Daily national Republican., 1863-05-12
THE GREAT CAVALRY RAID
Col Fitzpatrick's Official Report,

The accounts of the cavalry expedition en-
man and the brave officers Of his command,
read like a romance. And yet they are true,
the one-half only having been told. The fol-
lowing official report modestly sets forth, in
the briefest terms, deeds that would have given
knighthood in days of old to the brave men
who participated in these feats of daring;
YORKTOWN, Va, May s.-Maj. Gen. H. ".
Hdlleck, CommdRder-ifl- Chicf, Z. S. A.-GEN-
ERAL: have the honor to report that, by direc-
tion from Maj. Gen. StOneman, left Louisa
Court House on the morning of the Sd inst
with one regiment (the Harris Light Cavalry
of my brigade; reached Hungary, on the Fred
ericksburg railroad at daylight on the morning
of the 4th; destroyed the depot and telegraph
wires, and railroad for several miles; passed
over 20 Brooke turnpike, drove in the rebel
piCkets; down the pike, across the brook,
charged a battery and forced il to retire, within
two miles Of the city Of Richmond, captured
Lieut.. Brown, aid-de-camp to Gen. Winder, and
eleven men within the fortihcations; passed
down TO the left of the Meadow bridge on the
Chickahominy, which burned; ran a train of
cars into the river; retired to HanOvertOwn, on
the Peninsula; crossed and destroyed the ferry
boat just in time to check the advance of a pur.
suing cavalry forcei burned a train of thirty
wagons loaded with bacon captured thirteen
prisoners, and Cncamped for the night five
miles from the river
resumed my march at l a. m. Of the 9th
surprised force Of 300 cavalry at Aylctt's; cap
tnred officers and SO men; burned 81 wagons
the depot containing upwards of 20, 600 bushels
OF corn and wheat, quantities of clothing an(
"ommissary stores, and safely crossed the Mat
tapOny, and destroyed the ferry again, lust il
time to escape the advance of the rebel Cayalr,
pursuit.. Late in the evening | destroyed
third wagon-train and depot, u few miles abOvl
and west Of TappahannOck, on the Rappahan
mock and from that point nadO forced marcl
Of twenty miles, being closely pursued by a su
leror force Of cavalry, supposed to be a por.
ton of stuart" !" from the fact that we can.
tUred prisoners from the Eighth, First, and
Tenth Virginia cavalry. At sundown, discov.
cred a force of cavalry drawn up in line Of bat
tie about King and Queen Court House. Their
strength was unknown, but advanced to al.
tack, only TO discover, however that they were
frieuds-a portion Of the Twelfth Illinois cav
airy who had become separated from the com
nAnd of Lieut.. Col. Davis, of the same reri
ment. At 10 n. IN. on the 9TH | found saTet
and rest under our own brave old flag With
Our lines at Gloucester Point.
The raid and march around the entire rebt
urmy-a march Of nearly 200 milcs-has bee
made in less than five days, with a loss of on
officer and thirty-scven men, having capture
and PIroed upwards of 300 men. take grca
p,eafurr in bringing 10 your notice the officer
If my slah-Capt. p. Owen Jones, Capt. Arm
strong, Capt. MClrwin, DIR. Hackley, and Lieut.
Ests, especially the latter, who volunteered /
carry Il dispatch to Gen. Hooker; he failed |
the attempt, hut with his escort of ten men h
captured and paroled one major, two captainl
a lieutenant, and fifteen men. He was afte
wards himself captured, with his escort; an
was afterwards rcCaptured by our forces. II
arrived this morning.
,tfrg. - L. ss-l.l.. IL
Lude, and enduring energy displayed througho,
the march by Lieut.. Col. Davies and the office
and men Of the Harris Light Cavalry, not OF
of whom hut was willing to lose his liberty
his life If he cOuld but aid in the great bait
now going on, and win for himself the appr
baton of his chief.
Respectfully submitted,
j. FITZPATRICK,
Col. Com'dg First Brigade,
Third Division Cav. Corps.