–This morning the rebel troops stationed at Fairfax Court-House, Va., were advancing upon the Federal lines, when a regiment of their infantry fired by mistake upon a company of their cavalry, killing seven or eight men. and wounding several others.–N. Y. Evening Post, July 6.
–This morning the Missouri rebel troops, under Gov. Jackson, broke camp near Rupes Point, in Jasper Co., Missouri, and marched south in the direction of Carthage, the County seat of Jasper County. At Brier Forks, seven miles north of Carthage, they were met by Col. Siegel, with 1,500 Union men, who immediately gave them battle.
The State troops were posted on a ridge in a prairie with five pieces of artillery, one twelve pounder in the centre, two six-pounders on the right and left, cavalry on each flank, and infantry in the rear.
The artillery of Colonel Siegel approached within eight hundred yards, with four cannon in the centre, a body of infantry and a six-pounder under Lieutenant-Colonel Hassendare on the left, Colonel Solomon’s command with a six-pounder on the right, and a body of infantry behind the centre artillery.
Colonel Siegel’s left opened fire with shrapnells, and soon the engagement became general. The rebels had no grape, and their artillerists being poor, their balls flew over the heads of the National forces. After two hours’ firing, the enemy’s artillery was entirely silenced, and their ranks broken.
The State troops were now driven back some distance, and the officers ordered a retreat. The centre gave way, but the order not being heard on the flanks, the advancing United States troops were in danger of being surrounded themselves, and fell back. They retreated slowly, keeping up the fight, the artillery making fearful havoc among the enemy’s ranks.
About 1,500 rebel cavalry then attempted to outflank Siegel, and cut off his baggage train, which was three miles back, when a retrograde movement was ordered. The train was reached in good order, surrounded by infantry and artillery, and the retreat of the National troops continued until a point was reached where the road passed through a high bluff on each side, where the enemy’s cavalry were posted in large numbers. By a feint, as if intending to pass around the bluff, Siegel drew the cavalry in a solid body into the road at a distance of 150 yards from his position, when by a rapid movement of his artillery, he poured a heavy crossfire of canister into their ranks; at the same time the infantry charged at a “double quick,” and in ten minutes the State troops scattered in every direction. Eighty-five riderless horses were captured and sixty-five shot-guns, and a number of revolvers and bowie-knives were picked up from the ground.
At the crossing of Dry Fork, the Federal lines were very near being broken, when by the timely arrival of 200 Union men from Shoals Creek, they crossed with but a loss of five killed, and two mortally wounded. The battle continued, the United States troops alternately fighting and retreating until dark, when they reached Carthage, having crossed Buck Branch and Spring River. On the way, the fighting was all done with the artillery, Col. Siegel retreating as soon as they got them in position, and playing on their ranks as they advanced.
The rebel loss was great; a resident of Carthage states that he passed over a part of the battle-field after the conflict, and saw wagons and hacks passing in every direction, gathering up the dead for interment.
The loss on the part of the State troops cannot be less than from 300 to 500. The ground in many places was strewn with dead horses.
The retreat of the National forces was conducted in a style worthy of veteran troops, and with as much coolness as if they were on a parade-ground, instead of the field of battle.– (Doc. 70.)
–About five o’clock this morning twenty-five of Hawkins’ Zouaves encountered a rebel force, supposed to number about one hundred and fifty, including twenty-five cavalry, and one field-piece, seven miles from Newport News, Va.; three of the rebels were shot, and also six of Hawkins’ Zouaves. The latter sent for reinforcements, and five companies were sent to sustain them.–N. Y. Evening Post, July 6.