Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-07
THE WAR IN VIRGINIA.
DESTRUCTION OF THE ENEMYs RAILROADS
BATTLE WITH OUR CAVALRY.

HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Wednesday,, June 29-l0 +, M
At length Wilson's cavalry expedition. which marched
nine days sgo with the purpose of destroying the Danve
railroad has been heard from through other than rebel
sources.
Capt Whitaker, of Wilson's stan, with m escort OF
forty men, left the head Of tho returning column ut Reamss
Station on the Weldon railroad, fifteen miles below re-
tersburg early this morning and reached Meades head
quarters at ii A. NJ He slashed his way throuab CO.
lumn of rebel infantry which movsg down TO inter-
cept our cavalry losing the dash twenty of his forty
but he got through
Wilson's command consists Of his and Kautz's dvi-
sions Not hating the way out to more than Temporal
rily break the Weldon road which he did at Reamss Sta.
tion he moved rapidly 70 Burksvle, the intersection of
the Danve and Richmond and the Petersburg and Lynch
burg roads thirty miles from Richmond
Then commenced the work of destruction with all the
met but little opposition With headquarters at Burks-
VILE he dispatched commands in each Of the four drec
tons where lay rsilroaf this way, on the Danvle
road no burned bridges forty miles apart and thoroughly
desoyei the burning of every tie and twisting Of
every rail- some TWEEN miles between. On the Peters
burg and Lynchburg road ne utterly destroyed thirty
miles, and fred bridges outside OF that distance.
Having effected the object of his raid be now looked
out for his lines of retreat already threatened by
gathering rebels. He turned to Come back. He met
skirmishDg right lett front rear but nothing not easily
Weldon road eighteen miles below here There the enemy
had concentrated his 'front.' and themselves attacked late
in the afternoon and severe Engagement ensued lasting
into the night He met the force that had been
dealing with Sheridan north Of Richmond The result
does not to have been very decisive although the
losses stained and inflicted were large During last
night he turned the ensmys flank coming in between him
and Petersburg preerrng that to the other flank and
longer march SO far the force he had been fighting Is
concerned the seems to have been successful he
euded it, and would have reached our lines by noon but
e. ah~I
covered and rode through What plan he adopted on
meeting this element in the problem Of his return
WHISTLER he decided to halt and withstand attack or
m arch back on the path he had come-is not known.
Whitaker had scarcely reported when Gen. Meade
ordered the Sixth Corps nearest to march to Wilson's
support, Offset to the rebel infantry; and such OF
Sheridans cavalry had up from Windmill Point,
where it crossed the James also ordered to hasten
in the same direction The Sixth Corps marched early in
the afternoon Invested of all mpediment stripped for
marching and fighting.
Such Is tbs situation as far as heard FROM but the coli
sion has doubtless already been preciptated We shall
hear from tomorrow Gen Wilson was entrusted with
an exceedingly important mission de has accomplished
raid will be glorious thing When the Danvllle road
completed two months the Richmond papers pro-
nounced it worth more than victory. BY parity OF
reasoning. the loss of it is worse than defeat
Gen Hancock, on resumiug cOmmand of his corps to-
day. issued long special order reviewing the achieve
ments of the old Second referring to the disaster OF last
week 10 terms of rebuke which might be construed
Election upon the way the handled rather than
upon the and finally stirring them with breathiog
thoughts and burning word, to t grander deeds. BY
request refrain from sending it for publication.
The Petersburg Register of yesterday 10 lugubriousy
faceous concbooey states that every body in the
city is learning the art OF lodging Said and respectable
citizens dodge into the houses OF utter strangers and pene-
trate ever to the cellars without saying by your
leave"
Baldy Smith has dropped shell into Petersburg every
fifteen minutes the last three days deserter reports
that several struck the markehouse yesterday that the
rebel poonton bridge destroyed by Them and that
numbers killed every day. Smith slenced two rebel
the Appomaox yesterday but this morn
ing they disclose two others 10 position which he cannot
The casualties from sbarpshooters twenty five day
in the Eighteenth Corps and as many 10 the Ninth The
other corps maintain informs truce Lee has but thirty
Eve thousand in front. The rebels
scrptng between the ages of seventeen and fifty hitherto
only between eighteen and forty five.
Correspondence Of The Associated Press.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
June 29-4 Pm.
Wilson, with his cavalry command, is Resmss Sta
ton the Weldon railroad returning from his raid at
the point named which is about eight miles from here
The main body of the enemys cavalry said to be OBJ
sructng progress and prevent him from
forming junction with the rest of the army Sheridan
has been for to to his assistance with the other
two divisions of the cavalry corps and pending his arrival
the Sixth Corps has left its position the left and has
gone on the same errand.
While these events progressing side column
of the enemy comprising about eighteen regiments is OBJ
served moving down west Of the Weldon railroad They
may bs making for Reamss Station in which case COLI
sion is likely to between them and Gen Wrights
Corps possibly they may make attack on our left
when the Second Corps will have to bear the brunt of
their assault Gen Hancock, who has just resumed CON-
mand Of his corps making all necessary preparations for
such an event. and will not be taken by surprise
1t is ssid that Wilson succeeded in destroying forty
miles OF rarosd Last night be at Stony Grove south
OF Stony Creek branch OF the Notsway river and on
attempting found his passage opposed by the
my He then sent Kauxs division westward cross the
stream higher up and then make for the railroad pear
Resmss station in which vicinity understand the entire
command now is.
Two prisoners brought 10 to day report that Fnnegan
brigade Of McHones division attached to Hills corps
badly beaten last night by Wilson, being repused
With loss in three successive charges made by them
This must have been at Stony Creek The ankhess with
which the admitted their defeat indicated that they
experienced very serious regret modification thereat
In fact they seemed TO rather enjoy the narration of it,
The brigade to which they belonged formed part the
rebel force opposed to in the battle of Olustee
Up to this hour 1t has been very quiet in front to-day
but IL 10 probable that this state Of things will shortly be
interrupted
Special Despatch to the Nep York Tribune
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac
Thursday, June 80, 1864
All interest centres in the cavalrytbe return Of the