The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-12
COLONEL DAHLeRExs MOVEMENTS

I the Dover Flour Mills, several private
( Touring establishments and saw mills
! His force also did considerable injury
to the the James River Canal, burning
canal boats and seriously damaging
one or two locks They did not reach
the Immediate vicinity of Richmond
till after noon, when everybody was on
the alert, Fitzpatrick having already
made his attack.
I Colonel Dahlgrens detachment was
divided into several parties, for the &C
conplishment Of different objects, keep
/ together, however. One patry attempt
ed to cross the river, but were Tepulsed
A very sharp fight ensued, and finding
/ the enemy in superior numbers, and
/ confronting them on every road, the
/ force was compelled to fall back In
attempting 30 cut their way out Major
! Cook, of the Second New York, with
/ about one hundred and fifty men, got
4 separated from the rest
The other detachments succeeded in
rejoining Gen. Fitzpatrick; but nothing
/ has been heard OF this one. The PEG
7 pie on the road, and some of the pris-
oners, aver that Colonel who had but
one leg was captured BY the rebels. Il
So it is feared be must have been
wounded. Strong hopes are entertain
ed that, with his usual determination,
he has cut his way through with at least
part of his hundred and fifty men.
FITZPATRICK SHELLS RICHMOND.
Meanwhile, Gen. Fitzpatrick had adj
vanced down the Brooke turnpike from
Ashland, having torn up the rails at
that point, destroying the telegraph a.
/ he marched At one station, however
an operator succeeded in sending a dis
patch to Richmond announcing that
/ the Yankees were coming.
He was a prisoner in less than fifteen
minutes, but that short time put Rich
mond on the ga tivs, and it has since
been ascertained that about a dozen
pieces were put in battery and new en-
trenchments thrown up while awaiting
/ his arrival
The troops reached the outer fortif-
cation early on Tuesday morning, and
as the spires and houses of the city
came in view, cheer upon cheer went
I up from our men.
Ridingrapidly forward, the outer line
of works was entered. The rebels, there
surrounded, threw down their arms
many of them surrendering and others
taking to their heels. A fight then en-
sued for the next line, but the batteries
were too much for them, and so, with
his battery, Gen. Fitzpatrick opened
upon the city.
ARRIVAL OF REBEL RE-TSFORCENENTs.
There is no doubt that the men would
have dashed upon and over anything
that stood in their way, so enthusiastic
had they become; but Gen. Fitzpatrick
acted the wiser part, and, as the shrin
whistle of the locomotive told Of the
bringing up of re-inforcements from
Picketts Brigade, at Bottoms bridge
and vicinity, he reluctantly gave the
order to move towards Mechanicsyille.
METHOD OF THE RETREAT.
That this was difficult to do became
apparent On every road the enemy's
| piokets confronted them, and series
Of manoeuvres took place, in which the
! enemy were found to be on the alert at
every point Night coming on, Kilpat
rick, with his accustomed audacity
halted, and made preparations to camp
He had chosen a place, however, too
near a Rebel camp, and of this fact he
was reminded by being shelled out Of
his position; so the command CROPPED
its way on in the darkness and gloom,
fighting when pressed too hard, and
with the tell-tale whistle Of the iocomo-
tive now warning them that troops were
being hurried back TO Bottom Bridge
in the hope Of cutting of their retreat
MOVEMENTS OF GEN BUTLER's FORCES
On Monday Gen. Butler received or
ders to send over a force TO meet Gen
Fitzpatrick and assist him, if necessary.
This movement was part of Gen. Kill
patrick's plan as proposed Had ne
known or expected force at New Kent
Court House OF at Bottom Bridge, he
would not have turned away from Rich
mond, but would have entTeated Gen. |
Buffers forces to fight for the same |
place
Two thousand infantry under Colonel |
Dunkin, Fourth United States ColOred !
Regiment, eight hundred cavalry under |
Colonel Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania /
Cavalry, and Belger's First Battery, the /
whole under command Of Colonel West /
we're ordered to New Kent Court House, /
there to be governed by circumstance |
as 70 further movement The infantry
and eolored troops left Yorktown on
Monday afternoon and reached New
Kent Court House about noon the next
day, having made an extraordinary
march through rain and mud.
The cavalry left Williamsburg on !
Monday night, and arrived on Tuesday |
morning about o'clock. On Tuesday |
afternoon Colonel Spear took a portion /
Of his cavalry force and proceeded 70 /
Tunstall's Station, where he destroyed /
new steam saw mill and its machinery |
burned freight car and twenty thou
sand feet of lumber Tuesday night
portion of Kilpatricks force was dis
covered, but not knowing whether they |
we're rebs or not preparations were 4
made to give them warm reception /
On Wednesday morning the question /
was solved, and as the colored brigade, /
drawn up to receive them, the mutual
cheers we're deafening.
MARCH Down TEE PEsrFsULA
This incident is marked from the fact
that heretofore the Army Of the Poto-
mac, and particularly the cavalry, have
entertained marked dislike 70 colored |
troops. After resting awhile, they re-
sumed their march down the Peninsula. /
General Davis, who led, had several /
men shot by guerrillas, and General 4
Fitzpatrick and bis attendants chased a 4
body Of them, capturing q lieutenant
and two men. The force picked up on /
their way one Of the escaped prisoners,
a Col Watson OF Watkins, Of an Ohio
regiment
The troops went into camp a few
miles from Fort Magruder on Thursday,
night, and yesterday we're TO move to
Williamsburg, for the purpose Of pro-
curing forage and rations, and resting
the command This raid has been one
Of the most daring Of the war, and but
for the two fatalities mentioned, would
have been complete success
RESULTS OF TIE EXPEDITION
The men and horses have borne the
hard marching remarkably well, the
saddles not being removed during the
trip. and but little sleep given % The
men
over FIVE hundred prisoners we're
taken. but from the nature Of the ex-