The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-08-12

intercept mo from the dirscsion Of White OAK
Swenp. BssIdes this the hops Of striking . -.
rtous blow as Q b"astful aud insolsnt foe which
would make him trernbie In his ehoes, m ade more
agreeable tho alternative choses
Ia brief and frank interview With snue Of my
officers. I disclosed my views but while none &C.
corded fll assent. ali assured me haassy support
In whatever did.
With An abiding trust In God, and with such
guaran' Of success as the two Lees and Martin,
and their devoted followers, this snterpriso re-
garded as most promising. Iaking oars' there
FORE particularly after this resolve TO inquire
Of the citizens the distance and the route to Hano-
yer Courthouse kept my horses head steadily
towards Tunstalis station.
There was something of the sublime In the I'm.
pliest confdencs aud unquastioring trust Of the
rank and tle In leader guiding them straight
apparently into the very java Of the enemy every
siep appearing to them 10 diminish the faintes hope
Of extrication Reports of the enemys strength at
0ariick' aud Tunstas were conflicting, bat gene
rally indicated n small number. PrisonerS
captured at every step and Including officers sol
dets, and negroes.
The rear now became of As much interest and
Importance the front but the duties Of rear guard
devolving upon the JEFF. Davis Legion, with the
howitzer attached its conduct was entrusted to Its
commander, Lieut.. Col Martin, IN whose judgment
and skul Lad entire cen&deace. He was not att
tacksd, but at Que tiue the enery appeared ia his
rear bssring flag OF truce. and the party twenty
five In number, bsaIiog 1t, actually surrendered
his rear guard 50 great was the cougtera nation pro-
duced by our march. An assistant surgeon was also
tax en--6e was CT; roats and not in charge OF tho
sick.
Upon arriving opposite GaTlicks. ordered
SO lad-on from the ga Va. cavalry destroy what
ev-r could be found at the landing on the Painun-
key, Two ensports, loaded with stores, and u
large number OF wagons were here burnt, and the
squadron re ioned the column with number Of
prisoners, horses and mules. squadron of the 1st
Va cavalry (Ha;nInondSi assisted In this destruc-
ton.
a fsw picked men. including my Aids Burke,
Farley and Mosieyt were pushed forward rapidly
TunstaIIS to cut the wires and secure the depot.
Five Companies of cavalry esoortiug Large wagon
trains, were in sight and seemed at first disposed
to dispute our progress but the sight Of our column,
led oy Lac, of the 9th, boldly advancing to the
combat, was enough Content with distant view,
they fed leaving their train Ia our hRndH-
The party that reached the railroad at Tun-
stalls surprised the suard at the depot fifteen or
twenty infantry captured them without their firing
gun and SGT about ohsti1etpg the railroad, but be-
foya IL could be thoroughly DONE aud just es the
he OF our column reached IT, a train OF
laundering doyy,l from the "Grand ArTcy;" II had
troops on board aud we prepared TO attack II, the
train swept OF .hs obstructio1s without being
thrown from the track. but ur Ere, delivered at
only few rods distance, either killed or caused 10
eiGn death every one on beard, the engineer being
one OF the hrst victims from the unerring fire OF
Capt. Farley. 1t Is fair 10 presume that serious
collision took place on its arrival ct the White
H'rse, for il made extraordinary speed ia that di
rsct:on
iol4ftoI "a LUss Nv 0iGch cESSk W6S E.Sd
under the direction of Lieut.. Burke, aud il being
now dark the burning OF the immense wagon traia
and the sxtrieaeng Of the teams involved mach
labor and dsisY, ana Illuminated the country FOR
miles Tns roads at this point far worse than
OURS. AVID TIE artillery had much difficulty In pess
Ing. Cur march was taGlly continued by bright
moonlight to Taueysv!iie where we halted three
and halt hours for the column to Gloss Up Atthis
point Wa passed larga hospital, es one hundred
and ffty patients. / ioe.aod It proper not to mo-
lest the surgeons ssd attendants N charge.
At II O'Clock e, night the march was continued,
without incident, under the most favorable aaspi
ces. TO Forge Bridge eight miles, over the Chick
ahorniuy, where q arrived just at daylight.
Lee Of the Ninth, by personal experiment hav-
ing found the stream not fordabls axes were Gent
Tor. aud every means taken to overcome the diff
Cultes by lnprovised bridges and swimming I'M
mediatey dispatched to You Information Of my
situation. and asked ior this diversion already re
ferred to-
The progress in crossing was very slow at the
point chosen, juss above Forge Bridge; and learning
that, al the bridge proper, enough Of ths debris OF
the old bridge remained to facilitate the constIuc
lion OF fsnolher1nater2sfor for W hich were Afforded
by large warehouse adiaeent--I moved TO that
point 81 onco.
