x Court
House, about a mile south of Falls Church, between a detachment of 1st
Va. Cavalry under Lieut. Col. Fitz Lee, and 14th N. Y. S. M., under Lt.
Col. E. B. Fowler. Union loss 2 killed, 1 wounded, 10 missing.
Confederate loss, Private Tucker killed and John C. Chichester, Lee's
guide, mortally wounded; 2 slightly wounded. Col. Lee's horse killed
under him during action.

Sept. 2, 1862: Skirmish near Falls Church. F. J. Porter, Major General
Commanding, Headquarters Army Corps, Hall's Hill, in his report to
General Marcy states that a battery supported by cavalry suddenly
appeared on Barnett's Hill and opened fire upon Pleasanton at Falls
Church, while dismounted cavalry fired upon and killed 3 of his mounted
pickets, who, armed only with sabers and pistols, could not contend with
the enemy protected by timber. Pleasanton replied with his battery but
the shots fell very short. The enemy supposed to have come from
direction of Hunter's Mill returned toward Vienna. He states that the
country beyond his picket lines affords every facility for such attacks,
and that the commanding general must expect them to be frequent so long
as the enemy continues in large force in his front and wishes to divert
attention from other movements, that from the opposite hills his camp
and movements are open to view of the enemy.

[Illustration: Mr. R. J. Yates]

Sept. 4, 1862: Brig. Gen'l A. Pleasanton from his camp near Fort Albany,
Va., in his report to Brig. Gen. R. B. Marcy, chief of staff, written at
5 a. m., states that he is about to be off with the sixth cavalry and
two other companies for Falls Church where he expects to make his
headquarters and from whence he will scout as directed. He suggests
that the telegraph be extended to Falls Church and asks that supplies
for his command be forwarded by railroad to a point opposite Falls
Church.

[Illustration: Mr. S. A. Copper]

At 8:30 a. m., his message states that from reports received by him, the
impression is that the enemy is going to cross the Potomac at Walker's
Landing.

At 12: 45 p. m., he reports from Falls Church that the enemy's advanced
pickets, on the Leesburg and Georgetown turnpike are three-fourths of a
mile this side of Difficult Creek, and that a regiment of Mississippi
cavalry, the Jeff Davis Legion, is at the bridge over the creek.

At 1:30 p. m., from Falls Church his dispatch to the chief of staff
states that the squadron on the Vienna road reports the