, 1863-05-14

Account Of a Correspondent Who
Accompanied the Expedition

Accompanied the Expedition
COLONEL KllpATRIcK's REPORT.
E. R. Pant, OF the New York Times, who
rode with atoneman on his raid, describes It
thus, In narrative for the journal on which
he is employed:
At o'clock the command started for
Thomrson's Cross Roads Tor Four Corners,)
which point was reached at about II x o'clock
p. n. From here the different expeditions
started to cut the enemy's lines. At Il
o'clock midnight, Gen. Stoneman called all of
the principal officers together, and explained
der of each detachment was directed to spe-
cifc points TO be destroycd-the special OBJ
ject Of his mission accomplished, he. was al
lowed the widest latisude for any further
operations.
BY 2 IA o'clock Sunday morning, Mays, the
several expeditions bad started. The moon
was shining brightly, the roads were compar-
atively good, and for once in the history Of
the war, everything Was in harmony. Col
WJndham, Of the 1st New Jersey cavalry,
with his own and the lst Maine regiments in
oil about 500 men, took southerly direction,
3GQ crossing OWEN s Clech, Lacking d0le
Greek, Little Licking Hole Creek, Little Byrd
Creek, and several other creeks, reached Co.
lumbia. on the James River, at about o'clock
n. u. The approach Of the force had been
heralded, but no one believed it. The man
who went to the trouble Of riding ten miles
mobbcd By the people-~they doubted his san
ity. "What! Yankees near Columbia ?''
said one citizen. "1t is impossible; JEFF.
Davis would not permit such an invasion'' of
the sacred soil. The furni6her Of the unwel-
come news had dirt thrown at him, was
cited people, who were threatening him with
all sorts Of vengeance, just as the advance
guard Of Col. WJndham's force. under Major
Beaumont, dashed into town. There we're no
soldiers there. A dozen or more citizens sue
ceedcd In escaping across the river, md
spreading the astounding intelligence, and
soon after squad OF troopers appeared III the
distance on the opposite bank. The people
south Of the river did not believe the story
told by the fugitires. One man rode, with
his servant, down to the river bank, to sec for
himself. The servant seized upon the oppor-
tunlty to ride into our liues. He was not
pursued. a planter sent son mounted on q
valuable horse, to ascertain the news--beliey-
ing 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, and was about 1cav-
! ing, when the officer told him he wanted a
horse his own was jaded. An exchange was
speedily made. The boy was evidently somc-
! What puzzled at this summary proceeding,
| but thought it all right no doubt, as it was
Stuarts cavalry, and lie rode of to tell his
| father the news. negro who manifested
| srme joy ful emotion upon hearing that the
Yankees were coming, was severely whipped
hours before We reached the spot. The uc-
| gro, upon being released, reiterated his form.
| er expression, and an attempt was made to
| whip him again. But he escaped, jumped
iD1o the river, and was drowned. The old
| negro preacher on the plantation where the
"cursed de Yankees 'cauee dcy made lin los:
| fifteen. hundred dollar nigger.''
| In the ca1Ial ut Columbia was found severa
boats loaded for Richmond with balcd hay ant
commlssary stores, all bearing the stencil
| mark OF G. S. A Another boat from Lynch
| butgh arrived during the day. Tie torch VII;
applied to the boats; bridges across the cana
| -of which there we're severat-and q lafgt
quantity of medical and comnlissary good
found in 4 warehouse, were either burned o
thrown into the river. The bauk of the cana
was cut ut several points within five miles
and the locks destroyed. At Columbia th'
canal crosses the James River in MASSIVE
stone aQuednct- No one seems to have know
! Of this structure; ut al1 events, nothing va
brought along to secure its destruction
The engineer Of the command, and Ma]0
Beaumont, and Capt. Thomas, OF the 1st NeV
jersey cavalry, each made special effort to Dc
ftroy this structure. There were no blastin
tools to. be had; several kegs Of blastir
powder, however, were found in 4 store house
and three Of the kegs were confined in d c:ls
and the cask filled With pressed earth. Til
wster in the aqueduct being eight feet decr
it was designed to sink this machine over on
Of the piers, and destroy the same upon tn
haillcfort plan If blasting rocks under water
! Every thing was arranged and the cask VA
being lowered into the canal by means OF
and the cask could not be recovered agai
within the time prudence dictate
That absence from the place woul
be desirable. Several negroes, who followc
that night, allegc that two rebel regiment:
with eight pieces Of artillery, entered th
evacuated it, Atabout o'clock p. nj the i.
tachment marched down the cana1 bank fc
about five miles. forIcd Byrd Creek, and t:
taking the Fredericksburg pike 80 far as
went in the right direction, arrived at Thom]
sons Four Corners at 10 o'clock the sam
night. This command, during the day, cal
tured several hundred horses, md was folloQ
) ed into camp By i drove Of negroes.
