Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-08-12
8, azsosz Or sEx: sr0aSs's olssoll
- 49, Of THE RW4aY. NJ :, s.
F,r o,e CIV. DRJG4DE, D. y, y *

sAD' 80, ~ =: June 18th, 1872 !
IA conpl:aneew yoa55; aGa't so the lbs
,.N',..;o,s undertook nm eH m tho Parnuin--
st.aG:o Of the encmys lines On cs sa and
sio.o ,;h n cit twelve num-. ;Ierv The Cav
section CT the 800 Of portions of the lst, 4th,
and Oh IN. ca, inc ss' for the tine being
no field oIiieeT p ha first and last mentioaea,
divided between !. lively by Col. Fitz. Lee
conn cd' X. il. Vtzhugh Lee; also Two
and w., G" Of inc JET DaT!s Legion, coa at.;
s9;" ~. II, VT. Mar IA; the seGt:on u d.
, %s1 bein5 con,manle' I oS Isl H'e1'' ''''''
hrs anhn..h TIC espcd. ton was prossen;ea
c..tis- tam .vas conte, uplatea III go, 40
-.-nct;ons ;.el assured tat the cons"s. a.
lions which actuated me WIN con, I ~ 80 NJ
,rar , did not depart fro1 their sp.Fi., Az
maj the boldncss developer IN In. Inc suoso
cmor, direction of the march ''&e TIC 49, -'.
essence a os Of the expedition vas kept
..sseMr6 secret, $50 cssentlat 10 success!
&c known to my command ON 90 -"e
actual march Developed Il tsd bcyond
Tro force was quietly concen.r1"o nv
.,n ,1bickshominv, near kllby'S stasioi' VII
No 2. and P. Railroad, aac mofeu tnsn'e
r.-,I,s, 70. and to the left Of Ihst Io@u..
t:.o,:ts were kept far 10 the right to asses .,!
~. s.e,ny,s whereabouts, and advanced guafo
s...,rs and rear guard TO secure our eo,unl..
ms: s,,rpy;se. purposely directed my
St davis march towards. LOUISA, SO as 70
So ,be idea of reinforcing Jackson, anu
. s Sod ;ust opposite Hanover CouIn AiJa
near Soutnanna bridge, a., +. ana I. nA''
IooN ,wenrv.two miles from Eicnnono..
49, ~ ,o;seless biyouac was broken early EEK
i;ecornjng. and without flag o. bugSe souno ', w
1o-,,-,aS our march, none but one knew = hit'l'
7. however, Immediately took occasion
I - -,sre EnoSn nv instructions any pan
/ oonea.,,iallv 10 the reeinenta. commanders
80 - 70 SECURE an Intelligent action ana CO.
o,s-,t;,,n :, whatever might Occur. Scouts
hs6 returned indicating no SERIOUS oos,Isi: =
% NJ ma:ch from that 10 va one.
recllv i, rea- II, AID on the oVeT-'anu
os ,,ac.llnitatici 70 New brluee "-'''
ity. u,.,,,.r corr;
5Io,s.. upon the route to GA Church. Cpon
r,.sch;n. ne vicinity Of Hanover Court House
found it in possession CT the enemy; ou'
,Ar,- i;:;ia could be ascertaiacd abo21 Inc
strength and 7-:uTc ,oi his force. l, therefore
,sns lo.. Fiiz. Lees regiment, ls1 virginia
Cayai--, % rake detour TO the right, ano
reach lie eneu.y's route behind him, to ascer'
Rim his force here, and crush it y possio!s
INT the eremv proving afterwards 10 De one
,un,;-ed AID ii fly cavalry, did not larry long
nm, l.:t-,uy column following slowly @wn
rnss,;ry erery moment to hurl him upon
Tns: l,ut owing e bad marsh, Col. Lee olc
not reach the intersection Of roads IL tire,
md the ca~alrJ (the regulsr SIXTH passed OF
in the Girtc,ioa of Mechanjcsvile. THIS course
ley;stins too much from our direction; e!seI
the capture d sergeant, the; acre Suo~eo
70 proceed Oh tbe:-- way.
