The repulse of the raiders Near Charlottesville.
A gentleman who was present, and witnessed the repulse of the enemy's advance on
Charlottesville, furnishes us with some particulars of the affair.
About 12 o'clock, on Monday, the camp of the Stuart Horse Artillery was aroused by the cry the "Yankees are coming!" their advance being then at Havanna bridge, one mile and a half distant.
Under ordinary circumstances all would have been confusion, but in this instance nothing of the kind was perceptible.
Officers and men seemed to vie with each other in coolness and promptness.
Lt. Thomson, of
Chew's artillery, with two men were sent to find out the exact where abouts of the enemy.
Others were ordered to gather up the horses, and all preparations were made as if for parade.
Lt. Thomson found the advance guard of the enemy within one mile of the camps, and hurried back to assist in saving his guns.
As the horses were all loose when the alarm was given a great deal of time was necessarily taken up in getting them together.
But
Capts. Chew and
Breathed did not wait for this.
Each wheeled a gun into position and opened on the enemy, whilst other guns were being "hitched up" and gotten off. It was only this determined resistance that saved them.
It was impossible to get off the caissons, as horses enough could not be found to pull them.
When all this cannon were gotten ready they retired slowly to the neighboring hills, and continued to shell the advancing column, while an opportunity was afforded the men for getting some of their baggage, which they had been compelled to neglect to save the guns.
The cannonading was kept up for half an hour or more, when
Capt. Moorman, commanding battalion, ordered the guns to be withdrawn, under the impression that the enemy were flanking him.
Now that no resistance was offered a squadron of Yankee cavalry, which had been thrown round on the left, made its appearance, and, finding the camp clear, dashed in with a yell.
They immediately set fire to the tents, huts, and stabling of
Capts. Chew and
Breathed, whose camps were nearest them.
They also destroyed a caisson and forge for
Capt. Chew.
All this was done in sight of the hills on which the artillery was first placed.
Suddenly a volley was heard in the camp — now brilliant with "bon — fires" of vacated quarters — and the vandals who had charged so gallantly, as they thought, made tracks with great rapidity.
Chew and Breathed ordered a charge simultaneously.
They drove the enemy about three quarters of a mile, when they made a stand in
Dr. Cooke's orchard, but the impetuosity of the artillerists could not long be withstood.--The enemy broke and fled in utter confusion across the river to their reserves, two regiments.
The enemy having been defeated and driven back, the men returned to their county no have with Duggary they could, and
Capt. Breathed dispatched ten men to
Charlottesville to bring out arms for his squad, it being his intention to follow up the
Yankees.
About dusk the men returned with the arms, and
Capt, B. (to whom
Capt. Chew had partially resigned command) started in pursuit.
In the meantime
Lt. Thomson, of
Chew's battery, with eight men had pushed ahead and overtaken the rear guard of the enemy at
Earlysville, which he charged, killing two men and wounding a
Yankee Captain.
Lt. Thomson's force being added to that of
Capt. B's increased the command to about twenty-five men. This was the number of men that followed up the retreating enemy, with whom they came up at Willemite's Mill, sixteen miles from
Charlottesville, where they had gone into camp.
It was
Capt. B's intention to attack them, but a courier arrived from
Gen. Stuart, directing him not to attack, but merely to watch — so he retired a mile or two and camped, putting out pickets to watch the enemy's movements.
They commenced moving about 12 o'clock at night, but all did not get off till daylight.
At an early hour
Capt. B. was on their track.
About 8 o'clock he tell on their rear guard and drove them on the main body.
He continued to follow rapidly, and when within two miles of
Stanardsville came up with them again.
Lt. Ford, with two men, was in advance, and came on them suddenly in a bend in the road, but nothing daunted by the odds against him he held his ground until
Capt. Breathed came up, when the enemy were driven back in such haste that they were compelled to abandon a carriage, containing a negro woman and three children, they were taking off. After this it was impossible to come up with them again.
