The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-05-08

directions, and thus a noble distinction
OUR RICHMOND, VA, DESPATCH. z
~>~~~>>-,~>-~~->>>>~->~~~>~~
THE CORRESPONDENCE or Mr.. J. \. vOSBURG.
RIcHxosp, Va, May 8, 1863.
fAc Escteme Absss Stenman's Cavalry Raid-TAe Great
Scare in Richmosd-Eelsase Of Federal Prio,ers, dc.
lam able TO give you few Items Of intelligence which
may be OF interest," advance OF detailed history OF my
experiences iHnIhe confederacy.
THE ADVANCE GENERAL sroNxAN HRARD or.
We received alarm here Sunday about Stonomans
cavalry raid there doubt that had three hun.
dred Of his cavalry made the attempt when Rch
mond Sunday night they could easily entered the
town, capturing Je Davis and his Cabinet, majority OF
the members Of the rebel Congress- with other ocia
burning the bridges the James and cutting
munications southwark destroying all the army supplies
In town and doing other mischief Of incacuabs import
ance.
THE REBELS wKEx B\DLy SCARED,
and the inmates Of Libby prison delightfully."- hopeful wnsn
the intelligence Of stonemans advance was received.
lido not believe that any regular foroo was left 70 de-
fcnd the town. The City battalion, which employed
70 guard tho prisons, and the City Guards had all been
Withdrawn and sent renforcements 70 Lee. The
prisons were guarded by discharged and disabled soldiers
and citizens, Of whom appeared have a.
tempted 10 handle musket before. - .
PRISONERS IN LInBY x
had been psroled on Sunday otherwise Il believed
that could have ovepowered the guards and taken the
town and Jen Davis ourselves. a x
STORES cLosEp AND CITIZENS PLACED uxpKR ARM.
On Monday places OF business closed and the cit
sens formed themselves into companies and bAtaops 70
resist the expected advance or the Yanhse cavalry"
Several Of cavalry captured the outskirts ssf
the town. Two brought their horses and
dau,o ntada ~ t,a ~ Z nh
separated from their aud had lost their
way M
Through Lieutenant Marsh, OF the Twelfth Illinois cav.
axy wounded and captured by tho rebels II Tunstais
Station Monday last and aimee exchanged the
following facts relating TO the cavalry expsditiou--
BRlaADE on COLONEL PERCY wrxpHAx,
consulting Of the First New Jersey, Twefsh Illinois,
Fourth New York and Firth Pennsylvania rsgimsnss.
separated from the Division 10 which Il sssacbed--
shas OF General Dragon saturday, and advanced -
Orange Court House. tearing the track Of the Orange
Alexandria Railroad in the vicinity burning the rails
render them usecss and doing other damage.
few prisoners, with mules and negroes, taken
at this point Here Coione-Davfs with hts regiment
the Eighth Inos-separated from tho brigade pro
ceedeA spotsy Court House. tearing up the rail
road track burning bridges and making ssw captures.
1--WE voRrY nByt PRISONERS CAPTURED.
In the evening OF the day Colonel Davis reached,
Ashland station on the Virginia Central Railroad,
where he captured q train Of 0ve hundred and
forty rebel prisoners. This force 10 believed
to have been the city battalion which left
Richmond Sunday morning, where Il had been en-
poyed guarding prisons and doing provost duty. or
nce~s in Libby prison learned from the citizen guard
which were put after the city battalion with
drawn that the battalion had been captured by
valry. The epsted paroled, and the officers
including colonel major The quSrtermaser Of the post
aud several other subordinates carried OF by Colonel
Davis At Ashland Station also captured hun
dred and fty mules about seventy nve wagons and
era ears Containing considerable Of quartermss
ter aud commissary stores The and wagons wero
burned.
Colonel Davis then proceeded 10 runstaPs Station where
he fell IN with body Of thousand rebels with whom
he had a skrmish. Here Lieutenant marsh wounded
taken prisoner with six priva,es. Colonel Davis
force numbered about four hundred II was his do
sign to reach Yorktown. TAs vloI, n~tsr of yvisoH'
capuysd BY his force and BY Col, wdhan prri. 10 me
operation was about thosasasd.
roRr SUMTER TAKx
From an officer imprisoned In Charleston the time
Of the bombardmsnt of Fort sumter by gun.
boat feet aud from naval ofcers who passed through
the after, l learn tn following fscs-iiad
the attack been continued hort time ionger--Liea
tenant Cate says thirty minutes, the fort would pro-
baby have capituated. II mach damaged by our
shot, Of then passing through tho walls at tho nrss
nre portion Of the garrison mutnIcd while the attack
was progressing, and company Of sharpshooters from
the city was ordered out 10 qusu the disturbance.
uMos pEsoxxRa
MI tho Union prisoners, except three officers held az
hostages and citizens left the Richmond prisons on
Tuesday morning Tey numbered Ave hundred and SIXTY,
two hundred and nfy of whom ooers In exchange
were scnt 70 City Point six hundredrsbe officers Many Of
our officers been Imprisoned Ave months. The list
Of those released includes General Which, captured
Murfrocsboro; General stoughon, Colonel coburn o In
dana who commanded ths brigade captured st Thomp-
sons Station Tenn, March 8; Coonsls Uuey, GILBERT
Buell. Fletcher and Wood the officers OF the gunboas
Columbia and Isaac Smith. and one Of tho Fiambeau
The hostages held hard labor for the release Of Lady
colonel Thomas have also been released.