Today in History:

446 Series I Volume XXIX-I Serial 48 - Bristoe, Mine Run Part I

Page 446 OPERATIONS IN N.C., VA., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XLI.

Eleventh Virginia, a young officer of extraordinary gallantry, who had three times before during the present year been wounded in had-to-hand engagements with the enemy.

A sufficient force of infantry having crossed to hold the ford, I ordered Colonel Funsten and General Gordon to advance to Warrenton that night, Major-General Lee, whose column had crossed the Rappahannock at Foxville, moving as before, on the right flank of the army, but owing to the circuit which he had to make, not arriving in time to participate in the engagement at the springs. On that night Funsten's and Gordon's commands bivouacked at Warrenton. On the march to Warrenton Funsten was engaged in frequent skirmishers with the enemy,a part of whom at one time got in his rear, by accident,in the darkness and were captured - about 50 in number.

While the events of to-day just narrated were transpiring, about 2 p.m. a heavy force of the enemy's cavalry and infantry advanced upon the regiment which had been left at Fleetwood (the Fifth Virginia Cavalry, under Colonel Rosser) and forced it to fall back toward Culpeper Court-House. Colonel R. dispatched a courier to inform Colonel Young of his situation, and by gallantly contesting the ground with his sharpshooters and one piece of artillery was enabled to cover the court-house until Young hurried forward to his assistance. Colonel Young promptly came up, and dismounting about three-fourths of his brigade, deployed them along the wooded ridge known as Slaughter's Hill, five pieces of his artillery being judiciously posted to sweep the road and both flanks of the enemy. the force in view consisted of a strong line of skirmishers thrown forward in advance of a regiment of infantry,which was supported on the flanks by at least three brigades of cavalry, large bodies of additional troops being visible moving up in the direction of Brandy Station.

Colonel Rosser continued to fall back, skirmishing as he retired, until he reached Colonel Young's line, when our artillery with Young suddenly opened on the enemy,and a heavy volley was poured into them by the sharpshooters. This warm reception so greatly discouraged them that they did not advance farther. A brisk fire of artillery and sharpshooters was kept up until dark, when Colonel Young ordered camp fires to be kindled along his entire front and, his band of music playing, bivouacked on his line of battle.

Information of these transactions reached me after dark, when my column was in motion for Warrenton. I immediately dispatched to Colonel Young that I felt confident that as soon as the enemy felt our pressure north of the Rappahannock they would leave his front, and that he would thus be entirely relieved. As was expected, before morning the enemy had disappeared entirely from his front and recrossed the Rappahannock. Young, pursuing, went down with a portion of his command as far as the river and captured about 30 of the enemy.

Information subsequently obtained from the enemy's papers clearly indicates the importance of the movement which was thus frustrated. The force driven back by Young and Rosser is ascertained to have consisted of a division of cavalry, together with an entire corps of infantry, the object of the expedition being to penetrate to Culpeper Court-House and discover the position and movements of our army, and create a diversion in favor of the escape of their trains and stores. The determined reception which they met with when they reached the position occupied by Colonel Young, evidently impressed them with the belief that their design had been penetrated and a


Page 446 OPERATIONS IN N.C., VA., W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XLI.