The movements Of Gen. Gregy's comulau
! uron the Fredericksburg and Richmond Raj
road, at Ashland aud vicinity; that Of Go
Fitzpatrick and Col. Davis, upon the Virgin
Richmond, and the destruction OF all the pill
!, bridges on the South Auna, Of trains Of cur
| Of coul1nissary stores and depots, have bet
, | referred to in a preGious letter. Each Of the
| detachmcnts captured a large numE er ofhors
and destroyed immense amounts Of proper
!, in use, OF ready for the agents ot the rebel1io
Sunday and nearly Ill day Monday, Gen. B
c fnrd's command was stationed near Shame
Hill, aud o detachment under Capt. Drut
1nond WAS sent to destroy the canal and brid
!, near Cedar Point, which work Was most
> fectually accomplished: Sunday night, Il
c Sd, it Is believed both Hampton's and Lee
brigades were encamped within two miles
!, Gen. Bnford.
On the morning Of the 4th, picket, co
l. sistinG Of sixty men, commanded by Lic1
= Stoldard Of the 5th cavalry, was attacke
Fifteen Of our men we're captured. Amo'
e the number missing are Two officers, suppos
to hare been captured.
@ Tuesday, the 9Th, the whole Of the col
!, mand concentrated near Yanceyville, and dt
y ing the day Divine service Was held in the
e James Church of that place. The Rev. i.
Brichmad, Chaplain Of the 1st Maryland G.
l, airy, oft1ciatcd, aud patriotic and ferve
prayer WAS offered by Major G. Il. Russell,
retrogade movement was commenced Ct
/ Buford's division made circuit, passing Mt
~ Gordonsyillc. Gen. Grcgg's division cross
the South Anna Mt Yanccyvil1e, and on Frid
h morning. Aay ., Lae WQoIe 1otce feslcned b
ly's Ford In safety.
'e On Thursday, Just after crossing Racco
Ford, Gen. Stoncman sent Lieut.. Sumner,
L his staff, as bearer Of dispatches to CT
e Hooker, with whom he had not communicat
since the Goth ult. Taking with him an esct
b, Of sixteen men, Lieut. Sumner went to
Germanna Bridge, with view to reaching
C posi- ible, United States Ford. The result
= the battle near fredericksburg was not th
- known. Information obtained from reside,
h. | near GermannA Bridge satisfied Lieut.. 8. Il
II won1d not be prudent to 60 further in IL
b, direction. He accordingly proceeded to Biz
ards Ford, and with great diHculty succeed
&C in crossing with. safety. The escort bel
~ unable to ford the river, moved back f
u miles to farm house, where they stopped
h, the night, and next morning overlook 6,
Stone1nan at Kelly's Ford. Not an atm
+, rebel was seen by this party.
To SUM- up-Gen. Stoneman moved abe
d, | within the enemy lines at will for nine d.
70 with force not exceeding {, 900 men iisabl
'" every line Of communication between I
g | army Of the Raprahannock and the rebel ca
tal-and the canal through which more ii
e one-half oftheir supplies are received th
in the opinion Of competent judges, neitl
H. line, provided the rebels hare every flcil
~ | for the work, can be repaired iR less th
~ four weeks; destroyed millions of dolla
&C worth of comnlissary stores, aud other S,
plies; obstrncted travel upon the main pix
&c py destroying ell bridges over large stream
gave the citizens Of ten counties, W., Culp'
- per, Spottsylyania, Orange Aanoyer, Hsnrt
&c Louisa, Goochland, Fluoanna,. King Nill
and New Kent, an opportunity to see
ce themselves that only are the YANKEE soldl
confident and in good spirits, but are rea
N. | hair and m humAn SaTINrS