The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-05-18
Col. Kilpatriok's Report.

f. R. Plant, Of the New York Times,
WHO rode with S,oneman on his raid, des-
cribes |, thus, in a narrative for that jour
nal, on which he is employed:
AT 5 o'clock the command started for
Tbompson's Cross Roads Cor Four Cor
ners, which point was reached at about
ia O'Clock p. m. From here the differ
ent exp editiops started to cut the enemy's
lines. AT IL o'clock midnight, General
SLOVENIAN called all the principal officers
together, aud explained his general plan
of operations. The command of each de-
tachment was directed to specific points
to be de stroyed-lhe special object of his
mission accomplished, he was allowed the
widest latitude for any further operations.
BY y O'Clock Sunday morning, Mays,
the several e 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 har-
mopy. Col. Wyndhsm, of the Is. New
Jersey cavalry. with his own and the LIST
Maine regiments in all about 600 men,
took a southerly direction, and crossing
Owens Creek, Licking Hole Creek, Lit
tie Licking Hole Greek, Little Byrd
Creek, and several other creeks, reached
Columbia, on the James River 1t about
o'clock a. m. The approach Of the force |
had been heralded, but no one believed
it.. The man who went to the trouble Of
riding ten miles to give the inhabitants
notice, was almost nobbsd by the people
they dou bted his sanity ..What
Yankees near Columbia ?" said one citi.
zen. "TFis 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 booted
at, and followed by a crowd Of excited
people, who we're threatening him with all
sorts of vengeance, just as the advance
guard of Col. Win iham g force, under Mai.
Beaumont, dashed into town. There
were no soldiers there. A dozen or more
citizens succeeded in escaping across the
river, and spreading the astounding intel-
hgeuee, and soon after 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 fu gitives.
One man rode, with his servant, down to
the river hank, to see for himself. The
servant seized upon the opportunity to
rids into our lines. He was not pursued.
A planter sent q son mounted on valua-
BILE horse to ascertain the news--beieving
the force to be Stuart's cavalry. The boy
asked an officer if the Yankees had been
whipped, and was told that they had. -
He expressed his satisfaction, md Nss
about leaving, when the officer told him
he wanted horse-bis own was jaded
An exchange was speedily made. The
boy was evidently somewhat puzzled at
this summary proceeding, but thought il
oil right no doubt, as il was Stuart's cav
airy, and he rode of to tell his father the
news. A negro who manifested some
joyful emotion upon hearing that the Yam
KEGS were doming, was severely whipped
by his master, just below Columbia, few
hours before We reached the spot. The
negro, upon being released, reiterated his
former expression. and an attempt was
made to whip him again But be cscap.
ed, jumped into the river, and was drown
ed. The old negro preacher on the plan
tation where the above occurred, told me
that his master "cursed dc Yankees cause
dey made i'm loss fifteen hundred dol
lar niger"
In the canal at Columbia was found sew
eral boats loaded for Richmond with baled
hay and conmissary stores, all bearing the
stencil mark of c. S. A. Another boat
from Lynch burg arrived during the day.
The torch was applied to the boats !;
bridges across the csnal-of which there
were several--and q large Quantity of
medical aud commissary goods found 10 q
warehouse, were either burned or thrown
Into the river. The bank OF tue canal
was cut At several points within five
miles. and The locks destroyed AT Co
lumbia The canal crosses the James River
IN massive stone aqueduct. No one
seems to have known OF this structure
at all events, nothing was brought along
to secure its destruction.
The engineer Of the command, and
Major Beaumont. and Capt. Thomas, of
The LIST New Jersey cavalry, each made
special effort to destroy this structure.
There we're no blasting tools to be had !,
several kegs OF blasting powder, however,
were found In store-house, and three
OF the kegs \ ere confined in . cask and
The cask filed with pressed earth. The
water in the aqueduct being eight feet
deep, it was designed to sink this machine
over one OF the piers, and destroy it up
on the Mailisfort plan of blasting rocks
under water Every thing was arranged
and the oasa was being lowered ioto she
canal by means Of a rope, when, uffor-
tunately, the rope broke, and the cask
could not BE- recovered sgsin within the
tune prudence dictated that absence from
the pla,e would be desirable. Several
negroes, who followed that night. allece
mat tworebel regiments, with eight pieces
Of artillery. entered the place within two
hours after Col Wyndham evacuated II.
al about 4 o'clock p. IN. the detachment.
marched down the canal bank for about
npe miles, forded Byrd Creek, and taking
he fredericksburg pike SO far 40 it went
40 The right direction, arrived ut Thonp.
sou Four Corners at 10 O'Clock the
s1me night. This com mand, during the
u.,' captured several bundled horses and
ns,.a 'o'o"e 20 into camp by drove Of
ne movements Of Gen. Grepo's com.
mand upon the FredericLshn,r pa Pr
Fh.L