Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-07-12
oENERAL wILsoNs NlpH.

y ~ CON lreheLd the eKteus OF fien Wilson's
dAting ride iuto the interior Of VIrginia every
reader should take u map-a common railroad
map will do--nnd follow from point to point the
operations OF the force ahdor Wilson AID Kautz,
They sci out from their camp. near Prince
Georgia. Court House, at two o'clock in tho
morning Of the 22 ot June They crossed the
Norfolk aud Petersburg railroad about five miles
below Petersburg, aud made ut once for the
Weldon railroad, which they struck at Rcams,
station ten miles south OF Petersburg From
here they struck across the country northwestern
ly I'LL they reached the Petersburg and Danville
rahioad ut Sutherland's =. ten mills West OF Peters
burg Here til. work VI destruction began. At
FOrd's, tea miles further west, twO locomotives,
a train Of sixteen cars. andvarious depOts with
stores were destroyed aud after working at
this all night the force moved on the morning 81
the 23d along the railroad until they reached
Burksville, where the Danville and the Lynch
burg railroads GROSS each other. Here, al well
us ut NOttoway, eas OF the crossing, the work Of
destruetion was mAde very complete Al Motto.
way a force OF the enemy was met and beaten
after short engagement General Wilson now
turned down the Dauville railroad, which be de-
stroyed for thirty-six miles, rouI Burksville to
Roanoke station. where, ut u bridge, the eurny
had gathered o force too heuyy for our weatied
men 10 encounter without great dauger. An tue
places we have mtntioned are marked upon
common railroal maps. The mothoIioa man
uer IN which the work Of destruction was carried
Ou is thus described by newspaper oorrespou-
dent;
"Being without proper iron rails the rebels
were forced to resort TO the old fashiOued method
Uf laying string pieces, on which were fastened
| long siIirs Of iron 10 prevent the wood tiom
wearing out under the pressure vi the trains aud
action VI the Car weepls. 10 burn this eutire
/ vii Ia l.t.l
matter OF comparative ease. portion Of the
cavalry dsmOuuied and marchud by the flank
along tho railroad. Being halted they were
| lac d inward, or lo9ard The road Some men
now rushed 10 the nearest fences to procure dry
iails, while others prepared thu huet cOnbusli.
bic metter. With sooh PEI feet unauimily did
the men work and 30 dty were the reils and ties
thut ies moments suifeed 70 gel o fire well
started along their Whole line. They woald
then foll in. aud. facing by the hauk again. NOSE
further down the road nnlil the isniied portion
was pG srd by thu ieartnost men. Another hal
would be ordered aud tbs operation above de-
scrlbed again repeated Ia lhs lanntr thej
we've enabled 10 nave oyee and destroy an enor
nous spaoe Of theILiirOad Ia a short time Ii
burning lhs road depots from Eeysyille 10 th'
SIauutoa branch. distance vi some twenty
iniles, less tlan tEo thirds nf day was Oeou
pied The iuiense heLt thrown oui from th
extensive line OF tiauis rondered the vic nifty un
teunbe Not only Weie the rear guards fOrcet
to movo 10y datant roads bat even the inhabi
lants found their local hubtationa too hot I,
hold them, and wife forced TO make temporaI.
cbangss beyond its suaOea:ing ihii iunce"
10 ihis way they destroyed over sixty mile
OF raih cad tract, bys des depois blacRsmithi
shops, machine shops. aul stores; aud fnal
rode back across the c. untfy, fought oil one da,
aud the whole Of another night, making bill
liant defence against a greatly superior force
and At last abandoned the few wagons they ha
teen pha TO carry along, and disabled the piece
which they could no longer take with them, aud
dividing into two parties, lint ke9ping up ihei
organization. made the best of their way TO III
Jamcs. where they have safely arrived, after
ride which tested to the utmost due anduranc
and courage of the men aud the capacity an
genius af their leader. Iheir SUCCESSES is Of
substantial kind. tho fruits Of which we sha
SEQ before many days pass.