The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-03-26
THE BATTLE OF KELlEY'S FORD.
lwRrrraN FOR rHe RICHMOND IIspArcH

FURTHER PARTICULARS.
tWRIrrlN FOR THe kIcHMokD LIspArcH
sscrt time since, yh:n Brig. Cen Ssocsh:on
ard osh:r Tarkss prisonsrs were brought 10 Cor.
dotsviis. they were heard 10 re nsrk that Il woud
DC coed plaza TO capture. Seeing that they w.e
overheard, tssy turMd {, cns Of cur efii ,ess xnd
said, well capture this placs one Of these diSs."
How q was alAed.
by eur cavalry. We knew Gil a5out II, but
Supposed 1. larger"
This attis inci.sn: si,aEed to Yaakses were
aware OF she importance OF Gordonsviile 30 us,
and xiso that 1t was gsaesal d.pos I. .h9Ted,
too, that & -aid upon Il bad been talked CT among
ths .anAse cavalry Generals. From that point to
tie Canal and lis High Bridge L. bu. short dis
taccs. aad could havs been made easily by q YAu.
kee sSvalry soros. provided such obstacles nc sur
Cavalier Smart and Fl z Lee had not been risc ,d
10 its way. With every propulsion for . long
TIP. vita a wseks 3 rations In hAvezsasks packed
po.k and hatd bread In bcxss crrt:iigs sooxss full
Of ammunition, 1Ld caisons ca6 umher bcxe5 wsii
paSked. tie ensay stsrted out vsry confidently,
sElc unles1 prevented ~ou.d hare dons n sa inssl
ealsbie atnoun. cf irjury. 1.sater than the raere
peccnlasy loes. would hass been the o,al eff. C:
Of : successful cavalry raj wit liu our lines.
So much ~ 10 tee e5;.e. of the ex ocd.tisn
On The morning Of the 18Th tslsaran from G,n
Ghil.on iafszned den S.rsrs tbs, 4, VARY force
OF the enemy, 90 strong. WAS ir motion. snd eau
acning hin TO lock out fer IL a. the ivsr. Gen,
SLZ.ugh Lees brigade was upon tbs river and
that eve aing Q got a rep,r. from Capt. Randolph
Of the "Slsek Ecrse." CO thinning the telegram and
saying tie enemy appeared Ia molten. Later the
advance videsses appeared At Kslsys Ford, and
siso at Esi p.harncck bridge. ten. Lse irma-
dis.eiy sent Gown rsinforesmerts to the companies
tie nssuTa. strength Of tas posi icn con,iudsd our
skarp.hoo:srs could hoia.in check any farce the
enemy night sitesaps to cross; thereto he made
himself easy fof the night,
Tn aceou At Ct insufficient vigilance On She Fart
OF tie osmpsuy 90 picket the enemy fo-ssd pas
ssge abou. O'Clock N shs morning. Bang unds r
heavy re, those in tie pits were unsble 10 escsps
and cii vsre csoturei. This Inflammation WAS cs..
ried to Gen. Lee by courier. who also sisted the
Yankees were rapidly advancing. Tbs brigade wes
ordered ont TO 60 ininsd;s.e!y, without order CT
rlsYch Th, 81 was Ara. ca .As road followed BY
the 5,h, Col, Rosssr. aad thsc the others. All t,ok
the di,est!on Of Keiey's Ford. .he enemy I'd.
yape.d slowly thas Gan. Lee was o; opinion that
he hsd gone down tie river 10 cross at gs.csoa
Ford and seuB get in bis rss. s1pposing the sr1si
force seea az Ke.leys Ford only party lof, TO
cover she rear, and 10 deceive him, Under inst
impression he boldly ds!erEinsd to 60 and meet
him, snd osGerej charge &.sght. To She s1rprise
OF Eli, however, bshiad the sm.u foxes fcSt do
covered Was tls eui-e cavalry division OF Aver.Il
il Inns. and setln:o TO have antic:p a.sd us en-
traly.
ussga through the tstl7ns winter. The ,sr;t Of
proper sd sac cen: fccsge, tbs sum totsl o. I'll
Cient u,oCote1 n,en Gen Lee WIS ahls TO turn ous,
amounted to ltss than cne thousand men TIE
g-e.l disparity OF Lumbers did not int III iate this
spieldid brigade, and they eartsd at shc Yanxoas
tas hsad Of tnc c1iuuin cams Ia s;gat Of
k;em The 80 Firgnis led he eh,rgs add meg
nineen charge il was Isl! hoaor to those brE, sid
2obls men The enemy. a.thocgh three TO on,
! d.snaI sud fought q, i,ia1ry behind heavy
atone walls, with dsep ..eh II font sf ID. IN -
Notwi bs:aad.ng al. :. il. key flea ther posts a.
