Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-01-09
Rssser's Late ExPedItJos-A True AseSunt
From the Richmond Sentinel

E1GNGEfN E44l0 A4RE4Ata2E-A AE4d AGGWAMe
From the Rlshuosa Sentinel
ALBEMARLE COUNTY December 80.
am hare in & quiet nook, endeavofiug to 70,
e-Uii my strength, imTslTed by he BsrdEhips OF
what the pspeis call "Rlsssr's raid and about
which, as the accounts published have been so
mssger sud incorrect, / write you the true se-
court This comes late, it is uus, but viii per
hsps be interesting as 3 part Of the history Of
the times, and the record Of q march that must
sa ever memorable, at least to ali who SHARED
its tyiAls. As the course Of cur march is now
Known, It will be Ne harm to mention it, and
the circumstances attending it. 1t csnnot be-
called a raid, however, ard had no such object
il the start.
To sum an, ia 2 few words, re have made
the erriro circuit Of Meade's array, starting from
Fredericksburg, and coming out in the valley Al
HzrrIscLbufg We atieD sted no raid at all,
bat asTs prepeted, OF cour5e, to "snsp ap q"
anything wEica might fal In orr way, and
" oaie through " any Cbstguc'ions in the obEpe
Of Tauksss ia AIMS thst might iutsrvsHoin our
iuseEded route. The bad weather VII oh SET ia
t5o very evening we $ srted prevented oar meet.
ing with any accidents Of the former class, while
wo encountered al S2ngeieI's Biaion, on me
Orange road, about twenty-five miles fIom Al
eKaudrs. he only one Of The lEiier which Of
Tered itself
here sas Stationed 8 guard Of about one han
bred meB, Of the I55sh Now York regiment, TO
pFctect Two bridges, e short dislanes spart, Of
the OeBRe and Alexandria railroad. Thor
camp vas on q hill, about fifty yards Iom ths
railroad, 81 the point where lde old county road
crossed It, completely commanding it there
T5sv bad their tents stoekajsd, and Hsro
strongly and comfortably fixed. Never was
ground more anisvorable Tor a cavalry charge
JhEn here, the road being too 1LTrow to admit of
more thar two men riding abre2ss, and bounded
by q deep and mTy swsmP on both sides, and
'front.'
Capt Hztchers squadron, Of the 7h regi
ment, was in 'front.', ard g~slsntly charged. o.
they wezt through the creek ana up Rnd over
railroad bsnk. The rest Of tie regiment
followed, bat were received by = volley from The
tocsadc fort, and being unable in he darkness
for It was night) 70 see how TO proceed, Tie
roEd being blocked Up, and the ground very diff
icuit, ihey wero throw into some confusion,
ana finally fell back. The IIth had now come Cd
moved 70 tie 'front.'. As the head OF the col
umn entered the creek, q voley was poured into
il by some Yankees who had rallied behind the
bank not more than fifteen yards dis
tsHt BY this volssy Can't. NJ B CEstnell, Of
tbs 1Ish, a most excellent and gallant oficsT,
'sas Instantly killed.
The Yankees snp.ied 81 their guns at his
volley. The order 70 charge wSs immediately
given ard, before they could reload, our boys
we're en- the bank and the Yankees flying y lie
buahes. Still those in tho fort kept RI their
ere. On came the n5h, az fast az they could
these behind directed by the sheuts OF those in
front, and by tbs inspiring notes Of the charge,
which their fearless bugler, Cradle, made ring
upon the nBTAy air, caring them up to the hill
tops whieh he gained s,noHg the foremost, es-
sistng IE The surrounding and capture Of the
camp.
Here We captured about hnsen prissnsra. the
.est hsviHg escaped in the darkness. Their
esmp vas plentiiaily supplied with plumber,
which tho "ofioefs' wives" (5f whom there
were very many, occupying tho huss immedi-
alely s6jsesnt,) eDdssvo7ed to save, but to
which eur b5ys, Of eouTBe, helped themselves.
We captured, aise, = beautiful banner, pre-
sen ID oy the city Of New York 70 the 1856 d.
The camp and the two bridges WsTe Of eouase
destroyed, altar which we resumed our march
The cold rain fell IN torrents, and We had to
keep moving stiH, fOTdiEg streams swollen By
the floods, and nesting mud and mirs So almost
bvaTy step Our prisoners, being on foot, hsd :
hard time. aud SIS they were struggling thCough
a deep creek, which took hem breast high, one
Of cur boys / heard anxioDsly inquire OF ihem
how they liked invading the Sonth under jhsse
circumstances Bot their iimo was no harder
ours, for We were &c Btifsned BY tho cold
ss TO be ansble TO walk, End had sill to bear it
sliveFing on horseback. For thirty hours We
marched without a~ismounting, except fer about
ten Minutes TO feed, and then went Tor ton hears
moEe before We could bivOuAe and build fros.
Unfortunately, when we rescued tia shsnan- !
doth Il waB tee high to be crossed O~taerwise
tie Yankees, @hc were iatsly 81 HmIie5Rsufe
would NEST certainly have Taed then visit. As
II Was, ne Kept snistly along .its bang, till We
reached tie Valley This is the rue history of
r sser's raid" which, but for the unfortunate
wea,hsr, uunld hsve produced IF cts more thsn
esuntefbslnncing Ayerills, fOT Asbby's old tn.l
egde, unter its present. dushIng e0nmsadsr,
fears nolh.ng in The shape Of Yankees As il
was, the psaR bose thsT ia.en5s s2f-fiuga
and only regretted their not being able
70 get ~ tbs enemy.
By the way. is i known that this brigade,
when Meade was ls,ely on this aide Of tho Rem
.pshaAnOek, cgPtured large wagon train and a ]
Of prisoners, between TIVE eorps Of tn
aaemy's infahHy, on tho plsnkEoad; and At Par
kers tore, attacked and esp aFed tie camp OF q !
esqairy bigada, and pursued is delsadess, al
fan, fl six mtlas9 Ald Isl known astl
.hese men are suffering for shoes, md clothes, |
frequently toI food, While the clerk brigade
II Richmond, have afHil rAtiops'' OF al these !
hinesf If not, then III men.ien ihese facts
ES PAssAEF
/
ghs ERHkSe COngreaa.
- = As. lo.Ir.-s-w l., IA. &C., 80