Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-03-10

on Monday night or early the following
morning, when partial if not total
surprise could be Effected Two of those
lataiities which more than once during
TINS war have snatched success from the
very grasp of those who by their valor
and daring have richly deserved the vic
tor'scrown, ,interposed and prevented the
contamination of one of the best con.
ceived and most brilliant plans of the
whole war. Col. Dahlgren had taken a
negro to pilot him to Richmond. His
detachment had moved rapidly acrosa
the country, destroying barns and every
thing which could possibly be of service
to the enemy Pushing on to reach
Richmond as soon as possible, Col Dahl
gren discovered that his negro guide had
betrayed him and led him towards
Goochland instead of to Richmond. and
Tuesday, at midnight found himself miles
in just the opposite direction from that
which he wished to take. The negro
was promptly hung for his baseness-
Exasperated by this treachery, the men
burned the barns and out buildings of
John A. Seddons, the rebel secretary of
war, and 1T is perhaps fortunate for that
gentleman that he was not present.
Retracing his steps, Col Dahlgren march.
ed down the river road, destroying the
Dover Hour mills, several private flour
ing establishments and saw mills.
HIS force also did considerable injury
10 the James river canal, burning canal
boats and seriously damaging one or
two locks They did not reach the i'm
mediate vicinity of Richmond till after.
noon when everybody was on the alert.
Fitzpatrick having already made his at.
tack. The detachment was divided into
several parties for the accomplishment
OF dlfierent objects, keeping together.
however. One party attempted to cross
the river but were repulsed. A yery
sharp fight ensued, and finding the enc
my in superior numbers and confronting
them on every road, the force was com,
pelied to fall back In attempting to
cut tnelr way out, Col. Dahlgren and
MAJ. Cook of the I'd New York cavalry.
with about $50 men got separated from
the rest. The other detachments suc-
ceeded is rejoining Gen Fitzpatrick, but
nothing has been heard of this one The
people ON the road and some of the pris-
oners aver that colonel who had but
one leg was captured by the rebels. If
SO, it is feared that Col. DahIgren was
wounded, but strong hopes are enter
tained that with his usual determine.
tfon he has cut his way through with at
least part of his hundred and fifty men.
Meanwhile Fitzpatrick had advanced
down the Brooks turnpike from Ashland.
having torn up the rails at that point.
destroying the telegraph as he marched.
AT one OF the stations, however, the
telegraph operator succeeded in sending
q dispatch to Richmond announcing
that the Yankees were coming. He was
a prisoner in less than. 25 minutes, hut
that short time put Richmond on the
qui vive, and it has since been ascer.
tanned that about a dozen field pieces
were put in battery and a new entrench-
ment thrown up while awaiting Kilpat-
rlck's arrival. The troops reached the
outer Notifications early on Tuesday
morning, and as the spires and houses
OF the city came in view, cheer upon
cheer went up from our men. Riding
rapidly toward the city, the outer line
OF works was entered. The rebels there.
in threw down their arms, many of them
surrendering and others taking to their
heels. A fight ensued for the next line
of works, but the batteries were too
much for them, and so with his battery
Gen. Fitzpatrick opened upon them and
the city. There is no doubt that the
men would have dashed upon and over
everything that stood in their way, 80
enthusiastic had they become but Gen.
Fitzpatrick acted the wiser part, and, as
the shrill whistle of the locomotive told
of the bringing up of reinforcements
from Picketts brigade at Bottoms
Bridge and vicinity, he reluctantly gave
the order to move towards Mechanics
vile, fs 9A5 }si so.s5 g
Who FIRED CoLTs ARMoRY THAT the