Daily national Republican., 1863-03-17
THE LATE RAID AT FAIRFAX COURT
HOUSE.
GEN. SToUGHToY NOT so BLAMABLE
Statement of his AdJuta6t General.
LETTER FROM THE GENERALS UNCLE.

The following is statement respecting the
late raid on Fairfax Court House, made by
General stoughton's assistant adjutant general:
sTArEMEST.
About three O'Clock a. M, on Monday, the
9Th Instant, a squadron Of rebel cavalry, num-
bering about sixty men, under command Of
Capt. Mosely, entered the town by the Centre
Vile road, disguised as Union soldiers and with
our countersign, thereby avoiding suspicion
among the plckets Of the commands through
whose lines they came. As they neared the
town they captured all the patrols and guards,
without gun being fired, after which their force
was divided into three squads, which was dis
patched TO surround the headquarters of Gen.
eral stoughton, Colonel Windham and the tele-
graph operator. The former and the latter were
taken prisoners, (Col. Wyndham was at the
time in Washington 1t being impossible to
offer any resistance. They seized, also, about
fifty horses, the largest number OF which were
private property, and about twenty-five of
them have been rccapturod. They remained
In the place but short time, and left, appar-
emily, by the same road as that on which they
entered, private property being since found
which had been taken from Col. Wyndham's
headquarters. It was not through the lines of
Gen. stoughton's command they passed, nor
was he responsible for the line Of pickets In
that direction. His headquarters were about
two miles from his brigade, established there
with the knowledge and consent of his imme-
diate commander.
1t was complete surprise. Whose fault It
was that II was allowed will be investigated.
WILLIAM II. HILL,
Capt. and Asst Adj't General,
Gen. Stoughton's Brigade.
The following letter from an uncle Of Gen.
stoughton, In regard to his alleged intimacy
with Miss Ford, addressed to the New York
Times, will be read with interest;
Letter from L. NJ. Stoughton, Esq.
New YoRK, Saturday, March Il, 1868.
Honorable II. J. Raymond;
DEAR SIR; Your paper of this morning con-
tains a communication puTporting to have been
written in some part of the StatG,Of Vermont,
by person pretending TO have received a let.
ter from Fairfax Court House, predicting the
capture of General StOughton, and containing
statements prejudicial to his character. The
author of this communication gives what he
calls an extract from the letter. Whether such
letter was ever written, is questionable; but,
however this may be, the extract referred TO is,
in all substantial respects, false.
From reliable sources have gathered tho
following infoTmatiOn:
The headquarters of General Stoughton were,
with the knowledge and assent of his superior
General Casey-Gxed at Fairfax Court House.
There, or in that Immediate vicinity, he had,
when captured, two regiments, one Of cavalry,
the othOr Of infantry. The remainder, and bulk
of his brigade, was about three miles distant.
At the time Of his capture, his mother and sis
ter were visiting him-the latter having been
there about two weeks. They, with three of
his aides, had apartments in and slept at the
house Of Mr.. Ford-a member of whose fam
| lily is SO indecently mentioned In the so-called
extract. Tho Generals quarters were about q
block distant. There he slept, as did also one
of his aides; and there he, with his mother and
sister, and all of his aides, took their meals.
This Mr.. Ford and his family were highly
respected In the neighborhood; although, il is
probable, that like most of the residents there,
they were unfflendly 10 the Union cause. Ihaye
information which leads me TO believe that
Gen. Stoughton had no acquaintance whatever
with either ofthe female members of Mr.. Ford's
family. He, Of course, believed them respec-
table, or he would not have placed his mother
and sister under their roof
These facts sufficiently dispose of the un-
founded statements and malicious inBinuations
contained In the communication referred TO-,
do not know Its authors name or residence.
and probably never shall. II you can furnish
them to me, shall take pleasure In sending
my check to your order for $3.50, 1.-TWO hundred
and fifty dollars) to be applied by you for the
benefit Of the New England Soldiers Relief
Association, under the charge Of Col. Howe, of
tLl1 Sltg VI W ObllCl DCutNOlGnl PURPOSE In
which you may feel an interest.
General Stoughton is now a captive In the
hands of our common enemy. He Is nv
brothers son, and do not like to see his reputa
ton assailed while he is unable 10 defend IL.
At the breaking out Of the rebellion he left my
Office, where he was studying law, TO take the
command Of the Fourth Vermont regiment,
He had graduated at West Point after a five
years. course, but as he was supposed TO differ
in political views from the majority of citizens
In that State, many jealous politicians ofnarrow
views, to which class the writer Of the article in
question probably belongs, violently opposed
his appointment as colonel, upon the ground
that such commissions should go to political
partizans. He was appointed, however, and
led his regiment through all the battles aud
dangers OF the peninsula. 1t was thought he
deserved promotion, and hence he was nomi-
mated as a brigadior general. At the time of
his capture this nomination was pending before
the Senate, and this communication was we'll
calculated TO prevent his confirmation.
The full particulars Of his unfortunate cap
ture are yet to DO revealed. When all are de-
velOped, believe he will stand Justified He
understood his profession well, was a rigid
disciplinarian, and not likely TO neglect usual
military precautions. His pickets and out
posts, upon which every officer Is compelled TO
rely, were surprised and captured. This may
have been the work of treaChery-it may have
resulted from other Causes-buL, venture to
say, not from want Of vigilance on his part.
Yours truly, L. W. bToUGHTOR.