Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-06-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
FROM T'IIE AHuN OE TlHE
POTOMAC.
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CAVALRY
RAID.
Return Of Col. kilpairiciS from,
The Peninsula.
Large Amount of Rebel Property Captured

!SVdrt Foii,d IA an attempt 10 E"tnP Our
Forces
THE CHIEF OF VIRGINIA GCSliwHACKERs
TAKEN.
The cavalry raid of General Stoncman's
command WINS concluded yesterday by Col.
Kipatrick's brigade in one of the most
brilliant acts of the war. lie left Gloucester
Point on Saturday last and passing i'll II
northeaStcrly direction through Gloucester
county crossed the Dragon river at Saluta,
and thence through Middlcscx county to
Urbana on the Rappahannock crossing
that river to Union Point Col. Fitzpatrick
proceeded through Wcstmorcland and King
George counties to near the headquarters of
General Hooker without losing single man
of his command The rebels had OWNED
that this force was to attempt to rcioin the
command of Gen. Stoncman. and therefore
took special pains to capture it. The COM
mand was composed of about nine hundred
men in all. the Second New York IIarris
light cavalry and the Twelfth Indiana
cavalry.
No difficulty whatever was encountered
in Gloucester county, but upon reaching
Dragon river it was found that the rebels
had DESTROYED all the bridges. aud n superior
force of cavalry under General Stuart had
assembled at higher point up the river
with the intention. no doubt. of forcing the
command to cross the Rappahannock at
Leeds. narrow place where the enemy
themselves have been in the habit of fOrding
without opposition whenever occasion re-
qurcd; hut Colonel Fitzpatrick was prcpar-
rd for just such an emergency, and his
pioneers without any unnecessary delay CON
-tructcd II bridge over which the Dragon
river was crossed without difficulty. The
bridge was then destroyed. Here to foil
the enemy. the command moved forward in
several columns. The principal one on the
right. under Colonel lIaSbrouck Davis.
Pine Tree. in the lower part of MddcscX
county.
The people of this hitherto unrivalcd re-
gion were completely taken by surprise
they did not dream it possible that the
much hated Yankees would dare visit that
spot i'll fact it was place 50 secluded that
some of the large planters near Richmond
. had sent their negroes here for safety. The
house of Colonel Homes. who commands and
controls all the hlt,hwlinckcrs in that section
of the State, was approached so suddenly
that the rcdouhtablr Colonel WAS himself
captured, and last night slept on one of the
boat. of the Potomac ilotila. at Acquia
creek lie will probably extend his visit to
the national capital to-day. No opposition
whatever was met with in this direction,
and but few armed men were seen. and these
were buSlwhackrrs. armed principally with
double harrcllcd shot guns. They fled pre-
ciptatrly. however ut the sight of the blue
coats, and rs the country thcrcabouts is
covered with thick growth of pines. they
, succeeded generally in making good their
escape
On the road the carrier of rebel mail was
ovcrtakcn. An inspection of the mail mat
ter was forthwith Instituted. The letters,
for the most part, were of private nature.
and some of them were addressed to persons
residing within the loyal States. Their
cases will doubtless lac attended to 10y the
proper authorities in due season. One letter.
however, attracted particular attention. 1t
was signed 10y the vcritahc General Stuart.
and was addressed to Colonel Jones. who II
few hours before had been taken prisoner, in
response to IN appeal of the inhabitants to
be protected from the very cavalry force
then in their midst. General Stuart in the
letter promised the protection called for,
and stated he would be there on Sunday,
the day the mail was captured. lie was not
there. lowcvcr-at all events was not seen
in that vicinity 10y our troops. lie had laid
a trap. H. stated above. into which he cX-
prctcd the Yankee colonel would fall with
out hesitation. but in this hc was fortunately
mistaken. This portion of the command
reached Urhana Sunday evening, having
captured large number of horses and
mules, and being followed 10y Il motley
group of contrabandS of all ages and both
ScNcs. Among the captures 10y this portion
of the command. was confederate agent,
with thirteen thousand dollars in Georgia
and Missouri money
The left wing of the command went in a
| nortl-casterly direction, and reached the
road north of lrbana on Sunday evening.
Here the picket of the enemy which was to
annihiate the whole force, was encountered.
\ detachment charged and drove this force
in a north-wcsterly direction across the
Dragon river, at Church's mill-thc only
bridge they had not destroyed. They here
fell back upon their reserves, strongly in
trcnched. The pursuing party having ac-
complishcd the object OF their mission set
fire tO the bridge and slowly retired. They
were not pursued. Monday morning the
whole command WAS in front uf trbana
ready To cross the river, To protect this
part of the movement, Lieutenant Com
manding McGraw, of the Potomac ilotiilu,
WAS present. lie left Acquia creek an sat
ur,ay evening with the following named
vessels, and was at the rendezvous the very
moment when ordered; 1allaca, ferry boat,
Star, William W. Frazer, Long Branch,
flight draft steamboats, 10 transport the
troops across the river y aud the guuboats
Yankee, Frcehorn, Anacosta, Curriluck,
Primrose, Ella and Satellite
Captain Moilct, OF the Ninety fourth New
York volunteers, with one hundred picked
men Was also taken down, aud Captain j
G.. Paine, chief signal oil ,cr stationed ai
Aequia creek. The gunboats were immcdi
ately put la readiness for action. Captain
Mollei's command MAS landed at url,anna
aud were al once deployed outside of the
town as skirmishers. Captain Paine secured
nn cligiblc position just north OF the town
the direiinn from which an attack Wa,
nnliripaled 4 detachment of the filly
i second New York volunteers lengnerrs
sncedly constructed bridge across th'
n,nuth of trhana crock anl relairud o
wharf on lle opposite ,ide ol the ilappahan
mack so thai Tho lnats could receive thi