Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
unfortunate mistake--two soldiers killed.
Fairfax. C. H., July 4, 1861.
A most unfortunate mistake, resulting in the loss of two of our men, occurred last night in the direction of Fall's Church.
A considerable force of Infantry and Cavalry, with two pieces of Artillery, were sent out last night towards the Church.
The various companies having taken their positions, Colonel Montfort, of the Virginia Cavalry, dispatched three men upon an errand of observation of some kind.
It is said they started off in a walk, when he called upon them to proceed in a gallop.
They obeyed the order, but had not proceeded more than three hundred yards before they came upon a party of Confederate Infantry concealed in the bushes.
Supposing them to belong to the enemy, the Infantry fired upon them, killing Corporal Madison Tyler and private Samuel Gordon, both of Warrenton, and belonging to the Virginia Black Horse Cavalry, and wounding — Smith, of the same company.
Mr. Tyler, a son of Judge Tyler, was not one of the detachment, but was with his company 300 paces distant, when a stray ball struck him, from which he died soon afterwards.
It is said that the infantry attempted to halt the dragoons, but it is supposed that the latter did not hear the order, owing to the clatter of their horses' hoofs and the rattling of their sabres.
The command to proceed at a gallop, if given, was an unfortunate, if not a singular order, under the circumstances.
After the discharge of the first two or three pieces, Smith cried out not to shoot, as they were friends; but the confusion and noise doubtless prevented the party in ambush from hearing him. Thinking his only safety was in flight, he made his escape as fast as he could, but not without receiving a ball in his elbow, and several through his clothing and cap. His horse was killed, and Col. Montfort's was wounded by a stray ball like that which killed poor Tyler.
This is a most unfortunate affair, it is the subject of universal regret here.
Such accidents, however, will now and then occur in spite of every precaution.
I have made inquiry of several persons who were out last night, with the view of getting the exact truth.
The above, I think, is reliable. A. 