, 1864-07-07
WILSON'S GREAT RAID.
Full Details Of the Affair.

Full Details Of the Affair.
Great Destruction Of Railroads..
Heavy Fighting-Desperate r.
Effort Of the Rebsis to .:.
Capture Our Forces.
Correspondence Phi1adelphia 1nquirer.J
HEApqrAHrEHs AEa1r OF THE POTOMAC, =
NEAR PETxnsBUHa, Saturday, July 2~a.m.
The force composing the expedition con-
sisted Of Gen. Wilson's own division, and
TINT Of Gen. knutz, from Buffers depart
mcnt, the whole under command Of the tor
There were also with the expedition threa
batteries Of four guns each, half rif1ed ord
nance and halfllght twelve -pounders, and one
battery Of small mounted hoWltzers}~
With this force Gen: Wilson set out at one
O'clock D. N. on the Esd ult, starting from
he crossed the Petersburg and Weldon Rail-
road st Reems' Station, at which point Col.
Chapman, with the Cd brigade OF Wilson's
own division had skfrmish with small
force Of the enemy, who, however, were
By way Of Dlnwiddie Court.Honae, toward
Petersburg and lynchburg, on tile south side
OF the railroad, which they struck, at Ford's
Mills, near sutherlands's Station. They then
moved down the road, Gen. Kantz In ADVANCE
as far as Ford's Station, destroying the road
as they moved ::
At ford's statisn they captured two trains,
comprising sixteen cars with The locomo.
tires. They we're laden with refugees lear
ing Petersburg. After destroy ing the depot
and the captured trains, thecommand biyou-
acked at Ford'e Station for the night.
Early on the morning Of the 23d they re-
su1ued their march, Gen. Kautz still in I'D
vance Near Nottoway force of rebel cav
airy, comprising two brigades, appeared on
the right flank Of our column, while moving
some dfstance along the south side Of the
railroad. Col Chapman, OF the I'd brigade,
formed in line, and engaged the enemy. This
was about p m., and The rencounter con-
ttnued TN nearly night, when the enemy MAS
Gen. Kautz, who had passed on before the
enemy appeared, proceeded the same after
noon to Burkesvilfe, junction Of the Peters
burg with the Richmond aud Danyille Rail-
road. Here he destroyed ali the depots, rail-
road switches, appurtenances, and tore up
from the Junction, after which he rested
there for the night
General Wilson, with the remainder Of his
force, had biyouacked at NottoWay Court
House, end on tie afternoon OF the 9th ad-
ranced across the country to Medber's sts-
tion, on the Danville Railroad, to meet Gen:
KaItz, who was to join him ut that place,
destroying as he advanced. After forming !
junction at that station, the entire force
marched to Greenville, and there biyouacked,
The work Of destruction Wns resumed early
On the 25th, and BY 5 p. N. We had reached
the vicinity Of Staunton Bridge on the Staun-
ton River, having completely destroyed eve
r. foot Of railroad up to that point
NEAR PETERSBURG, Va, July 8, 1851. :;
Affar narrnfinfr fhn tnArrh t1ntI1 fha no1.
vile Railway vas struck, the Reporter pro
ceeds:
The distance from BurkesYillc measured
On the map is about thirty-f1vc miles, and
adding to this portions Of the South Side
Road which were destroyed, the aggregate
would not be less than tifty miles, and pro.
badly more than that distance.
The Danyille Road Was constructed In a.
filshion known to some extent In the e.
using 7 rail, solid beams Of wood, techni-
cally called etrlngers, are placed upon the
ties, and along their inner edges are
fastened long stIips Of iron known rs
strap rails. The stringers were. of yel.
necefsarS nee @ here and and there t to pie on o. lev
tails from an adjoining fence and ignite them
to set the entire structure in q bllze. Miles
of railrpad might have been seen at time
in flames, aad ut night the whole canopy of
heaven YVES one glare If light By day these
conHagrations, adding to Ihc already insuffe-
rab]e temperature Of the atmosphere, ren-
dered the heat almost intolerahle, and many
people living in the vicinity of the railroad
were obliged to leave their houses and settle
in choler localities.
