The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-06-12
One of the Best Raids of the War,
correspondence Of the n. 7. Tribune, zr-4

! A'ihS VI tIi| otDlHdc, May -, %.
The eth Illinois Cavalry las Just re
turned from The most successful raid We
made by any one regiment. having bee,
toragng prorDiscuously in the enemy
| country for the, eleven days just past
The regiments left camp on the 17'h inst.
with 500 men ali tod. ard four day 6 ra'
tons, for The purpose Of visiting that sec
ton of deba,ah ground lying betw ecr
the Rapp-haunock and the Potomac river.
below Fredericksburg This region has
been The refuge OF guerrillas and smuggIers
during the pas. winter-the former hav-
ing caused our cavalry piekets no little
ANNOYANCE in one way and another !,
was for the purpose Of inflicting summary
punishment upon these citizen rnararuders
that the 9Th Illinois paid them a visit, and
there is no doubt What they made most
lasting impression. After reaching King
George Court House, Colonel Cendenn
divided his command into three columns,
each taking a public turnpike road, and
,marynins ihe entire length Of" the Nrc, -"
until lhey arrive. q: the Junction of the
two rivers, capturing ani DESTROYING reb-
el property without limit.
Every nook along the bank Of the two
rivers was explored for smugelers' boats
and goods, which, when found, were de,
stroyed. One hundred sloops, yawls. fer
ry.boats, etc, were burned with all their
contents, consisting O. salt, oil. whisky,
leather, stationery, wool cards, percussion
caps, boots, shoes, clothing, and many
other articles of especial value 10 the reb
els. About 20,00o pounds Of bacon and
and large quantity Of -four were also
destroyed. At Iced Ferry, it was ascer-
tained that the ferry-boat used for SNUG
Cling purposes was on the southern bank
of the tsroahan"ocE, and it was cspec-
tally desiratIe that it should be DESTROYED
Accordingly few of the Illinois men
were dressed IN rebel uniform, and. escort
ing few of their companions as Union
prisoners, succeeded in entcing the boat
across, whereupon they made prisoners of
the guard and destroyed the boat. On
returning, the negroes belonging on the
plantations along the line Of march Joined
the enancipating column, coming in
squads OF from five to twenty, until there
were final Y accumulated SO men, women
and children of Tie contraband persuasion.
1 hey brought with them all their person
al property, horses, mules, carte, clothing,
&c, aud doubtless, some which did not
legitlmate'y belong to them. but which
they had c)nliscated from rebel masters
under the Seques,ration act" 1t was
found that there are still many good and
loyal citizens in this section Of tie country
who rendered most valuable assistance TO
our troops.
Not The least important result of this
expedition was the accumulation Of five
hundred horses and mules, so much need
ed IN our eecsicc. These animals are
with few exceptions, far superior to those
purchased by our Government for caviar
service. After a few DAYS rest, the S,h
limos viii be the best mounted regiment
in the service. 1t nav he mentioned
here that the most seryieeable horses the
cavalry have had during the pas. year
have been those captured from the enemy.
One company that know of has. out Of
flitv horses, thirty five which were former
Iy IN the Confederate service; and this
company las not had horse condemned
IN SIX months. The reason for this is,
tie rebels press into their service the best
l0rses to be found within their lines,
while our Government buys the poorest
horses TO be had for a limited price. Yet
with all this advantage ia favor Of our
enemies. our cavalry have thus far had
y, ~ and pluck enough TO capture two Of
,ho;r oor. Nv men to every one lost
What we could j. rr"operIy mounted it is
impossible 20 magire. -,
The Slh Illinois reached their camp =.
night, and more ludicrous procession
was never formed than this cavalcade OF
cavalry, negroes, captured horses, mules.
carts, wagons, oxen, rebel soldiers. irot
ting sulk;es, top carriages, DC. There
were about one hundred prisoners. some
of them guerrilIas, for whose crimes the
punishment is death, three officers and
few smugcIers. Upward Of $4,000 in
Confederate money was also secured, be-
sides some. Government securities OF
the negroes. oOO were stout, Realty field
hands, who have been assigned to duty as
laborers, in the Quartermaste,'s Depart
ment, where they will earn for themselves
the fair wages Of so per month and ra-
tons.
The remainder were old men. and the
wives, children, or mothers of the first
lot. To feed this large family and his
Command as well. Col. Ciendenin made
heavy levies upon the grsnaries Of secesh,
took possession Of their gris;-mills turned
his soldiers into millers, and thus succeed
ed in obtaining abundant supplies of meal
and -four. The official reports Of the
raids show that upward of $1,000, GOO
worth OF rebel property was destroyed,
aside from what was brought into camp,
while the blow struck at the smuggling