Shs Sd spproEsnto. 1ha charging regiment being
unable 81 solew, a2cCu- OF the sail aud ditch,
wors forced 10 fai Eaak uador sharp Gre. Gne
3 h.s:og is;led Ctl aos.er nj lbe 5 B, uAa or.
d3red 20 sasan H. ana VIII u bsoE of It's
rs.rise. charged also dsnn upon tie ~sN, wn ch
coud be aeer from The ster.ins point. Not BE-
iog able t sei ovsr the wall Col Eoss,r led .hs
5.n down It a. ehGg &c, n:s tho isse, and da htoa
Down II, Il upon the Il INK of the enemy. This
lane nEd high soae walls either si1s a.so 50,
bsIkweEits snd led up - ca enclosure aud house.
whers is terminated. This wall H1s nnsd with
shay pshoe.trf, sid around the house scd ln she
enclosure asversl h2ndset were p,stsd, all the
wai keeping up sn inosssans ii i:e. Il YVES hare
that Sa!or puies of the 5tI Was Ehot through u
body AID eied.
bo.as We dsed Up IN tbs narrow space, with ;hs
HspoAaaunocE rivsr on ono eide. and q wall ar d
gorge the other, snd beiog c,nsfaasiy jaosed
to Calling FIRE, unable to so iuEsher On accoun: OF
TIE houSs. Col. Eosser vas oblgsd d TO woee! sncu.
and move bas x tro Or thee hundred yaris, oshi-d
hill. ~Eere the nlea could be protected.
HesEt Col. Drake, af he LAT, had :.ilen upon
ihe enemy IN snoshsr part O. tie f5ld bat dndias
it q ,sl guarded his charge wss also uusute ed
tus He.cS immediately followed by . chsIgs by
the Id Col Eiaks moved cf on faux TO caDy ii.
msn End re ready for emergencies This wes
hsppy Thing Tho ch4yge OF tas "a Wss aisa un
sloes2srui x:ia its coa.nae ding oioer Major eek.
ins.0ge, wag captrred. fhs enemy nor pu, usd
the z e. l. wxs failing back. scd lress.d Glossy
ueoai. Al this time Osp'. ksw:cn, OF tie 4,h o.
:re ada. and 20. Dsaae, OF th7 lst, ged en-
e-her aaos, killing ard esp uEi1g good nnxnose
Os tbs eneuy. driving thsir advancing columa Ick
IN disorder 1ni coaf1siOn Eu. their artillery be
tng b favoratIy posted heir s,psaoots 9 40 Lu
meEous eud 10 wsi. protected 20 sdvSa sye cou:d
bs .Ekeu Of shis. acd turtle: p.ssui: was impos
sib;e.
Our command aaa, By su,,szsive and uasue-
cssnfrl charger, become semewhss scattss ed, and
presented zfron. OF scne half mile The enemy
eew this and socA sdvants gs OF 1t, throwing ous q
heavy 10, &C usoa II ief:, which came out rapidly.
shock fell upon the 5h and 3d--ths enemy IA
heavy colamu, ihs charge was met by ths 5.h,
checked, driven oeck upon taeir main body, Rr il
leiy AnG BlarpeEOote rs-Ou. mea rsing pistol and
sabre alone. Checked again by the heavy IRE Of
sr,iils,y and earcines tie 5.h became somswhes
corsohed AID sc rite ed bat lhsJ main sLied their
position obeyirg the orders Of Ioi. lcsser aad
fo,miog under Aso, rsmaised until ths 81 again gal
,xn.ly charged and relieved them The S b rallied
sgsi1 few buadfee ys,ds from the easmy's line.
Protec ei by . hne battery, and by nasu ally
strong position lined with uis;ncuntsa c.rHicisrs
ths mornted men caksSed IHt at times through
gates o I'd openings In the wall, whenever GU,
iiEe wsvesea. srd ,hsy deemed it safe to do 60.
We hal TO position, no rSse Eve, no protscian, no
Atiiiery tuppcst end yet each kuccsSeivs charge
was rspused with sp:sit. When aext they ed
neons,y nd aeovs ID, NJ clear Gu: the Hs!d. Mean
tms on TIE right the ID, An and iss regiments had
Es&de fspekt. cbsrSes In the st gal:ns manner
kesEaa them tack Ia that 1T Of the 0sid and eli
thsie IF ,Ets 20 xdva2c. haa bsen ftusra,sd. Our
artillery had uos o~ms up, and we wsre forced to
rely upon pistol and sabre a,ons the Yanxes5
using ttelr artillery with superb ammunition and
lorg range carbiass, sabjscting rs at al times to
deadly 1fe.
given any General conddsnce In his ccmuahd.
The men w.re all liss-sl spirit their eyes alis-
tened with fire, their hsssts beat With chivalrc
vaior, and their s:rcpg arms were nerved with i'm
pulse q they grasped thsir swords Although dis.
ordered ara scattered by 30 many charges, not q
m.n Shirksd his duty, not one fAl cred they were
dstsrsniatd TO give the iRvaaezs another lesson
At thls tms Gen. etusrt. with Ii. reckless disre-
ward of his own HE that marks this Egsve man.
rode under fss. snd whiIs he praised the deter
mined bravery cf his men, said It wcuid Los do to
6yhs LANCER n such cdds--hs must co iCentsate