Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-05-16
FROM WASHINGTON.
WAsnINoToN, May 10, 1903.


The amount of Rebel property destroyed
will reach several million dollars All the
railroad connection between Lees army and
Richmond have been destroyed so effectual-
ly, that it would take the undivided labor
of great number Of men several weeks to
repair the damage done to the railroad
alone.
The only fighting that occurred during
the continuance of the expedition was II ear
Louisa Court House, where squadron of the
First Maine Cavalry, who were posted on
picket duty at this point, were charged upon
by body of rebels. Two of our men were
killed during the scrimmage, and fifteen
were taken prisoners. A. number of Rebel
prisoners were taken during the skirmish.--
At Thampsons -Four Corners the Rebels
who were in the neighborhood made an at
tack on our pickets while they were station
ed there.
No one was killed but few prisoners
was taken on either side, and some few of
our men were wounded The nearest point
reached to Richmond by any portion of the
expedition was about two miles from the
city. About four hundred of the cavalry
approached within tlie;above distance of the
city but some few of the scouts pressed on
still nearer.
y
through which the expedition passed, be-
trayed the greatest friendship for the Union
troops. They acted as guides, and furnished
all the information that lay in their power
to the commanding officers. On being ques-
toned concerning Lincolns Emancipation
Proclamation, they seemed to have very
vague realization of its traie import. Ofone
fact they are confident in their belief, and
that is, that the Union, forces are their
friends. They had been teld that they were
free but their masters had used every means
in their power to make them believe other
wise.
The present feeling of the negroes in
Southern Virginia, regarding their true con
dition andkthe destiny that ultimately awaits
them, is extremely perplexing to them
They scarcely Know what to think between
the conflicting tales that are told them
Parties who accompanied Stoneman's expe-
dition, say that one great point gained by it,
is the fact that the negroes nave been fully
informed Of the nature of the proclamation,
and that the information will spread with
rapidity throughout the length and breadth
of the South.
The residents of the country through
which the expedition passed were taken
completely by surprise, and in many in
stances the utmost astonisament was ex-
pressed Ivy the people on being informed of
the proximity of the Union troops. Occa-
sionally Union family would be met with,
who impaired laid and comfort to the enc
myn without stint No difficulty was ex-
pcricnced, as general thing, by the troops
in obtaining necessarles from the residents
of the section of country visited by the ex-
pedition, as far as their ability to furnish
ha oil nxrb xsra ayiI thaf
great scarcity of most needed articles was
felt everywhere.
Many of the inhabitants, on being made
acquainted with the fact that Union cavalry
were running the country, were sanguine iu
the belief that the fact was veil known ~
the ''powers that be" at Richmond, and that
they were permitted to have their way for
brief spell, prior to being Gagged and trans-s
ported to the prisons in Richmond, or sent
to their final account by the bullets of the
Rebel muskets. Very few realized the fact
that their country was being overrun and
devastated by an enemy, aud that the Rebel
Government was powerless to stop their de-
vastations.
The expedition was accompanied from
the start by two batteries of artillery, but
Their services were not needed in any ,one
instance About two thousand horses were
captured by expedition, nearly all Of
whom were brought safely to headquarters.
The time that elapsed from the time the
expedition started until its sreturn' to Kely's
Ford was nine days, in which time several
hundred miles of ground were travelled over;
property of the Rebel Government to the
amount of several million dollars were de-
stroycd; the transit of Rebel troops to and
from Fredericksburg and Richmond has
been destroyed and Rebeldom has been
treated to the most brilliant and successful
cavalry raid OF the war.