Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
the Cavalry skirmish near Pohick Church.
Fairfax C. H. Aug. 26.
As a most false representation of a meeting between our pickets and a body of Yankee cavalry has been given in the Lincoln papers, I have concluded to give you a true statement of the facts in the case.
On Sunday, the 18th ult., Col. Stuart, of the 1st Regiment of Cavalry, ordered Lt. South all, of the Amelia Dragoons, to go with twenty-eight men to the neighborhood of Pohick Church--a part of the country not hither to visited by our pickets — and station pickets at such points as he might think advisable.
The Lieutenant proceeded immediately with the specified number of men, (detailed without regard to choice on his part,) from the several companies of the regiment, and on the Braddock's road stationed eight (8) men; at Turner's station, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, four; and on the Pohick road, eight more.
With the remaining eight he himself went forth on to the Pohick Church.
Soon after arriving at the Church, fifteen Yankee Dragoons made their appearance from a piece of pines, and immediately our nine men charged on them and put them to flight.
It turned out, however, that these flying fifteen were only a small detachment of a large body of cavalry that were but a little distance off; and in a short time, they having joined the main body, the whole of them, amounting to seventy-five, returned towards our men.
Here, then, were seventy five Yankees against nine Southerners — the balance of the twenty-eight men being too far distant to render any support to their comrades.
The entire body of the Yankees came within fifty paces of our little band, before they could distinguish them from friends.
They were then commanded to halt, to which they paid no regard till they were a third time ordered to halt, and this last time they obeyed promptly — Thus, seventy five men were brought to a stand by nine. At length the valiant Yankees advanced at a charge on our little corps, firing a volley of shots at them.
Under such circumstances the only alternative left our men was to retreat, and this they did, though reluctantly, it appears, as one by one retired, till the Lieutenant was almost left alone.
The Yankee report of this little affair is that they encountered a superior force of our men, and killed twenty-seven (27) men. The truth, however, is, not one of our men was touched, except one in his hat; while, strange to tell, one Yankee was killed, two more wounded, and several horses killed, and this, too, by their own hands, as our men fired not a shot.
Two prisoners were also taken.
This statement is the one given by the citizens of the neighborhood, and confirmed by our men.
In every instance the Northern vandals have run, unless their force was double and treble ours.
In the above instance they were ten times ours. Cavalry
