The particulars which reach us of the affair of Tuesday last, in
Culpeper county, tend to confirm the first reports received.
As has already been stated, the passage of the
Rappahannock was effected by the enemy at fords not picketed by our troops, and consequently without interference or interruption.
Before our pickets could communicate with the camps, to enable our troops to prepare for an attack, the force of the enemy, largely superior in number, was precipitated upon them, and it was only by severe and hard fighting that victory was wrested from the bold and determined foe. Our gunners at the first battery charged by the enemy had no time allowed them to use their pieces, but, manfully standing by their guns, they fought the enemy with their rammers, and in this way succeeded in unhorsing several of the
Yankee cavalry.--They were finally overpowered and forced to leave their pieces, or were cut down or captured in their defence.
This was early in the morning, and before any preparation was had to resist the unexpected attack.
Throughout the day the contest between the cavalry of the contending forces raged with varying success, our troops gaining the advantage at every point where the odds against them were not overwhelming.
The heaviest of the fighting upon our side was done by the brigades of
Gens. W. H. F. Lee and
Hampton, though the troops composing
Gen. Jones's brigade were engaged, and are said to have fought gallantly.
Our loss in the engagement, it is believed by those who have favorable opportunities for knowing, will not fall far short of 600.
This includes the entire loss, killed, wounded, and missing.
The loss of the enemy, it is said, exceeds our own. There is little difference on either side in the number of horses taken.--The battery from which our men were driven in the morning was not moved by the enemy from its position, and when the fighting terminated in the evening was again taken possession of. The statement that the enemy captured three of our pieces, is incorrect to the extent that it implied they retained them as part of the fruits of the fight.
No piece of our artillery was removed from the field by them.
On the other hand, they left four guns brought over the river by them.
In addition to the names of the killed already given by us, we have the following:
‘
Capt Robert Jones, 1st S C; Serg't
John Johnstone, 6th Va;
Privates Robt Simmons, 3d Va; G E
Westcott, 10th Va;
Upshur Manning, 12th Va; A E Dornim,
Moorman's battery; J
Kent Longhorn, Wise Troop;--
Preston, 2d Va cavalry.
’
The following is a partial list of those who are wounded:
‘
Col
Butler, 1st S C, leg amputated;
Captain Farley,
Stuart's staff, leg amputated;
Capt White,
Stuart's staff; Lieut N
Richardson, 10th Va Lieut C G
Shumate, 6th Va; Lieut R W
Allen, 6th Va;
Lieut John Puryear, 3d Va;
Major M D Ball, 11th Va, slightly;
Capt Andrews, 2d N C;
Lieut Blessingame, 2d N C; Sergt J M
Durrett, 10th Va; Serg't
John Mason, 10th Va; Corp'l B C
Brown, 10th Va.
Among the names of officers given as captured are Lieut-Col Wm H
Payne, 4th Va, and
Capt Rich, of
Young's regiment.
We had no
Colonels killed, except
Cols. Williams and
Hampton.
Col. Green, who was at first reported among the slain, was not injured.
’
