DECEMBER 17, 1863. - Skirmish at Sangster's Station, Va.

REPORTS.

Numbers 1 - Brigadier General Michael Corcoran, U. S. Army.

Numbers 2 - Mr. J. H. Devereux, U. S. Military Railroad Service.

Numbers 1.

Reports of Brigadier General Michael Corcoran, U. S. Army.

FAIRFAX COURTHOUSE, December 18, 1863.

COLONEL: I have the honor to report that yesterday afternoon between the hours of 6 and 7 o'clock, our guard, consisting of about 50 men, was attacked at Sangster's Station. Our telegraph operator was so much intoxicated that we did not receive any intimation of the attack until about half past 8 p.m., and that was from a loyal man living between here and Fairfax Station, who heard the firing and came to advise me of it. As soon as the report of the attack reached Fairfax Station, Colonel Flood, of the One hundred and Fifty-fifth New York, and Lieutenant-Colonel Drew, Second District of Columbia Volunteers, collected what force could be spared from guarding that post, and went to the relief of Sangster's as quickly as possible.

Supposing it to be a raid on the railroad for the purposes of destroying the bridge, &c., and the guerrillas would return to their haunts by the Centreville road, I sent the squadron of cavalry attached to headquarters, and a small force of infantry in ambulances, with instructions to keep the Centreville road to within two miles of that place, thence toward Sangster's until they encountered the enemy. My calculations as to the course the enemy would take proved correct, but through the utter inefficiency of the cavalry, the expedition proved a failure. At the first fire they broke and ran back through the infantry, producing great confusion. Lieutenant-Colonel De Lacy, who was in command of the expedition, reports that after rallying his forces he pursued the enemy about half a mile, and had his cavalry been efficient, he could have captured a large number of the enemy, but the most efficient officer of the squadron could not make himself understood by the men from the fact that he did not speak German, and they could not understand commands given in English.

Whatever information we received during the night we telegraphed to you, or endeavored to do so, but as the operator was very much intoxicated, we are not sure of his ability to transmit a message. We had to communicate with Fairfax Station by orderlies.

The following dispatch has just been received from Colonel Flood:

I have returned from Sangster's Station. Re-established post there. Pickets out as usual. Cannot state how many prisoners we have lost, but certainly not more than 3 or 4. One of our men, slightly wounded, says the enemy consisted of Rosser's, Hampton's, or Stuart's cavalry, with Kincheloe's guerrillas, in all about 1,000 strong. Kincheloe was recognized by a colored woman who knows him well. We have 1 prisoner dangerously wounded; belongs to the Eleventh Virginia Cavalry, who reports his captain killed, and 2 ambulances full of wounded.

Yours, very respectfully,

MICHAEL CORCORAN,

Brigadier-General Commanding.

Lieutenant Colonel J. H. Taylor,

Chief of Staff, and Assistant Adjutant-General.