but in a few days I hope to be able to give you a correct statement of their whereabouts.
I think there will be a shaking of dry bones about the Gap.
Col. Shelly exchanged spurs with Col. Tom Taylor. Col. Bird also exchanged with me, and we got much the best of the swap.
I think, with Col. Rird's spurs on, I will be able to overtake him on his retreat; but we all agreed to shoot high if we got in pistol shot of each other on the battle-field.
ooking around men were to be seen on every side whose writings constitute the mental food of our people — the muscle and flesh of our literature.
Mr. Dickens was naturally present at the solemnity.
Some who were aware of the long-established friendship between the deceased and the author of "sartor Resartus," looked for him, too, in the group; but Mr. Carlyle dislikes crowds; and is all but a septuagenarian, and he was not recognized among the spectators.
Among other mourners were Mr. Tom Taylor, Mr. Shirley Brooks, Mr. Mark Lemon, Mr. John Leech, Mr. Tennie., Mr. Horace Mayhew, in short, the whole staff of contributors to Punch; Mr. Robert Browning, the poet; Mr. Anthony Trollope, Mr. Theodore Martin, Mr. John Hollingshead, Mr. G. H Lewes, Mr. Dallas, Dr. W Russell, Sir James Carmichael, Mr. H Cole, Mr. Robert Bell, Or Creswick, R A; Mr. George Cruikshank, Archdeacon Hale, Mr. E Piggot, Mr. Louis Blane, &c. The numbers present amounted to nearly a thousand.
The scene at th
hin their works the Yankees discovered how small a force was driving them, and came out in very large numbers, flanking our men on both flanks, and causing them to fall back, which was done in good order.
Our men set fire to some woods, which prevented any pursuit.
The killed and wounded of the two brigades will amount to about 150, many of the latter falling into the hands of the enemy.
The fight closed about 12½ o'clock.
Among the killed are Colonel Cabell, of Danville, Va., and Capt. Taylor, of Montgomery county.
The reconnaissance discovered the fact that the enemy in heavy force were near Chester, as the left of their line rested in that village, and the right about half a mile off, on the turnpike, and were entrenched.
After the fight was over a coal train from the Clover Hill Pits, beyond Chester, came on to Richmond.
The engineer said the Yankees were all around Chester, but none on the railroad, and he got through safely.
A courier from Drewry's Bluff c
troyed his train, lost nearly all his artillery, when he was followed by Marmaduke.
Gov. Flannegan was at Brookhaven.
Reports on the authority of Col. O. T. Cayer, who crossed the Mississippi river on the 5th with a dispatch from Smith to Tom Taylor, state that Banks was shut up at Alexandria, and that the Confederates were below, cutting off his supplies.
The Yankees were trying to dam up the mouth of the river at the Falls to get out their gunboats.
[another Dispatch.] Meridian, Monfederates were below, cutting off his supplies.
The Yankees were trying to dam up the mouth of the river at the Falls to get out their gunboats.
[another Dispatch.] Meridian, May 9.
--Steele's army, 9,000 strong, surrendered to Gen. Price, at Camden, on the 28th ult., and Gen. Taylor demanded the surrender of Alexandria, where Banks's forces are fortified.
The result was not known at last accounts.
The enemy was attempting to get their boats over the rapids of Red river.
