Stuart cavalry Again in the enemy rear.
The train which arrived at the
Central depot last evening from Hanover Court-House brought 96 Federal soldiers and 16 negroes, captured by
Stuart's cavalry, on Wednesday, at Massaponox Church, eight miles this side of
Fredericksburg.
The prisoners are mostly from
Indiana, though there are some from the 20th, 21st, 33d, and 33d New York infantry.
There are no commissioned officers among them, which is a subject of regret to a people who desire to see the recent order from the War Department executed upon some of this class from
Pope's command, but the prisoners say they ran away with such speed that to catch them was an impossibility.
We have received from a participant a full account of this bold and successful expedition, which we append:
On last Monday morning
Major-Gen. Stuart, with detachment of his division, consisting of the 2d brigade, composed of the 3d, 4th, 5th and 9th Virginia cavalry, under command of
Brig. Gen. Firxles, and the Stuart horse artillery, under command of
Capt Pelham, started on a scout towards Federalsburg.
They marched around by
Port Royal, where a cavalry picket, eleven strong, was captured, which had been posted there to stop the smuggling trade across the river — reaching a point eight miles from town on Tuesday evening. Here information was received that the enemy had come out the place in force on the telegraph road leading down towards
Hanover Junction.
To ascertain the truth of the report, and unmask the enemy's design, the command was moved across the country to strike this road at Massaponox Church, eight miles from
Fredericksburg, which it reached about 12 o'clock on Wednesday morning.
Here it was assertained that two brigades (Harche's and
Gibbon's) two batteries of artillery, and cavalry in proportion, had passed during the night towards the
Hanover Junction, evidently for the purpose of cutting off communication with
Jackson.
It was also ascertained that a train of we cons with some sixty or seventy soldiers had gun back towards
Fredericksburg.
The column halted before reaching the road, and the 3d regiment, under command of
Lieut. Col. Thornton which was in the advance that day, was ordered to draw sabre — the 1st squadron, under
Capt. Berkeley to pursue the wagon train, and the rest of the regiment to charge the rear of the main body.
Most antly did they perform their work, turning to the right and left as they came to the church.
Capt Berkeley overtook and captured the entire party of wagons and men, after a gallon of a couple of miles.
Col. Thornian overtook and charged the tear guard near
Mrs. Stanard's, four miles from the church capturing several wagons and some prisoners.
The 9th, under command of
Col. W. H. F. Lee.
with two pieces of cannon, moved on after the 3d, to not as a reserve.
The prisoners confirmed the accounts received, and placed the strength of the expedition at ,000. They stated that
Burnside arrived in
Fredericksburg on Tuesday evening, his command having preceded him, and that there were 20,000 men in the place.
After remaining at the church for four hours
Gen. Stuart proceeded down the road for some distance, but finding the enemy making a heavy demonstration towards him he turned towards Bowing
Green, bringing off everything safely.
These were 96 prisoners of war, 15 negroes, and 12 wagons, with superb teams, some with six horses.
Our less was one man mortally and two seriously wounded.
The 1st Virginia cavalry was operating on the front while
Stuart was in the rear, communication between the two commands being kept up by bold horsemen, who knew the country thoroughly, and who passed around from one to the other repeatedly during the day.