The rear Of our column in moving past
the fires kint!Ied by the advance was often
compelled TO leave the road and move at
respectful distance on the right or left until,
after little experience, tie plan was adopted
| Of leaving the depots and other buildings to
! be fred by those in the rear.
| The mode in which this work OF destruc-
/ tion was accomplished Was to dismount
| portion of the command and march them
| parallel with the railroad, then face about q
| regiment at time toward the track, hare
| them advance and ignite the section of. the
| road in their front aid then resume their
march. It was but the work Of few min
utts for each regiment to perform it's part,
| and the whole .Was accomplished nelrly as
| faEt as the column could move.
1t ia onl{tncceesary to remind the public
| Of what is already known, viz: The fact
that this railroad was now the only one. on
! which the enemy could depend for commu-
| nIcation with the. South, Southeast md
south-west-the only route by which be
| could bring up troops or supplies to Rich
| mond or Petersburg; and this bting remcm-
| bered, It le easy to appreciate the importance
| OF the destruction OF SO large portion ot
| IT. Even with the best facilities for repair
ing, it would require sesetal weeks to place
1t in running order-Weeks Of exceedingly
precious time to the enemy; and, consider
Ing the difficulties which embarrass them,
including army wants, want Of materials,
sud conEt ant liability to interruption, 1t Is
doubtful whether they will succeed In recon-
structing this railroad before the present
campaign is decided
Tie Weldon Road, although but small
q en-
bic, and practically the rebel army under Lee
and the rebel Government are isolated by m
interval Of many miles from al railroad COM
munication With the interior OF re5eldom.
force arrived In the vicinity Of stauntou
Bridge In the afternoon of the 25th. It Was
OF course desirable TO-. destroy this bridge,
which WAS a very Important one, and IN ct
! fort Was made to effect this object, General
assigned to make the attempt. 1t was found
thai the enemy were fully prepared to defend
it. Our approach had been heralded IN ad-
vance, and militia called hastily together
| from eight adjoining counties had been con-
vile had also been brought up, and it was
reported that Extra BulT Smith; had been
sent from Richmond to take command.
This force was well protected BY substantial
| ea1thworks, Of which there Wefet three lines,
and in 4 sort Of redoubt there were three
There WIS also battery of smaller guns
higher up the river, which opened an emilia
ding fire upon our troops as they advanced.
One Of our batteries was brought to bear
upon the bridge along which we're posted
the eneny's sharpshooters, whose firing was
somewhat troublesome. As soon as the
| character Of the letenses and the number oi
troops there was ascerta1ned, It, Was deter.
mined to withdraw, as any attempt was sure
to be futile The lst District Of Columbia
Cavalry. Colonel Bakers reg giment, Of Gen.
Kautz's command, lost most heavily In this
ai1air, but the entire loss in the division was
not more than sixty killed and wounded.
From this point or raiders moved in q
porth- easter}y direction towards Wyliiesbu1g
which they reached, after q nights march
near DAYLIGHT On the morning Of the 26th,
batting there for about an hour.
The 2Cth. eth, and earlier part Of the 2Sth
were marked by few events OF any impor
tance: except that on the eth the brigade o.
Fitzhuch Lee, appeared on our left flank,
which occasioned some little skirm1shipg
lasting, however, butt very short lime, and
attended with few, if any, casualties This
brigade was the one first encountered a
ReGms Station, and again ut NottaWoy Conr
| House, and appears TO have followed oul
course as cloeely as was safe aud convenient
doubtless for the purpose OF. reporting GU!
movements and The direction taken By Us.
Our route lay through Chfistiansyille
across Meherris creek at sanford's bridgc
and thence to the double bridges on the Not
eonsideab1e portion of the count.: