Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-05-21
ST0NEMAN,S RAID.

VAe 41<h&Ak3N ~ xAx1x0s
Account of a Correspondent who
Accompanied the Expedition
Colonel Kilpatrick's Report.
E. r. Pant. of the New York Times,
who rode with Stoneman on his raid. de-
scribes it thus, in q narrative for the Jour-
nal on which he is employed:
At O'Clock the command started for
Thompson's Cross Roads Tor Four Corn
ers, which point was reached at la o.
clock p. m. From here the different ex-
petitions started to cut the enemy's line.
AT II o'clock midnight. Gen. Stoneman
called all the principal officers together,
and explained tho general plan of opera
tians. The commander of each detach
ment was directed to specific points to be
destroyed--thc special object of his mis- :
sion accomplished, he was allowed the
widest latitude for any further operations.
By 2 IA o'clock Sunday morning, May
3, the several expeditions had started
The moon was shining brightly. the roads
were comparatively good. and for once in
the history of the war, everything was in
harmony. Col. Wyndham. of the lst
New Jersey cavalry. with his own and the
LIST Maine regiments--in all about 500
men, took southeriy direction, and cross.
ing Owens Creek. Licking Hole Creek,
Little Licking Hole Creek. Little Byrd
Creek. and several other creeks, reached
Columbia. on the James River, a. about 8
o'clock a. M. The approach of the force
had been heralded, but no one believed il.
The man who went to the trouble of riding
ten miles to give the inhabitants notice,
was almost mobbed by the people--they
doubted his sanity. "What! Yankees
near Columbia?" said one citizen ut is
impossible; jeff Davis would not permit
such an invasion" of the sacred soil. The
furnisher Of the unwelcome news had dirt
thrown at him. was hooted at. and follow
ed by crowd of excited people. who were
threatening him with all sort of vengeance
just as the advance Of COL Wyndhan,' 8
force. under Major Beaumont dashed into
town. There were no soldiers there. A
dozen or more citizens succeeded in escap-
ing across the river, and Speeding the as
founding intelligence, ard soon after a
squad OF troopers appeared in the distance
on the opposite bank. The people south
of the river did not believe the story told
by the fugitives. One man rode, with his
servant. down to the river bank, to see for
himself. The servant seized upon the op-
portunity to ride into our lines. He was
not pursued. A planter sent son mount
ed on valuable horse, to ascertain the
news-believing the force to be Stuars's
cavalry. The boy asked an officer if the
Yankees had been whipped, and was told
that they had. Heexpressed his satisfac-
tion. and was about leaving, when the Of
ficer told him he wanted horse--his own
was jadcd. Al exchange was speedily
made. The boy was evidently somewhat
puzzled at this summary proceeding. but
thought it all right no doubt, as it was
Stuart's cavalry, and he rode off to tell
bis father the news. A negro who mani
tested some joyful emotion upon hearing
that the Yankees were coming was severe
ly whipped by bis master. just below Co.
lumbia. few hours before we reached tho
spot. The negro. upon being released,
reiterated his former expression, and an
attempt was made to whip him again.
But he escaped. jumped into the river, and
was drowned. The old negro preacher on
the plantation where the above occurred.
told me that his master "cused dc Yam
KEGS cause dey made i'm loss a fifteen
hundred dollar niger"
In the canal at Columbia was found sew
erai boats loaded for Richmo ond with baled
hay and commissary stores, all bearing the
stencil mark Of G. s. A Another boat
from Lynchburg arrived during the day
The torch was applied to the boats; bridg-
es across the stream-of which there were
several-and large quantity of med ical
and commissary goods found in . ware
house. were either burned or thrown into
the river. The bank Of the canal was cut
at several points within FIVE miles, and the
locks destroyed. At Columbia the canal
crosses James River in q massive stone
aqueduct. No one seems to have known
Of this structure; at ell events. nothing was
brought along to secure its destruction.
The engineer of the command and Ma
jor Beaumont and Capt. Thomas of the
lst New Jersey cavalry each made special
effort to destroy tho structure. There
were no blasting tools to be had; several
kegs Of blasting powder, however, were
found in store-house. and three of the
kegs were confined in . cask filled with
pressed earth. The water in the aqueduct
being eight feet deep. it was designed to
sink the machine over one of the piers, and
destroy the same upon the Maillefor. plan
of blasting rocks under water. Every
thing was arranged and the cask was being
lowered into the canal by means of rope.
when, unfortunately, the rope broke. and
the cask could not be recovered again
within the time prudence dictated that ab-
sence from the place wonld be desirable.-
Several negroes. who followed that night.
allegs that two rebel regiments, with eight
pieces of artillery. entered tho place within
two hours after Col. Wyndham evacuated
it. AT about 4 O'Clock p. m. the detach.
ment marched down the canal bank for a.
bout five miles. foricd Byrd Greek. and
taking the Fredericksburg pike so far as it
went in the right direction, arrived at
Thompson's -Four Corners at 10 o'clock
the same night. This command. during
the day, captured several hundred horses,
and was followed into camp by drove of
negroes.