Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-05-21

lDc engineer OF the com mmand an
! Major Beaumont and Capt Thomas
the first New Jersey Cavalry, eac
: made special effort to destroy thi
: structure. There were no blastin
tools to be had; several kegs of blasl
ing powder, however, were found in
storehouse, and three Of the kegs wer
tcob6ned In cask and the cask file
with pressed earth. The water In 7th
aqueduct being eight feet deep, it wa
designed to sink this machine owe
one Of the piers and destroy the sam
upon the Maillfort plan Of blasting
rocks under water. Everything wa
arranged and the cssk was being low
cred into the canal by means ofa rope
I when, unfortunately. the rope brok'
and the cask could not be recovered
again within the time prudence dictated
that absence from the place would b.
desirable. Several negroes, who fol
lowed that night, allege that two rebel
regiments, with eight pieces Of artillery
entered the place within two hours al.
ter Col. Wyndnam evacuated il. Al
about 4 O'Clock P. NJ, the detach.
ment marched down the canal bank
for about FIVE miles, fcrded Byrd
Greek, and taking the Fredericksburg
pike go far as it went in the right di.
rection, arrived at Thompson's Four
Corners at 10 o'clock the same night.
This command, during the day. cap
tured several hundred horses. and was
followed into camp by drove of he.
groes. "a. fra. HHr
The movements of Gen. Gregg's
command upon the Fredericksburg and
Richmond Railroad at Ashland an vi.
cinity; that OF Col. Fitzpatrick and Col.
Davis. upon the Virginia Central road.
between the South Anna and Rich
mond. and the destruction of all the
pike bridges on the South Anna, Of
trains Of cars, Of Commissary stores
and depots, have been referred to in a
previous letter. Each OF these detach-
ments captured a large number of hor-
ses, and destroyed immense amounts
OF property in use by or ready for the
agents Of the rebellion.
Sunday and nearly all day Monday,
Gen. Bufort's command was stationed
near Shannon Hill, and detachment
under Captain Drummond was sent to
destroy the cana! and bridge near Ce-
dar Point. which work was most eff
fectuaIly accomplished. Sunday night,
the Sd, it is believed both Hampton
and Lees brigades were encamped
within two miles of Gen. Buford.
On the morning of the 4th a picket,
consisting of so men, commanded, by
Lieutenant Stoddard of the Fifth Caval-
ry, was attacked. Fifteen Of our men
were captured. Among the number
missing are two officers, supposed tc
have been captured. .. r
Tuesday, the 9th, the whole of the
command concentrated near Yancey-
vile. and during the day divine SER
vice was held in the st. James Church
at that place. The Rev. A. o. Brick
nan. Chaplain First Maryland Cavalry,
officiated. and a patriotic and fervent
prayer was offered by Major c. H.
Russell, of the same regiment. In the
afternoon the retrogade movement was
General Buford's divis.
on made a circuit, passing near Cor
louisville. General Gregg's division
crossed the South Anna at Yanceyville,
md on Friday morning, May 8, the
whole force reached Kelley's Ford in
safety. orr a - !ra ,'
On Thursday, just after crossing
Raccoon Ford, Gen. Stoneman sent
Lieut.. Sumner, OF his staff, as bearer Of
dispatches to Gen. Hooker, with
whom he had not communicated since
he 99th ult. Taking with him an es-
,ort of sixteen, men, Lieut.. Sumner
went to the Germania Bridge, with a
view to reaching. il possible, United
States Ford The result of the battle
near Fredericksburg was not then
known. Information obtained from
residents near Germania Bridge salts /
led Lieut.. s. that it would not be pru-
lent to go further in that direction.-I
He accordingly proceeded to Richards
Ford, and with great difficulty, sue
;eeded in crossing in safety. The es-
,ort being unable to ford the river,
moved back FIVE miles to farmhouse,
where they stopped for the night. and
next morning overlook Gen. Stone
man at Kelly's Ford. Not an armed |
rebel was seen BY this party. |
To sum up-Gen. Stoneman moved |
about within the enemy's lines at will
for nine days. with force not exceed
ing 5000 men; disabled every line of
between the army of
the Rappahannock and the rebel capi-
the canal through which more
than one half Of their supplies are re-
that in the opinion of COM
petent judges, neither line, provided
the rebels have every facility for the
work, can be repaired in less than four
weeks; destroyed millions of dollars
worth of commissary stores, and other
supplies; obstructed travel upon the
main pixies, by destroying all bridges
over large streams; gave the citizens /
Of ten counties. viz: Culpepper,
Spottsylvanis, Orange, Hanover, Hen
rico, Louisa, GoochlaDd. Fluvanns,
King William and New Kent, an op-
to see for themselves that
not only are the Yankee soldiers conf |
dent and in good spirits, but are really |