Our march led thence by T=i;slerrc's Xii
.ad Euon Church &c Has Shops; heIs W:
encountered the first pckets, surprised anc
caught several ,idelccs, and pushed boia!}
forward, keeping advanced guard well 70 Inc
:rcai. TIE regiment IL lroat was Tie 'li
Virginia Ca"alry: Col. ". Il. :. Leg "ncEs
advance guard, entrusted to the command o.
Adjutant Lieutenant Robins, aid aSIiT"ois
| scrvice-L:eut. ?. handling it II tie mos;
! Ski!ifui manner, iaanasi1g;3 clesT tie way &c:
| The marcn with little delay, and AMUSING, cy
| 4 sudden dash ct picket, such wholesome
! .errcr, that j. never paused 20 take ! secoHc
! looS.
krtvecn Haws' shop and OlG Church, the
! advanced guard reported the enerny'S cavalry
| in !o.ce in i7oat; IT proved &c be the On hc.
! gller Cavalry, formerly the q, commanded
81 Yourself, the leading squadron vas ORDERED
! forward E; brisk gait, the main body ioi'
| loving closely, and gaze chase to the enemy
:or q mile or TWO but cid aot come up to him
{. We crossed the Tolopotonoy strong pos:
! ;ioa CT defence which the enemy failed to hold
coniessiug a weakness. In such places nall
squadron was deployed asoos as sSiTIcisaefs
IL! the point Of danger vas passed.
On, on dashed Robins, here skirti1g held
there leapiDg i-acc OF ditch and cleaning
! the WOODS beyond, whan, not far from Oic
| Church, the er.2y nads stand having been
| reinforced.
The only mode Of attack being in column Of
! eours along the road, still preferred to op-
pose the enemy with one squadron at TINE
| remembering that ne who brings o2 the heid
! the last cavalry reserve wins tfa day.
! The next squadron therefore mo:ed TO the
! 'front.', under the ianlcnted Capt. LasaIe, max
+! ins mos. brilliant and successful charge
With drawn sabres, upon the picket ground
and after ho.iy contested hand to hand con.
die, put him 20 flight, but not till the gallant
! CAPTAIN had sealed his devotion to his native
soil with mis- blood. The eneInJ's rout Owe
| scuadrons BY one OF ours,) was complete
| they dispersed in terror and confusion, leaving
| MANY dead on the field, and blood in qrsnt;-
| ties IL their tracks. Their commander, Capt.
! Hoval!, was reported MORALLY wounded
| hnr stpc,
| taken il this conflict, AMI number Of horses,
arms and equipments together ":;h five
guidoDs.
The woods and fields were full OF the scat,
tered and disorguuized foe, struggling 70 and
| fro, aud bu. for the delay snd the great CO.
cunb7ance which they would have been to
! our march, many more could aad would haze
been captured.
Col. Fi;z. Lee, burning Win impotence to
cross sabrcs with his old regiment, galloped
&c the front at this point and begged to be
allowed to participate with his regiment (the
| lst Va. Cavalry il the discontinue Of his old
comrades, request readily granted, and his
!eadins squadron pushed CALAMITY down the
| road to Old Church, but the fragments OF
| Rova,l's command could not be rallied again,
aud Col. Lees leading squadron charged with
ous resistance into tie eHerny's camp (fvc
compsriesJ and took possession Of number
OF horses, q quantity Of arms and stores OF
every kind, ana ss"cral officers and p-ivctes.
! The stores, as ~sli as the tents, in which
everything mad been left, were speedily burn
ed, and ths march :esamed-(whither
Here vas the turning point of the expedi-
| ton. Two routes were before me, tee one to
| ratpru h1y Hanover Court House Tho ether tn
pass around through New Kent, taking the
chances Of having 70 swim the eSth:eks sosainE,
and make bold effort TO cut the enemy's
lines of communication. The Ch!clahon1iny
was believed b. M guides to be fordable
near Forge Bridge. l was fourteen miles
from Hanover Court House which | would