Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1864-03-03
PUBLISHED (DArLY) BIZ
EDGAR SNOWDEN, JR.
m@ OFFICE-No. l04 King street, over
s.one's. formerly French's) Book Store.
GEN COsTAR'S CAVALRY RAID.

GEN. CUSTAR,S CAVALRY BALD.
r f. Mcbride, the correspondent OF the
Washington Chronicle, with the Army OF the
Potomac, furnishes that paper with detailed
account Of the recent cavalry expedition OF
Cen Custar, supported by the 9Th army corps,
under Gen. Sedgwick, which left Culpeper
Court House on Sunday afternoon last, march
ed, according to reports, to within a few miles
Of Charlottesville, where they encountered the
Confederate forces and were compelled, after
some skirulishing, to make a ''speedy retreat
4 and returned to camp yesterday. The writer
h says: about 2 A. M. Monday, the raiders
left their resting place near James City and
took the road for Charlottesville. The men
had been picked from Merritt's and Greeg's
divisions and were we'll mounted. The object
OF the expedition was known to very fcw.-
Some anticipated general advance OF the ar
my, others prophesied the capture Of Rich
mond, but the events of the next forty. eight
hours proved that Custar was only diverting
the enemy S attention from some locality in
which we now had some interest. 1t Rich
mond was 70 he entered, our column was not
the one ordered 10 make the attempt.
The account continues: About 2 O clock
. Monday afternoon, we marched up the steep
banks Of the Ravenna river; our coming was
I unknown and altogether unexpected Before
US was large cavalry camp-the hufs arrang-
cd with mathematical precision and soldlerly
regularity. On one side, the horses were qul'
etly standing; on the other, six pieces OF ar
tiliery were parked, with 1.-THE appurtenances
l a ri 10 hn
caissons. The 9th regular regiment OF Gener-
al Merritt's old brigade led the van Captain
Ash. with one squadron, dashed among the
comfortable looking butts with reckless preclpl-
tancy, and scattered the occupants IN al dlrec.
tions. lie ordered the men TO destroy all they
could, and they obeyed their Instructions to the
| very letter. Neither axes nor rat-tall hles
could be found In his command. Ii was I'M
possible to spike the guns or chop the gun-car'
giages to pieces SO they contented themselves
! with blowing up the calssons and destroying
the camp. In the meantime, the enemy we're
ralIyiny with the rapidity and zeal or the Gae
at the call OF their chief Several pieces OF
artillery were belching forth their destructive
notes at the aunacious invaders: and the main
. body Of Custar's command coming up, the enc
my were driven short distance to give US q
fuothold on the crest of the same hill with
themselves. Between our troops duu tlic .o"A
the enemy were gathering II great force::-
Everything warned US to get away as speedily
as possible lest it might be our lot to get sur
founded they had telegraphed from Char.
lcttesville to Orange Court House that unlnvl.
ced visitors were there, and aid was needed TO
expel them from the nelghborhood. lhe an
swer to these dispatches came towards evening
in the shape OF five carloads OF infantry
There was nothing lett us now but speedy re-
treat. Horses were wheeled about, and to.
wards sunset the Ravenna was recrossed and
the bridge burned All the mills that could be
found in the neighborhood were destroyeds