Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-06-06
KILPATK1cK's LAST RAID.
Details OF the Expedition from GlOuccs-
ter Point to Falmouth.

yesterday ny OOl' hllpalIlCh y DGlpduH, Ill one
of the most brilliant acts of the war. He left
Gloucester Point on Saturday last, and pass
ing in northeasterly direction through Glou-
cester county, crossed the Dragon river at
Saluta, and thence through Middlesex coun-
ty 10 Urbanna, upon the Rappahannock !;
crossing that river to Union Point, Colonel
Fitzpatrick proceeded through WeStmoreland
and hlng George counties to near the head
quarters OF Gen. Hooker, without losing Il
single man ot his command. The rebels had
OWNED that this force was to reioin Gen.
Stoneman, and took special pains to capture
it. The command was composed of about
nine hundred men, the twelfth New York
and the twelfth Indiana cavalry. No diff
Guilty was encountered in Gloucester county,
but on reaching Dragon river, it was found
the rebels had destroyed all the bridges, and
superior force of cavalry under Gen. Stu
art, had assembled higher up with the inten-
ton OF forcing the command to cross the
RappahannOck at Leeds. narrow place.
where the enemy themselves have been in
the habit of tording without opposition. Col.
Fitzpatrick was prepared for such an emer-
gency, and his pioneers without delay con-
structed a bridge, over which the Dragon riv-
er was crossed. The bridge was then de-
stroyed.
Here, to foil the enemy, the command
moved forward in several columns The
principal one on the right, under Col. Has
brouck Davis took southerly direction, and
went to Pine Tree, in the lower part of Mid
dleseX county. The people of this hitherto
unrlValed region were completely taken by
surprise; in tact, it was place so secluded
that some of the large planters near Rich
mond had sent their negroes here for safety.
The house OF Col. Jones, who commands and
Cnntrns oil httS ~,
was approached suddenly, and the redoubta-
bic colonel was captured and last night slepton
one of the boats Of the Potomac fotilla He
will extend his visit to the national capital
No opposition whatever was met with in this
direction. On the road the carrier of a rebel
mail was overtaken. The letters, for the
most part, were of a private nature One
letter, however, was signed by the veritable
Gen. Stuart and was addressed to Col Jones'
who Il few hours before had been taken pris.
oner, III response to an appeal of the inhabt-
ants to be protected from the very cavalry
force then i'll their midst. Cen Stuart, in the
letter, promised the protection called for, and
stated that he would be there on Sunday, the
day the mail was capture !. lie was not there,
however.
The LETT wing of the command went in
northeasterly direction, aud reached the
Here the picket of the enemy which was to
annihilate the whole force was encountered.
detachment charged and drove this force
In a nUrthWesterly direction across the Dra-
gOn river, at Churchs mll-the only bridge
they had not destroyed. They here fell back
upon their reserves, strongly entrenched.
The pursuing party, having accomplished the
object OF their mission, set fire to the bridge
and slowly retired Monday morning the
whole command was in front of Urbanna
ready to cross the river. 70 protect tins part
OF the movement, lieutenant commander Nc
Cav OF the Potomac ilosilld was present. He
left Aqua Greek on Saturday evening, and
was at the rem lezvouS the very moment when
ordered. Capt. Motfet of the 9th New York
volunteers, with one hundred picked men, was
also taken down. The gunb0ats were imme-
diately put IN readiness for action. Capt.
Moiet's command was landed at Urbanna, and
were at once deployed outside of the town as
sklrmlsherS. y detachment of the SD New
York volunteers (engineers) speedily con-
structed bridge across the mouth of Urban
ma creek, and repaired wharf on the opposite
side OF the RappahannOCk that the boats
could receive the troops on one side and land
them on the other without difficulty.
These arrangements perfected, the crossing
was commenced ut nine O'Clock Monday
morning but il was not until Tuesday morn
ing that the whole of Col. kilpatrick's com
mand was landed on the opposite shore, dis
lance OF six miles from the point of embarka-
ton. Col. Fitzpatrick Immediately passed
forward, and was met by a cavalry force which
had been sent Down from headquarters to well
come him and afford any assistance that might
be necessary. Difficulty was anticipated at
Reeds ford, but the rebels doubtless repented
of their threat to annihilate tie command, and
therefore did not attempt to interfere further.
Col. fitzpatrick has thus made the complete
circuit ct one OF the most formidable army the
rebels have in the Notwithstanding millions
OF dollars worth of property, in the shape of
railroads and material. The immediate bene-
hit vi TINS rand, aside from the good effect upon
our own men, Is the capture OF 200 horses and
mules, forty wagons loaded with provisions,
1000 cOntrabands, and the decentralization of
the blacks in three or four counties two of
which have never been penetrated before by
our trOops-and undeceiying the inhabitants
as to the reBl character of the Union soldiers.
Correspondence of the Cincinnati Commercial.
History OF "a Massachusetts, Regiment
Now Posted in Kem.ucky--Burnside's
Policy i'm Kentucky.
Mr.. STERLING, Ky, May 20, 1868.
For the information OF the friends OF the
ZlSV MdssaCnuSettS regiment, who have been
In camp at tins place since the 3D. of April,
and who read your valued paper. wish to al
lude to their heroic history, as derived from
the AdIutant Generals report of Massachu-
sets volunteers tor the year 1862
The 2lst regiment Massachusetts voI,n-
teers left camp Lincoln, at Worcester. Mass
aChuSetts, TOR the seat of war, on the ODD If
August, 1861, numbering, in the aggregate
1,004 men, under command of Col Auuustus
Morse. The regiment was mainly comDosed
of Worcester county men, very large uro.
portion of whom were native born, and. hav.
ing been selected with great care, constituted
a fair representative of the intellect and mus
Gle of the state.
The regiment arrived in Baltimore, Mary
land, August 20, and went into camp in Pat
terson Park. The camp was broken on the
29th and on the same day the regiment ar
rived at the naval school, Annapolis, Md.
heregiment was selected to go on the "Burn-
side expedition, and under command OF leu
tenant colonel Albarto o. Maggi, Col. Morse
remaining ut Annapolis as commandment of the
post, the regiment went on board the steamer
NJrtherner, January 6, 1862. The regiment
embarked 937 men. They passed a stormy
and distressing month on board the Northern
er, most Of which period was spent off Cape
Hatteras. On the 18th Of February the 2lst
was dsembarked to take part IN the attack on
the rebel forces entrenched ON Roanoke Is
land and effected a landing under cover of
the gunboats. On the 9Th they were gallant
l.. IL l{,,II, IL o.