The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-03-18
CORRESPONDENCE.


Fitzpatrick to and within the Notifications OF
Richmond, is from private letter from lst
Lieut.. John r. Andrews, of 20. II, written
to his parents in Saco. Lieut.. Andrews was
clerk in this Office at the commencement oil
the war. He enlisted in Co. I, was elected
orderly sergeant, from which company he
was recently transferred to Co. II and pro-
NOTED for galhntry in the field:
On the night AZ Friday, the 4th INST, we ar
rived at this place with the rest Of Kilpatrick's
forces. In order that you may fully understand
our movements, I will commence with tho time
when We got our orders to go. anu try anu ioi-
low the train of events up to tho present.
At eight O'Clock on the night oil the zo'h ol
February, three hundred picked men from our
regiment we're ordered to be in readiness 10
march NJ sir O'Clock the next morning, With
three DAVIS rations and one blanket on their sad
dies. and with orders to report Mt brigade head
quarters. Il was supposed that We were 10 go
after Mosby, rs he had been making himseii
rather plenty in our vicinity but when we got
IN headquarters We were ordered to report 10
Gen. Pleasanton at Brandy Station. and when
VIC arrived there, he sent us to Gen. kilpatrick'
and by him we were put in Gen. Davies Or,
Cadc. He sent us into camp, and VIC remained
there till FIVE o'clock Of Sunday, the 18TH, anu
then hundred and fifty OF US were ordered 10
report to Col. Dahlgren, to form part OF an eA.
pedition which he hal charge Of U to that
time we had been in total ignorance OF the oo-
ject of the movement, but supposed It was mere,
liz scout across the Rapidan. We then learned
that the thing meant Richmond, and thai we
were to be o separate party, and IN one sense
Of the word, q forlorn hope.
We moved out in advance Of kilpatrick's
force and crossed the Rapidan at Ely Ford
our scouts capturing the pickets.and marched
steadily on till eight O'Clock on Monday morn
ing, when we halted for half m hour ana ied;
Taking up the march again. we pushed FORWARD
10 Frederick Hall, on the Va. Central klllroad,
where the rebels had their reserve artillery to
the amount OF sixty four guns. The intorma'
ton was, that the only force they had there was
the artillerymen, and We reckonef that we could
lust wipe them out, capture md destroy the
guns, and go on our way rejoicing. when we
rot there. however, we found n brigade of in
f,ntry, and that changed the aspect of affairs
good deal. We did. however, &C. about doz
en- OF their officers who were ut n house holding
a court-martial; destroyed the telegraph, and
marched again till one O'Clock thatnight, when
our guide, who was anegro, sail we were with
in two or three miles of James River. where we
expected to cross. In the meantime 1t had COM
menced To rain, and you can guess whethcr IL
was very comfortable or not.
Tuesday morning wc started for the river.
and found on getting there that the negro had
deceived us, no. only In regard to tho distance,
but about n ford being there. The intention
was for us to cross the river, cut the Danvillc
and Richmond Railroad. the Petersburg Rail.
road, GO to Belle Isle, liberate the prisoners,
and make an attack on tho rear OF the city Oh
Richmond ut the same time Fitzpatrick Gid IN
front. When We arrived Mt the river and fOund
no ford, the guide said there was n ford nine
miles above tho city, and VIC started for IL, the
Colonel telling him II no deceived him again he
would hang him. Well, when we got there We
found no ford, and on inQuiring. the people
said there was never ford there. The Colonel,
true 10 his word, sent for n halter strap, ana
swung the old darkcy from the first available
branch. II was hard thing to do, hut tho old
rascal deserved IL, for he was evidently lcadins
us where we would all have been killed or taxi
en- prisoners. After that we got ON anoihcr
road and marched TILL we were within about
four miles of the city, and then halted till near
ly dark. During this halt. Fitzpatrick was sig.
nailed some five or six miles oil on another road
and our ambulanccs and led horses were sent to
ioin him, and that was the las: VIC have ever
seen of them. 1 lost three men with them.
When IL was nearly dark VIC startci ION To
Richmond" and marched along unmolcstcd
,jll we were mile inside the outer works, anu
began to think VIC should find m force to OPP
pose us but just rs We were coming up 10 y
little cluster of houses ON one side OF the ROAD
and n piece of woods on the other, they fired IN
10 our advance and drove them back double
ouick. That left me with my squadron ut the
head of the column, and was ordered to form
ON the right of the road and charge through
the woods / have seen great many nara
places since have been out here, hut none that
dislkcd 10 90 into quite 30 much as that. IL
was SO dark and rainy that all could see was
the flash Of the enemy's guns, and did not
know the ground or force in front. knew,
however, that Il was no use to hang BACK, 80
ordered the charge and VIC went in Wo drove
the rebels before US rs fast as we could rue
through the woods, and killed two OF them. AZ
the farther edge of the woods we rallied and
formed. and the Major camc up and comph-
ncnted us for the fine style in which we drove
them. The rebels then formed in tho road anu
Co. 'F' charged but could not start them, anu
lost thirteen men. We turned their TANKS,
however. and drove them steadily back for
about a mile, when We found them posted be.
hind n stone fence an IL the thick woods, aud
Ii was impossible TO get Thorn out so VIC hah
to fall back and abandon the project Atter
getting fairly disengagcl, tho Colonel and Ma
ior collected what men they could and started,
telling Can't. Mitchell to follow with the rest Of
the column as soon rs he could, and that was
the last seen of them or their party. We have
heard since, however, that they ran into q large
force Of rebels, and the Colonel was killed and
the men scattered through the woods. when
the men were formed VIC moved up the road,
and "a the Colonel had left no instructions as to
which way we should go, the Captain had to
act for himself, md getting on what no sup:
posed was the right road, we marched toward
some camp fires that We supposed were kllpat-
rick's but when we came mp to them, and the
advance told their sentinel what regiment they
belonged to, all the answer they got was q vol.
ley in their faces, and We founl we were plump
into rebel camp so We had to just take the
back track and get away rs fast rs possible.
We circlcd around them three or four miles and
went into piece OF woods, about one o'clock,
and lay close Till Wednesday ut daylight. We
dared not have any fire, and II was very cold
Started Wednesday morning and passed Hun.
gary Station, when We soon met column OF
troops from Fredericksburg coming down to
help catch the Yankee thieves, and We got II
away unframed. About that time would not
have given Eve cent shin plaster for our
chance Of getting away but our motto was.
''Don't give up the ship" aud as the country
seemed full of rebels, we knew we must run
when we could. and fight when We could not
help 10. by taking cross roads and cutting
around through the country, we got TO Altees
Water Station all right, and turning to the LETT
we avoided the force there, except forty or fifty
who fired into our rear, but did no damage.
We saw no more OF them till VIC got within
Fitzpatrick had passed along there that morn.
;n,v auJ thn reortp said N larvc flrce was FOL.