Liau,enau: Redmond Burke. who, in every sphere
has rendered most valuable service, and deserves
the highest consideration al rhe hands of the Gov
eIni1eEt set ID work with party to construct th.
brid e A foot bridge nprovised, and
the horses were crossed over as rapidly as possible
by swimming. Burse's work proceeded like ma
Ihrea ECurS II TFssS TSAqy 10 bear lerY
and cavalry sud es half OF tha latter had not yet
crossed, the bridge enabled The whole 10 rsaoh tao
other bank by O'clock p. IL. Another branch Of
the Chick saJrany, s:l further on, was with
some difficulty forded and the march contin
ued without IN eruption towards Richnond.
Having passed the point OF danger, l left the
column with Col Les. of the lst, and rode re-
port in psrson 70 you reaching your headquarters
q, daylight next morning.
Returning to my coluuand sooH after, the pTis
onsrs ous hundred and sixty-hve IN uE uaber, were
transferred to the proper authority two hundrs 4
and sixty mules eud hofSes captured, with More or
lees harness. wers transferred to the Quartsraster
Departments of the different regiments, and the
co-amspds were sent to thsr respective ca.nps -
TIE nun.ber Of captured ar4as aas net been a. yet
accurately as5ertaEsd.
4 pole wss broken which obliged Us TO abandon
q timber this eids Of the Chickaaa Iutny
The succesa attending this expedition will no
DOUBT cause ten thousand Or fifteen Thousand men
TO De detached from tae saerys main body to
guard Lis ooIuzauu catsons, besides ACCOMPLISHING
the destruction Of millions of dollars worth Of
property, and thu Interruption, for time of his
railroad communications.
The three commanders the two Lees snd Martin
exnipited tho characteristics OF skillfu command.
ers, keeping their commands well In hand, and
managing them With skill and good judgment
which proved them worthy Of higher trust
Their brave men behaved with coopess and intre
pidity in danger, unswerving resolution before diff
cult:es aud stood unappalled before the rushing
torrents of the Chickshominy, with the probability
cf an enemy at their heels, armed with the fury Of
a tigress robbed Of her whelps
The perfect order and systematic disposition for
crossing, maintained throughout the passage, en-
sured IT success and rendered 1t the crowning
feature OF a success ,ful expedition.
| hope. General that your sense OF delicacy, so
mani ess On former oeca ions viii not prompt You
10 award to the two Lees (your son and nephew)
leaB than their full measure OF praise Embalmed
In the hearts ad sfec tons of their regiments tried
many OCCASIONS recurring cooiuess. declson aud
hTaxr ylarQ IN mi
sud control they held ,her regimsntsiu cir grasp
ana proved themselves brilliant cavalry le eaders.
The discipline ,aaiD tanned by Lieutenant Colonel
Martin IN his comlaaGd, and referred to IN his
port, Ii especially woethy OF notice AZ also his re
ference 10 tiieenergy displayed by First Lieutenant
James bresthed, OF the Stuart horse tiliery.
an most Of all Indebted TO ist Lieut. D. A. Tim
berlake, Corporal Turner Dosweli, and private
J. ViubsTlake, 4th Virginia cavalrY, I'd Lieut..
James X Christian and Private r & Frays,r, Sd
Virginia cavalry, VINO were ever in advance, and
without whose thorou gh knowledge Of the country
and valuable assistance rendered could have ef-
feeted notuDg. Assistant Surgeon j. Z, Fontane.
4th Virginia cavalry, lthe enemy giving him little
to do in bis professional bold and interchangeable
In Reconnaissance and WAS particularly acive 10 his
efforts to complete the brigade. Captain Heros Won
borcke. P.ussian cavalry officer, who lately ran
the blockade assigned une by the Honorable SEQ
retary Of Var, joined Ia the charge Of the Hrst
squadron ip gallant style, and subsequently,, by his
energy. skD. and activity, wen the prs's and ad.
mira ion Of all
To my STAFF present my thanks are especially
due for the Giligent performances OF th duties
signed them They were as follows:
FIRST Lieps John Estsn Cook, Ordnance Officer,
(my principal staff officer for tue occasion) lst
Lieut.. G. Dstaey, A. - G., Rev. Ar. Lsndstreet,
Capts Farley, Towles Fitchcsh. and Nosby, rsn.
dered conspicuous and gallant service during the
whole expedition.
NY escort. under corpl Hsgan, are entitled indi-