Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-10
THE LATE RAID ON RICHMOND.
DES SrRUcTIoN OF PROPERTY, REBEL PANIC,
ALLEGED TREACHERY &c.
Correspondence Of The Nso York Tribune.

P'oPory' stores, &C., ana the actual smelling oi
Starting Sunday at 3 A. NJ from camp with 5000
cavalry picked from his and Generals Merritts and
Geggs divisions he proceeded to the Rapid Ann crossing
at Elys Ford. From thence the column marched TO
Spottsylvana Court which place reached with
out encountering any Of the enemy.
From Spottylvana Courthouse to the end Of his daring
Journey he was more or less harassd by the rebels and
frequently found that his lines had fallen in very unpleasant
places At the place last named the command d.
vded mo different parties who were to scour the
try as they proceeded toward common centre--kch-
mond Every road to be carefully secuted that
concealed foes in small numbers should be left be
hind, SO as to concentrate and worry hun.
The expedition warike tour when all the fun,
chickens, turkeys geese hogs corn, oats hay horses
mules negroes backs whether made Of flesh paper
that could be had to be had. They carried with
about msny days ratons for the men, the General
being determined that for the celebrated ORDER sub
sst on the enemys country should be faithfully executed
On Monday they reached the Virginia Railroad and tore
up the track in four places destroying whatever property
would render the road useless At Fredericks Hall
the Central Railroad, they came upon courtmartisl.
peacefully holding its sesslons, and captured colonel five
captains, and two euenants. Gen. Lee had passed
the railroad on his to his army but hour before
men reached it. 1 4# s6 ta
Leaving Fredericks Hall on Monday they pushed on for
Richmond-a detachment of five hundred nnder Col
Dahlgren keeping well to the right in the direction of
Louisa Court House, while Gen. Fitzpatrick with the main
body, moved upon Ashland both partes scouriag the
country thoroughly, and doing all possible damage.
As the forces neared Richmond the two main parties
began concentrating. Col Dahlgren was to move down
to the right Of Richmond destroying as much Of the
James river canal possible Then taking the river
road to if possible and enter the city from the
south side and attempt the deverance of the prisoners
Belle Isle. Gen Fitzpatrick, with the main body, to
attack the city by the Brooke turnpike simultaneously il
possible with the other 1t hoped reach
the city on Monday night or early the following morning.
when partial il not total surprise could bs effected.
Two OF those fatalities which more than once during
this have snatched from the very grasp c
those who by their vaor and daring have richly deserved
the vicors CROWN nterposed to prevent the
ton Of one OF the best conceived and most brilliant plans
of the whole war
Col Dahlgren bad taken negro to pilot him to Rich
mond His detachment had rapidly moved the
country destroying barns forage and every thing which
could possibly be Of service to the enemy. Pushing
go as to reach Richmond pOssible Col Dahl
gren discovered that his negro guide had betrayed him.
and led him toward Goochand instead Of to Richmond
andi Tuesday midnight found himself miles in just the
opposite direction from that which he wished take
The negro was promptly hanged for bis baseness. Ex-
asperated by bis treache the men burnt the barns and
Outbudings of John A. Seldom the rebel Secretary Of
War, and it is, perhaps fortunate that the gentleman
himself was not present Retracng his steps, Col Dahl
gren marched down the river road destroying the Dover
-four mills several private Touring establishments and
sawms Ills force also did considerable injury to The
James River Canal burning canal boats and seriously
damaging or two locks They did not reach the inn
mediate vicinity Of Richmond till afternoon when every
body was on the alert Fitzpatrick having already made his
attack
Col Dahlgrens detachment was divided into several
together however One party attempted cross the
river but repulsed. very sharp fight ensued and
finding the enemy in superior numbers and confronting
them every road the force compelled to fall back
In attempting to cut their way out, Col Dahlgren and
Major Cook of the Second New York, with about hun
dred and fifty men, got separated from the rest The
other deachments succeeded in rejoning Gen Fitzpatrick
but nothing has been heard Of this The people the
road and of the prisoners that Colonel who bad
but one leg captured BY the rebels.
Meanwhile Gen. fitzpatrick had advanced down the
ka from fha
that point destroying the telegraph he marched At
Of the stations however, the operator succeeded
sending despatch to Richmond announcing that the Yam
KEGS coming He prisoner in less than fifteen
minutes but that short time put Richmond the qai
cipe and has since been ascertaned that about dozen
fed-pieces put in battery and entrenchment
thrown up while awaiting his arrival. s
The troops reached the outer Notifications early on
Tuesday and the Ipres and houses Of the city
came 10 view, cheer upon cheer went up from
Riding rapidly toward the city, the outer line of the works
was entered The rebels therein threw down their arms
many Of them sarrenderng and others taking to their
heels fight then ensued Tor the next line but the bat
eries too much for them, and 80, with his battery
Gen. Fitzpatrick opened upon them and the city
There is doubt that the would have dashed
up and every thing that stood in their way, 80 en-
thusastic had they become, but Gen Fitzpatrick acted
the part and the sbr whistle of the locomotive
told Of the bringing up of reiorcements from Pcketts
bigade, at Bottoms Bridge and vicinity, he reluctantly
gaze the order TO move toward Mechanicsvlle That
this dffcut to do became apparent On every
road the enemys pckets confronted them aud series Of
msneuvres took place. 10 which the enemy were found 10
be the alert at every point Night coming on Klpat
rick with his accustomed audacty halted and made pre-
paratons to camp He had chosen place. however, too
rebel camp, and Of this fact he reminded by
being sheed out OF his position, So phe command CROPPED
it's way la the darkness and gloom when pressed too
hard, and with the teale whistle Of the locomotive now
warning them that troops befg hurried back to
Bottoms Bridge in the hope Of cutting OF their retreat
On Monday Gen. Butler received orders to send out
force 10 meet Gen Fitzpatrick and assist him il neces.
sary. THIS movement part Of Gen KS plan as
proposed Had he known Of even expected force at
New Kent Courthouse at Bottoms Bridge he would not
have then turned away from Richmond, but would have
treated Gen Buters forces to fight for the prize
Two thousand infantry under Col Duncan Fourth Uui.
ted States Colored Regiment; 500 cavalry under Col
Spear Eleventh Fennsy yania Cavalry and BIgers First
Rhode Island Battery, the whole under command Of Col
West we're ordered to NewKent Court house, there 10
be governed by circumstances to further movements
The infantry colored troops monday and
resched NewKent Court house about the next day
having made On extraordinary night march through rain
and mud.
The cavalry left Williamsburg Monday night and ar.
rived Tuesday morning About eight o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon Col Speir took portion of his cavalry force
and proceeded to Tunsta Station, where he destroyed
new steam mill and machinery, burnt freight car
10000 feet Of lumber, &c.
On Tuesday night portion of Kilpatrck's force was
discovered but not knowing whether they rebels or
not preparations made to give them warm ,re.
ception On "wednesday morning the question was
solved, and as the two columns OF cavalry came in on
both sides Of the coored brigade drawn up receive
them the mutual cheers were deafenlng.
After resting while they resumed their march down
the Peninsula. The troops went into camp few miles
from Fort Magruder Thursday night and yesterday
TO TO Williamsburg for the purpose of pro-
curing forage and ratlons, aud resting the command
This raid has been OF the most daring Of the war