The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-08-11
From the Raleigh Journal
ACCOUNT OF THE LATE RA1D YIN
ROCKY MOUNT AND TARBORO'.
TARBoRo, N. G., July 30, 1868.

and Tarboro', [ was in Tarboro' during the time,
and write knowingly of their acts there Of their
Rocky Mount proceedings write from reliable in
formants. They reached Rocky Mount between
7 and 8 A. NJ, with one picket gun or mountain
howitzer, "a small brass piece. twenty-five or thir-
ty inches long,) carrying a small shot or she'll,
and about three hundred well mounted cavalry,
armed mostly with Colts large size pistols only.
They proceeded at once to the capture OF every
man they saw and held them as prisoners or under
arrest. A party sent to the Railroad bridge
on Tar river, which they burnt; another to Rocky
Mount or Falls of Tar river, where they set fire to
the Cotton Factory, Grist- mills, two warehouses
and store room, all belonging to w. S. Battle,
Esq, which were entirely consumed. The Facto-
ry, Mills, &C., contained large amount of cotton
N the bale and in the block, corn, fixtures &c,
TTTiford, breaking up and giving out quantity of
articles that had been stored there for safe keep
ing. They broke open Mr. Battles bacon house,
destroying and distributing several thousand
pounds Of meat. Every horse and mule Of any
value they seized and took off. The train on the
Tarboro' Branch Road containing large amount
of bacon, some 25 or 10000 pounds, one or two
car loads Of ordnance stores and many trunks,
boxes &c ,.of fugitiVes, set fire to and burnt
up. They remained at Rocky Mount about two
hours and then took the road TO Tarboro' on the
South side Of the river, burning the gin houses of
r. S. Petway, Colonel W. B. Cox, Spencer Hart,
Mrs. Powell, Robert Noraeet and Jas. l.. Battle.
Strange to- say, they passed the gin houses of
Kemp p. Battle, COL Joseph H. Lyman and Cof
field King, doing them no damage. On their way
down they met j. J. Harper (overseer of W. s.
Batte,) with 25 negroes, all the wagons and mules
of the farm and some 20 or $4,000 pounds of ba-
con; trying to make tkeir escape. The bacon and
wagons burnt, the overseer, negroes and
mules were captured and taken along with them.
They stole the mules and horses and decoycd off
the negroes Gas many as they could)- from every
plantation from Rocky Mount to Tarboro', Messrs.
w. S. Battle and R. Norfeet being the heav-
lest losers in negroes and teams. This party
reached Tarboro' between 4 and p N,
At some point tile road between Sparta and
Rocky Mount their forces divided, the party
above mentioned going to Rocky Mount, the other
coming to Tarboro', which place they reached
about 10 A. NJ with their squadrons of cavalry
(each numbering about 100 men) and two picket
guns or mountain hoWitzers of the same calibre as
the one they bad at Rocky Mount, cavalry and ar
tillery. I think this party numbered between 3
and hundred men, some armed with sabres and
carbines, most Of them with Colts large size pis-
tolls only. They rushed into town at a furious
rate and picketed every approach to it as soon
possible, which was the work Of only few min
utes. They were fired on by Col Griffin's (62d
town only few minutes before their entrance.
This picket was OIL slow horse and was captured
shortly after crossing the river bridge. Here
they. found the gun-boat in process of consrue
ton, two river steamers, which had been run up
FROM Washington when that town was evacuated
in the spring 90, three black smith shops, one
lurge steam grist:ml and a warehouse, in which
were deposited Quartermasters' stoves. The jail
was also burnt during the day either by Yankees,
OT1rn hy>th ham
conformity; the truth in the case [ imagine will
never come out.
Soon after occupying the town, their train (wa-
CONS, mules, negroes, etc. was taken across
the bridge to the south side of the river. Their
intention was evidently to go back that way, it
being only Is miles to Washington over hard
piEey woods road.
By the way, information had been conveyed to
Col. Martin, at Fort Branch, of their movements
and Graham's battery, g pieces,) two companies,
D and G, Of the 18th regiment and 80 cavalry,
under Maj. Kennedy, (of Grifin's 62nd Ga } were
on forced march to Tarboro They left Fort
Branch about three In the morning, and were at
Clarks mill, three miles from town, by II a m
having marched 81 miles. A portion of their
cavalry with their artillery crossed the bridge at
Iarboro,, getting on the north side and also pro-
ceeded down the road some mile and half when
they were met by -kennedy's pickets who fired on
About two and half miles from town, near
Qapiels school-house, Kennedy put his men in
ambush, dislnounted and awaited their approach
On they came, right into the trap, and the dis
mounted cavalry, with Minnie rifles, poured a
deadly volley into them from each side Of the road
They formed and charged once, twice, three times,
our men loading ahd giving it to them as rapidly
possible. They could stand it no longer, and
gave way, rctreating towards town. The result of
tbs encounter was left dead in and near the
road, Conc Of them Captain,) and Is prisoners,
three of them wounded, (two being Lieutenan,s,)
five horses killed and about twenty-five captured
with their aeooutrements on.
Soon after this encounter Lieut.. Col. Lamb, with
companies and G Captains Luke and Norman)
OF the 18th N. G.. regiment, and section 1.-TWO
pieces) of Graham's Petersburg battery, Capt Ed
ward Graham In command, formed junction with
Maj. Kennedy cavalry where the River road and
the Tarboro' and Williamson road come together
about l / miles from town
They found the Yankees in their front occupy .
ing ravine some three hundred yards in length
running perpendicular to the river. Capt Ora
ham threw some well directed shell into the ravine.
which was heavily wooded. Capt. Norman, with
his company, went forward and partially fanked
their position, pouring some well aimed volIeys.
upon them, when they began to skcdaddle and run
for the bridge protecting themselves well as
they could by the dam levee, which runs par
ael with the river for about half to three-quarters
Of a mile. Our forces pursued. Graham's pieces
getting position in the open field about one mile
from the bridge, threw several shell among them.