The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-02-12
An Advance On Richmond.
RLIURN OF TIE EXPEDITION AGAINST RICH
MOND.-1HE ENTERPRISE DEFEATED.

RLIURN OF TIE IXPEDITION AGAINST RICH
MOND.-1HE ENTERPRISE DEFEATED.
The Tribune has special account of the
movement upon Richmond mentioned in the
Richmond dispatches. The object was to
take Richmond by surprise and relieve our
prisoners, and we are expected to believe
that it would have been a success if deserter
from our ranks had not given information TO
the enemy, giving him time to block up the
way with felled trees. The expedition start
I'd from Yorktown on SATURDAY morning, IN
der Gen. Wistar, and consisted of the lst
New York mounted rifles, two batteries of
artillery four regiments of cavalry, four resi
ments of infantry and three of negroes
The cavalry reach Bottoms Bridge on the
Chickahominy, ten miles from Richmond. a.
half past two Sunday morning, having
marched II miles in log hours. \ force of
infantry followed in the rear, for the purpose
Of supporting them. 1t was expected TO sur
prise the enemy at Bottoms Bridge, who had
for some time nly small picket there. The
surprise failed because as the Richmond Ex-
aminer Of to-day says. a Yankee deserter
gave Information in Richmond of the intend
ed movement" The enemy had felled large
amount Of timber so as to block up and OBJ
struct the fords and make it impossible for
our cavalry to pass. After remaining at the
bridge from two O'Clock until twelve, Gen.
Wistar joined them with his infantry, and the
whole object Of the surprise having been de-
teated, Gen. Wistar returned TO Williams
burg. On his march back to New Kent
Court House, his rear was attacked by the
enemy, but they were repulsed without loss
to Us. 4 march by our infantry, three regi-
ments of whom were colored, Of more than
50 miles, was made in sc hours. The c4val-
~ marched over 100 miles in 30 hours.
The Tribune remarks editorially 1T was
known that but small force was in or near
Richmond while Lees army was held upon
the Rapidan by the demonstration of Gen.
Sedgwick on Saturday, which was made for
that purpose. Failure as it proves, the effort
was creditable to Gen. Butler and TO the
troops who undertook it."
Two Maryland citizens, Just arrived from
Richmond on flag Of truce boat, say that
! ment from Saturday midnight up 20 Sunday
afternoon, when they left, from fear of an at
tack by the Yankees. At midnight on Sat-
nrdav the bells of the city were rung, and
NJ II were rushing through the streets crying,
TO arms To arms. The Yankees are
coming! The Yankees are coming During
the remainder of the night was intense COM
motion everywhere visible. The home
guard was called out, ard the tramp of arm
ed men co uld be heard in all directions.-
Cannon were hauled through the streets, wo-
men and children were hurrying to and fro.
and there were all the evidences Of such a
panic as has seldom been witnessed in Rich
mond. Sunday morning there was no abate
ment in the excitement; rhel guards were
all marched out of the city to the de-
lenses and the armed citizens were placed on
guard over the prisoners. Horsemen were
dashing to and fro, and the excitement
among the prisoners to know the cause Of
all this excitement became intense.
The same hurrying Of troops, arming of
citizens, and excitement among the women
and children, continued during Sunday morn
| ing; and at about o'clock P. NJ, when the
two released prisoners were about to leave
in the truce boat, the alarm bells were again
rung with great fury. The prisoners left in
scene of the greatest turmoil and confu-
sion, such as they had never before Witness
ed in the city. The rumors that prevailed
were conflicting and wild 1t was their i'm
preston that from 5000 to 10000 cavalry
would have found but little difficulty in en-
tering the city and liberating the Union
prisoners, destroying the public property and
retiring by the peninsular before any suffi-
cient force to resist them could be brought
TO the aid OF the small garrison left to defend
it.
For several days previous to this alarm.
the troops in and around the city, to the
number of 1000. had been sent off to Gen.
Lees army with great dispatch, tie impress
sion prevailing that movement was contem-
plated by Gen. Meade. In this they were
right, as during the progress of the excite
ment on Sunday, intelligence was received
that Gen. Meade had crossed the Rapid,n.
On Monday morning, about ten o'clock,
courier arrived at city Point, bringing cop
les Of the Richmond morning papers, with
the intelligence that the excitement had abat-
ed, and that it had been ascertained the Yam
KEGS were falling back from the Chickahom-
my, and had abandoned the attack.