Skirmish Near Drainsville

New Vork, Dec. 21. ' A special to tho Zferalct, Washington 2Oth, says; " öÓJ). Otd starled at six , tliis morning. His commaüd consisted Ót í'oür regiment, the Bucktail rifles, Lieut.-Cül. Kane, and Eaton' battery, consisting of two 4 and two 12 pouud bowitzers. They procecded on a í'oraging ospodition in t fi f ï direction of Drainsville. Gen. MeCall, antieipating tliat they miglit be attacked', ordered the lst and 2d brigades to f'ollow at 8 oYlock, A. AI. T!ie "lst brigade, Gan. Reynolds, advanccd on Leesburg and took a posion DiiEcult Creck, to uwait further ordors. Two houra later, General MeCall, with his sta ff and an escort of cavalry, followed on the sanio routo. Mcantiuie General Ord advaneed to ocar Drainsville, when his coinuiand was suddonly fired upou by a forcé lying in arabush in the dense woods adjacent. This was the signal of battle, and a brisk engagement ensued. Gen. McCall, who arrived a few ïuiuntes proviously took couimand. - In a moineut's time Eaton's battery was plantod alongado of the Thornton House, and fired rapidly and with terrible efl'oct in tho enemy's ambush. Col. Kano's Buoktail Kiílemen were placed in ad vanee, and fired upon tha enemy wherever they made their appearance. - The rebels, who had a battery of six pieces, rcturned the cannonading aud replied; to the rifleg with musketry. The firing was kept up soine three-quartera of an fcóur, whan the enemy retreated rapidly, our fire bcing to hot for them. Our troops stood up bravely under the sbarp vollevs of the rebels. Their steadiness was praised by Gon. MoCall and his oiïi cers. The rebels took t!io direction of Pairfax Court llouae, leaving on tho field a oumber of their kil'.ed and wounded. - Üur troops pursued them a short distan ee and returned. Scveral bodies of tho rebels wero picked up and fifteen wounded prisoners were taken. General Ord captured eight prisoners and two caissons with ammuliition. In their haste the enemy leit bchind arms of all descriptions. clothing, &c. Their loss is estimated at 150 killed and wounded.- Among their killed was Colouel Thilor, of Frankfort, and commander of the lst Kentucky Regiment of the rebels. The forcea of the enemy consisted of three infantry regiments, lst and llth Kentucky, and lOth Alabama, with a cavalry regimeüt :ind a battery, all commanded by Col. J. II. Forney of the lOth Alabama, aeting Brigadier General. ' The dead rebels wcre lelt on the field, The loss on our side wero six killed and ekrht wounded, most of whom belonged to the Bnckt&Us. Col. Kane received a slight wonnd. At 8 o'elock P. M. our troops returned to camp briugiug in iifty wagoulonds of forage." The New York Times niakos the foflowing commenta on tho lato proclamation of General Plielps at Ship Island : " Tho proclamation issued by Gen. Phelps on reaehtng tlio Loaisiann coiist will bo Bubjecteü to severo criti ci'sm. That, oilicer. declining to be guided by similar ctocuments promulgated by leaders ot precediog expeditions into rebel territoiy, lias aniiouncod his mission to be the substitution by forco of ireo lor slave labor; and has JB8tifted his ooDviotioo of duty by 'constiuivional discns-iions and bistoiioal procedonts, curiously out oí place in a military announcement. In nt act of Oor.grèss, in no orders from tlio War Department, nor in the practico of the Government in ts conduet of the war thua far, could Gen. Phelps find authoiity for the line of policy lio prescribas for himself; and he can hardly plead the absence of explicit instrüotionsas justifving chis extrenie licenee of intorpretation. The war, be munt be aware, is not made lor the objects which he ñames. He misrepresents the aitna of tho Government, precisely as tho most malignant seeessionist of the South misrepresiinta them; a coinciden oe which ennnot but bo prodoctive of misobievoua nnd enibarrassing re8ult. Locally, tho proelamation will tall harmlesa. It is hardly likcly to rnako its way bevond tho unp-jopled ïs'and.s of tho neighborhood. Bilt, vvherever it does go, it is likely to do the Union cause inoro hann than good." The Fikst Michigan Fusilkers. - The Louisville fournal of tho 19th cays: " The First Regiment of Michigan Fusileors, composed of engineers and moiihnnics, under connnand of Col. ! W. limos, carao down over tho JoflerI sonvillo and Indianapolis RailrDád yosterday, and paaáed tbrough tho city JBoth ofBoera and men were stront nnd sturdy in appearance, nnd were splendidly equipped. Taking thern as a body of soldiera, we regard tho Michigan voluntci'rs as tho most efiicienl corps that has yet passed throiigh our city." PniE. - Tlic Union School liouso' in this villnge cauglit fire on Monday moraing last, about tho hour of comtnencing school. It communicater], as is thought, froin the chinmey to a woodcn air-conductor, vvhich entcred it. This conductor had been uscd whon tho building was heated by a furnaoe, as it was formcrly, and for bohío reason had liever been removed. The lire was extinguished after the house had been daraaged a hundred dollars or so. School was resumed on Tucsday. - Jeitcsville Independent.