Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-09-08
DESTRUCTION OF THE sAtLR AID.

DESTRUCTION OF THE RA1LR AD.
walk today from the "A mile Crossing to Raarns
distance OF four miles, showed truly sad ecere. o.
bIhssdes Of the track the enemy have swept fences OF,
crops, leaving scarc2y vestiee remaining The CROPS
cQGssting chiefly cf corn and sorghum ha7e been +
to man and horses, and the fences piled uson the rail
road sis to assist in the burning.
TIE roGd is quite tfIlctuay DESTROYED a. far IS Mrs
Fannie aatoHs place, distance Of about % mi les
south OF Rears Station. Above this station did not
extend my walk aud therefore cannot speAk from o.
seEVaton bul from ell learn, The game destruc-
ton has taken place at least to the Yellow Tavern max
ing in all aeou9 nine miles of the treck DESTROYED Ia
some places observed that the ellis had not been de-
stIoyed, but os Tie greater portion OF the distance sIs
! have been burnt, and the iron heated.
THE BATTLE Yesterday
The battle yesterday opened in this immediate neigh
borhoo}, as early as IL O'clock and WIS commanded
~ that gallant son Of South Carolina, Geaeral
| Wade Hampton He lad at hand his brave ASSISTANTS
Gene:a Butler, RoGser, Barrpger and also Clambiss'
| Virginia Brigade, whose noble leader tell bat few
days mes On tle north side Of jams river but by
whom commanded yesterday, l have been Unable to
learn.
The enenly'a cavalry were entered chiefly about Ma
tones crossing, With st:ong force extending out on
the county read leading 20 the Brunswick stage road
This ofce was encountered half mile or more from
the Railroad and ou cavalry dsoune3 and ordered to
charge.
Like veterans .hay o3eyed the command ard under
the ege CT their gallant ader, rushed forward with en-
'npetnosity that PROVED Irresistible Upon nearing tie
railroad there are 10 woods to project an assan;no
Column, ard tie approach is Up steep hill Through
tbs open space end up this rising gound our fighting
troopers drove the enemy to ane byorA the rairoad
TOR distance ct q balt mile more In the mean
tae suoa OF til? enemy o. had advanced 10 the south
d tie crossing, bearing IT, firing On their right drew
IL their lines aGd fell back.
The way ling clear south of the Crossire.,
General Hampton quickly swung his column of dis
n1H1eed cavalry around - tie right e the railroad,
n fine IJrcPt ptft>
adVanoa the enemy falling back before him
From short distance above the farm formerly own
cd and occupied by DR.. Crawford on both sides CT the
ralEoa the enemy had thrown up strong fortifcations
built 81 legs fence rails and earth Yb Sc fortcatiors
xended GA the lett as high up as the lower Wa er
t@nk at Ee1m ching across the road aud passing
on TO the right in front of * Grove Church as far
East as Eumons plantation. Ga the right the enc.
ny s works extended up the side Of the county rooG
ilom Ia1i5cs place to about 400 yards this side of Du
vas BacksEito shop hare they ab. pity turn to the
right and extend in Nortteastery direction around
Da7aPs Sugar Cane fl Il, until they strike the cher
l1e OF works aWav 1T near Emnons' place They |
were pToet ted CO ais dcs, and they thought beth ia
front and rear.
At given signal, The order to charge was give end
On Goth sId-s Of the road up came tbs Contedera.e
Hoops-ne cavalry on the rigat and Gen. A. z: Hu's
oisuty or The lcf Both charges were alike success
u, cut tbs works en- the left being the strongest AMI
iost heavily manned The infantry suGf red most, TIE
cavalry never fought better, and many of hca leaned
.i "U!!'3 an 6aot slch or h6 enemy remained
III ire tIe1che5. Tae cavalry Column composed Gaor-
g'ane, South Carolnisns, North Carcinian and Viz
gn@Ls, all racing to be- in first at what they fx2pc.ed
would DC the death struggle Strange to say, the cas-
uades oefe we're uDpieced5DtedlY small and am ed
l0y lt!In med that the l3 b Virginia REGIMENT Loaf rot
q mao killed, and had but two wounded Caot, Jun;ua
Goad"yn, !'eA kooWn 10 your city, commanded 9 !
squadron Of Cbamblss' Brigade and was il the thick
t5t OF tie fight Fifteen Of bis men captured 81 Dr;s
Uners. i
Gen. Hampton Occupied prominent position, over
locking the field, and it enough for The cavar7 to
know that the eye OF their noble leader as uuoa them
ard that his wise head and 6kilul hand controlled and
directed al their operations. Gen. HAMPTON will nrove
ns&S6 "cEnF successor to tie chivalrous Stuart The
men no5 only nave confluence il him. but th " love him
ana as long % Ills lie IS spared TO command them we
may safely predict s2cc-ss in future for the ca1hry
Fhere It IS possible to command success
VI the subordinate cavalry generals il was nv for
uFe TO meet only with Gen Barringer, of n Carolina
A more courteous ge0laman and one who cnio7s to a
greater extent the estesm and respect of bis men, the
service Cannot boast. Gen. B. has done much service
the Vicinity Of Petersburg; and YOUR Dope are mach
0ucoteG TO Tim end his men, for their timely aid on the
hemoraoe a June, when Kautz's raiders actually .
Petersburg. F ~
l5'i5 due to noble sister State-Nortb Carolina
10 say that the entire Infantry column engaged in the
Sauit On the lett O. the railroad was composed of her
ons' Meyer did men move forward with firmer step
en- oaeted to Charge and never did troops fight with
49,
he battle field have DONE and see the character of
ne WORE they had to perform, will concur with me in
ne opinion that the who carried them in the face
sucn fearful Ire, from both infantry and artillery
re worthy CT being Chased among the bravest. Asa
lgnlan am proud to award this humble tribute to
&c gaiianry OF the brave North Caronians who par
clpated 10 this desperate fight 1t is true that they
ave Iought on every battle field since the war COM II
,enced-commencing with Bethel in June 1861 and ~
losing OF Reams' Station, August, 1864,-with as Lii
luch gallcntry aud determination the troops from
0y otner State but On yesterday, but North :
arolnars Participated in the assault On the left there
an be DO dispute as to who did the work. Amid the u
aden hail and iron storm they rushed directly on to u
ory and to victory. l:
THE TROOPS ENGAGED. h.
The cavalry engaged On the part of the enemy were ia
'mmanded by the noted Colonel Speer who is believed
have had brigade. All accounts agree that thew tt
ere soon routed and that they moved out of the way
3 fastas their horses could carry them. th
Ihe Infantry consisted of the famous Second corps s
and all prisoners concur in the statement,
LAT numbered between ten ard twelve thousand men,
hey fought more valanty than the cyalry, but were
lay comped TO give way before the iupetuous dash
the brave ORTIZ Carolinians, and although the en-
gemcn did not become general until about o'clock, r
'oFe nlsh the entire corps were utterly routed and
ing II wild confusion of the railroad in the d. fe
etlon OF Psince- George. Q
They left all of their killed and wounded over two pr
ousand prisoners and nine pieces of cannon in our p
session ac
The enemys dead lay Tricky scattered in all direct
rs Friday morning. Many of them had fallen be no
tie terrible fire Of our artillery (Pegrams Batta tel
L., and we saw several who had been cut in twain ch
number OF the enemys hcrses killed was unusually pi
ge, and at the locality where most of the artillery ne
re captured we counted sxyone Of these animals ea