Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-07
GEN. WILSON'S RIDE.

To comprehend the extent Of Gen Wilson's daring ride
into the interior of Virginia every reader should take
map--a common railroad map will do-aud follow from
point to point the operations Of the force under Wilson
and Kautz.
They set out from their camp, Prince Georges
House, at two O'Clock in the morning of the 22d of
June They crossed the Norfolk and Petersburg railroad
about Ave miles below Petersburg and made at once
the Weldon railroad, which they struck at Reams sta
ton ten miles south Of Petersburg From here they
struck the country norhwesery till they reached
the Petersburg and Danvie railroad at Suherland ten
miles west of Petersburg Here the work of destruction
began. At Fords, ten miles further west two ocomo.
ves train Of sixteen cars and depots with
destroyed and after working at this all night the
force moved the morning of the 23d along the railroad
until they reached Burksvle where the Danvile and
the Lynchburg railroads each other Here az well
az at Noowsy of the crossing the work Of destruc
ton was made very complete At NottOway force of the
enemy was met and beaten after a short engagement
Gen. Wilson now turned down the Danville railroad,
which he destroyed for tbIrys miles from Burksvie
Roanoke station where, at bridge, the enemy had ga
hered force too heavy tor our wessed men to encounter
without great danger All the places have mentioned
are marked upon common railroad maps The methodi-
cal manner which the work OF destruction carried
on is thus described by newspaper correspondent:
Being without proper iron rails the rebels forced
to resort the old fashioned method string pieces
on which fastened long strips of iron to prevent the
wood from wearing out under the pressure Of the trains
and action Of the car wheels TO burn this entire road
from Burksvle to Staunton bridge matter of
parative portion of the cavalry dsmounted and
marched by the flank along the railroad. Being halted
they wers faced inward, toward the road Some
now rushed to the nearest fences TO procure dry rails
while Others prepared the finer combustbe matter With
such perfect unanimy did the work and so dry were
the rails and ties that few momenb/ Feed 10 get fire
well started along their whole line they would then fall
in and facing by the 6snk sgan, further down the
rosd until The ented portion passed by the resrmot
men Another halt would be ordered and the operation
above described again repeated In this manner they
enabled to move and destroy space Of the
railroad in short time 10 Burning the road depots from
Kersr;Ile TO the Stanton branch distance of some
tuentv mes less than two thirds of day occupied
The nense heat thrown out from this extensive line flame
rendered the vicinity untenable Not only were the
guards forced to move by defiant roads, but even the in
Nbsnts found their local babitaon too hot to hold them
and forced TO make temporary changes beyond its
snfYoc. 'ting influence"
In THE way they destroyed sixty miles OF railroad
track bes es depots, blacksmith shops, machine shops
and stores nd finally rode back the country fought
oil one day ana the whole Of another night making bril-
liant defence aga, t greatly superior force and at last
abandoned the few wagons they had been able to carry
along and disabled tn. pieces which they could longer
take with them and div ding into two parties but keep
nR up their organisation sde the best Of their way to the
james where they have snie arrived, after ride which
tested to the utmost the endu NICE and courage of the
and the capacity and genius Of her leader Their
il OF substantial kind, the fruits of which shall
see before many days pass