The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-02

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HEADQUARrERs ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Wednesday, June %, 10 7. M.-At length viii
sons cavalry expedition, which marched nine
days ago with the purpose of destroying the Dan
vile Railroad, has been heard from through
other than Rebel sources.
Captain Whitaker, of Wilson'S staff with an
escort of 40 men, left the head of the return
ing column at Reims Station, on the Weldon
road fifteen miles below Petersburg, early this
IL A. NJ.
He slashed his way through column of Rebel
infantry, which was moving down to intercept
our cavalry, losing in the dash 25 of his 40i but
he got through.
Wilson's command consists of his own and
KauL's Divisions. Not hating on the way out to
more than temporarily break the Weldon road,
which he did at Reims Station he moved rapidly
TO Burkesyille, the intersection Of the Danvle
and Richmond and the Petersburg and Lynch
burg roads, 80 miles from Richmond. Then to
| the work of destruction with all the might of
| thousands of active men.
Up to this time he met but little opposition
| With headquarters at Burkesvile, he despatched
| commands to each of the four directions where
lay railroad. In this way, on the Danvile road
! he burned bridges forty miles apart, and thor
| oughly destroyed, to the burning Of every tic
and the twisting Of every rail, some twenty miles
between.
On the Petersburg and Lynchburg road he ut
terly destroyed thirty miles, and fired bridges
outside of that distance.
Having effected the object Of his raid, he now
looked out for his lines of retreat, already
threatened by gathering Rebels.
He turned to come back. He met skirmishing
| right left, front, rear, but nothing not easily
ridden through until last night at Stony creek,
on the Weldon road, eighteen miles below here.
There the enemy had concentrated in his 'front.'
and themselves attacked late in the afternoon,
and a severe engagement ensued lasting into the
night.
He met the same force that had been dealing
with Sheridan north of Richmond. The reszlt
does not seem to have been decisive, although
the losses sustained and inflicted were large.
During last night he turned the enemy's flank,
coming in between him and Petersburg, prefer
ring that to the other flank and a longer march.
So far as the force he had been fighting is con-
cerned the move seems to have been successful.
He eluded it, and would have reached our lines
by noon, but for the Rebel infantry column
which Captain Whitaker discovered and rode
through.
What new plan he adopted on meeting this
new element in the problem of his return
whether he decided TO halt and withstand an
attack or march back on the path be had come
lis not known.
Whitaker had scarcely reported when General
Meade ordered the 9th Corps, the nearest 10
march to Wilson's support, as an Offset to the
Rebel infantry, and such of SheridAn's cavalry
as had come up from Windmill Point, where Il
crossed the James, was also ordered to hasten in
| the same direction.
The 9th Corps marched early in the afternoon,
ulNSntCu vi al hlIlpptu lOT InATCn-
| ing and fighting Such Is the situation as far as
heard from, butthe collision has doubtless already
been preciptated.
We shall hear from it tomorrow. General
Wilson was intrusted with an exceedingly inn
| portant mission. He has accomplished It, and
he can afford large loss on his return, and still
the raid will be glorious thing
When the Danville road was completed two
months ago, tht Richmond papers pronounced
1t worth more than victory. BY a parity of
| reasoning, the loss OF 1t is worse than defeat.
General Hancock, on resuming command of
his corps to-day, issued long special order, re-
viewing the achievements of the I'd, referring 10
| the disaster of last week in terms of rebuke,
| which might be construed as a reflection upon
! the way the men were handled, rather than upon
the men, and finally stirring them with breathing
thoughts and burning words TO still grander
deeds. BY request, refrain from sending 1t for
| publication
The Petersburg Register of yesterday is lugu-
| brlously facetious over conchoogy, states that
everybody in the city is learning the art of dodg-
| ing. Staid and respectable citizens dodge into
the houses Of utter strangers, and penetrate even
to the cellars, without even saying, by your
| leave.
The 18th Corps has adopted badge, double
| triangle inclosed In quatre foil.
Generals Grant and Butler during the day have
visited several corps headquarters, whether for
| counsel docs not appear.
Badly Smith has dropped u shell into Peters
burg every fifteen minutes the last three days.
! deserter reports that several struck the market
| house yesterday, that the Rebel pontoon bridge
was destroyed by them, and that numbers arc
| killed every day.
Smith silenced two Rebel batteries across the
| Appomattox yesterday, but this morning they
disclose two others in position, which he cannot
reach.
Major Merriman, Gad2ew York, had his arm
shattered by she'll today. The casualties from
sharpshooting are twenty-five day in the 18th
| Corps, and as many in the 9th.
The other corps maintain informal truce. Lee
has but 80 900 men in our front. The Rebels are
now coRscripting between the ages of IL and 80;
hitherto, only between Is aud -.
IT. were operating, | should write privately
Ia Bull Run Russell-Act as though yoI had
heard good news-Iri6URe.