Report of Lieutenant Charles E. Hazlett, Battery D, Fifth U. S. Artillery.

BATTERY D, FIFTH ARTILLERY,

October 20, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the following actions of my command on returning from Leetown on the 17th instant:

Immediately after the artillery had been removed from the position it occupied near Leetown and started on the return the enemy opened with two guns on our retiring columns, but without injury to our troops. I kept two guns with the rear guard of cavalry. The enemy's cavalry followed us as we retired, and word being sent me that they were getting ready to charge on the rear of our column, I halted and came in battery on the road which was straight for about half a mile. Our cavalry moved off to one side of the road, and as the enemy came in sight over the crest of a hill I opened on them, they immediately fell back out of sight. This I repeated two or three times. The effect of the shots could not be ascertained certainly, but they apparently did execution, as most of them burst directly in large groups of cavalry and caused them to fall back in haste out of sight. The enemy also fired upon our column with artillery. The only damage, however, as far as I could learn, was the wounding of one man in my command.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHAS. E. HAZLETT,

First Lieutenant, Fifth Artillery.

Captain McCLELLAN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

[19.]

OCTOBER 26-NOVEMBER 10, 1862.- Operations in Loundon, Fauquier, and Rappahannock Counties, Va.

Report of Major General James E. B. Stuart, C. S. Army, of skirmishing at Mountville, October 31.*

HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION,
Upperville, November 1, 1862 - 8 a. m.

GENERAL: Yesterday I succeeded in surprising the enemy (cavalry) at Mountville, capturing his camp and giving chase all the way to Aldie. Here we found artillery strongly posted in the mountain gap. This, however, delay us only long enough to bring up our own, which drove their batteries away, and the whole concern left in the direction of Fairfax Court-House. We captured about seventy prisoners armed and equipped and mounted complete. Left four or five of the enemy at farm-houses, too badly hurt to be moved, who probably died last night. Captured two colors. It was Bayard's brigade, composed of five regiments and six pieces of artillery. As it was sundown when the enemy's battery was silenced, and as I was thirteen miles from here, with my rear and left flank exposed to attack by Pleasonton, I did not continue the pursuit with the horses so jaded, but returned to camp near Union. The enemy were roughly handled, our sabers showing blood. Colonels Wickham, Rosser, and Owen did their duty nobly, as did the officers and men of the command. There is no cooler or more intrepid man in action than Rosser. The enemy made several charges,

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* See also VOL. XIX, Part II, p. 141.

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