J.E.B. STUART'S CAMPS ATTACKED
A DAY LONG BATTLE
YANKEE CAVALRY RETREATS
 Gen. Stuart |
Camps near Culpeper Court House, Virginia- General "JEB" Stuart and his cavalry have driven back a large force of Yankee cavalry that crossed the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford yesterday morning and attacked Stuart's camps near Brandy Station. The terrible fighting lasted throughout the day and though our forces were outnumbered, they valiantly held off several yankee attacks.
The early morning attack began when our pickets were driven in at several fords on the Rappahannock River. Mounted troopers rode into camp warning the men of the coming attack. A heavy skirmish fire was kept up through the morning until our fine artillery fired on the Yankee formations from Fleetwood Hill and thwarted the attempts of the enemy troops to break through our line. A gallantly led saber charge late in the day forced the enemy troopers away from hill and back to the river where the yankee commander General Pleasonton, ordered a retreat. Most of the Union cavalry retreated across the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford.
General Stuart was pleased at the performance of his horsemen against the surprise Union encounter and reported that this was the largest engagement of cavalry yet seen in this war.
MAJOR Von BORCKE HERO OF BATTLE
LEADS CHARGE AT HEIGHT OF BATTLE
 Major VonBorcke leads a charge. |
Major Heros Von Borcke was one of the first officers to give the warning of the approach of the Yankees that morning. Seen here in this illustration, this dashing officer was born in Prussia and came to the Confederacy as a supporter of the South. Appointed to General Stuart's staff, it was the stout major who rode into General Stuart's camp that morning to give the alarm of the Union crossing of the Rappahannock River. The major then directed many of our soldiers into the battle where he personally took command and led a grand charge that drove the Federals from the field. A number of our brave Virginians of Gen. Fitzhugh Lee's Brigade were the first to engage the Yanks, including the 3rd Virginia Cavalry commanded by Col. Thomas Owen.
Major Von Borcke is one of several officers of foreign birth serving with our army in Virginia. Many of these men were soldiers in European armies and have brought their battle experience with them to the Confederacy. The Union Army, likewise, has many foreigners serving in its ranks, though few (in our opinion) of the talent and courage of Major Von Borcke.
PRESIDENT DAVIS CONFIDENT
GIVES HIGH PRAISE TO OUR CAVALRY
Richmond- President Davis spoke to war department officials about the current military situation in Virginia and gave high praise to General Stuart and his cavalry commanders for the skill in which they fought the battle near Brandy Station on Wednesday. Yet he has been widely criticized by several governors over what they assume to be a subjugation of the Articles of Secession with his recent call for conscription and re-direction of supplies to central government warehouses from those in state warehouses and meant for that state's regiments fighting in Virginia. "This policy is against the founding principles of the Confederacy," remarked one source in Governor Brown's office in Georgia. "Georgia troops are willing to share their spirit and materials with those soldiers from states that cannot provide for them, but at her own will and not that of the president in Richmond."
 Brandy Station is located approximately twenty five miles west of Fredericksburg Virginia and is a wayside on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. |
Union cavalry crossed the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford to drive in our pickets.
ANOTHER BATTLE IN VIRGINIA?
GEORGIA SOLDIER WRITES FROM FREDERICKSBURG
Near Fredericksburg, VA- Private George Washington Hall of the 14th Georgia Infantry recently wrote his kin at home from defensive positions near this war-torn city: "June 7 - Partially cloudy, cool winds. I sent a letter to Wm. L. Land today. We are in line of Battle at the same place we were yesterday; there is some skirmishing and cannonading on our left the enemy is this side of the river in large force near Fredericksburg. We look for a great Battle soon."
LETTERS FROM THE ARMY
Samuel W. Eaton of the 57th N.C. Infantry, was near Brandy Station during the battle and writes:
"June 9 - There having been a heavy cavalry fight near Brandy Station 7 or 8 miles N.E. of Culpeper on the road leading to Manassas Junction, our Division marched 2 1/2 or 3 miles in that direction from Culpepper in the evening, camped there during the night and waited until we saw we was not needed. Our loss in killed & wounded among the officers was quite heavy. We drove them across the river or at least they retreated back that night."
WAR TALK IN GREAT BRITAIN
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS
London - The military situation in America has been the hot topic among leaders in the British government this past week once news arrived of the victory at Chancellorsville, Virginia, soon followed by news of Grant's investment of Vicksburg, Mississippi. British generals curiously watch the proceedings of our armies as they march to and fro across the land, without the formal trappings of a European army or the necessity of them. One officer recently stated his belief that the Union armies are "simply poorly led lads with little fire in their bellies for this type of work", while the Confederate forces, especially that under General Lee, are "remarkably prone to victory," despite shortages and hardship. Colonel Edward DeBeddle of the ministry's information office, and an expert on civilian affairs America, recently said that his government is still not committed to offering anything more to the Confederacy than trade and supplies that are run through the Union blockade. According to the colonel, political decisions regarding the Confederate States and "recognition of foreign governments and their borders has not been recently discussed."
DISTRAUGHT VIRGINIA
FROM OUR NEWSPAPER OFFICE
Richmond- The two continuous years of war has left much of northern and central Virginia in shambles. Farms and lands are ravaged, crops trampled, livestock destroyed or stolen, and property lost. There are many in this city who feel that it is time we exact some revenge on our Northern aggressors and invade the North as Gen. Lee's army did last year. The editors of this paper agree that the war must leave northern Virginia so that the farmers may plant their crops and make proper use of the land. Though we speak of the great armies that fight this war we must not forget the brave landowner who is attempting to make a simple living despite the destruction wrought upon them by war. We think of the hardships faced by our soldiers as a sacrifice for the cause of freedom from tyranny, but we must also include our home soil as being sacrificed by great armies at war.
If Virginia is to survive, the war must be taken out of her and onto northern soil!
RUMORS FROM VICKSBURG
YANKEE GUNBOATS SHELL CITY
from a New York Times correspondent - The writer for this newspaper has reported the Yankee army under Grant to be "making some progress toward the capture of Vicksburg although operations are so complex that that it puzzles one to keep track of it all." Union ironclads on the Mississippi River "made a combined attack upon the river defenses of Vicksburg" with more loss to their river fleet than to Vicksburg's brave defenders. The ironclad USS Cincinnati sank with the loss of 31 men killed and wounded. While Admiral Porter's gunboats shelled the city, Grant's army still digs around General Pemberton's lines surrounding the city. Though Northern newspapers would hope that the battle would soon end, Gen. Pemberton has told officials in Richmond that he can hold out for many months and is confident that his army will foil the Union attempts to capture the city. This paper honestly hopes that the general is correct in his assumptions.
LINCOLN'S DESPERATE MEASURES!
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The ever benevolent Lincoln asks of his freed slaves for their services to fight an unjust war. You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, eh Abe?!