Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-06
WILSON'S CAVALRY RAID.
Interesting and Inteliigible Account
!, of the Movement = Destruction OF
sixty Miles Of Railroad : Wilson'S
Loss.
From The MY. world.I

/
We have received interesting details of
Gen. Wilson's raid upon the Richmond and
Danville railroad, from one of our special
correspondents with Gen. Grants army
| The expedition came near proving disas-
trous and it was only by the most persist
ent efforts on the part of our cavalry that
Gen. Wilson succeeded in bringing his COM
mand off in safety. Even then he lost all
his artillery. The destruction of the rail-
road over which he raided seems to have
been complete, and in order to restore it the
rebels will be compelled to entirely recon-
struct the greater portion, the rails and ties
being rendered wholly unserviceable. The
raid was of seven days duration. Over two
hundred miles of the enemy's country were
traversed, and the pathway was lighted
with pillars of fire by night and with
clouds of smoke by day. The command,
including Gen. Wilson's and Gen. KautZ's
divisions, left point Oh the Blackwater
river, four miles south OF Prince Georges
Court House, on the morning of the 22d
ult. The Weldon road was crossed at
Reame's station, ten miles from Petersburg,
and portion was detached to destroy the
road in that vicinity. The force then pro-
ceeded to Dinwiddie, and thence, to
Anderson's mills, near Sutherland sta
tion, on the Petersburg and Lynchburg
road, and ten miles from the former city.
Here sixteen cars, two locomotives, and
large quantity of stores were burned or
rendered useless. On the morning of the
Odd, General Kautz, in advance, reached the
Burkesville junction of the Danyille road
about the same time as General Wilson
reached Nottaway Court House, nine miles
from Burkesville junction, on the Peters,
burg road. General KautZ commenced his
work of destruction, meeting with no oppO-
lesition. General Wilson found large force
of the rebels at Hathaway station, which
he engaged, and after severe fight defeat
ed them, sustaining loss of about sixty in
killed and wounded. An aid was then dis
patched to General Kautz with instructions
to rejoin the main body while General Will
son pushed on Nuberria station, on the
Danville road, twelve miles from Burkes-
vile junction. Here General KautZ joined
General Wilson, and the united commands
moved down to Keysville, eight miles from
Nuberria, where they bivouacked on the
night of the 24th. The next morning the
command moved down the railroad to
Roa loke, in order to destroythe bridg sspan-
nlng the Staunton branch of the Roanoke
river. The entire road from Burkesville to
this point was destroyed, but in conse-
quence of the presence of superior body of
the rebels the bridge could not be consumed
and only one span was rendered unserviDe-
able. A retrograde movement was then
made in the direction of Williesburg, and
thence to and through Christianville to the
bridges over the Nottaway river, which
point was reached on the 2Sth. Here the
enemy was driven nearly to Stony Creek
station, twenty-five miles from Petersburg
and twelve miles from Reamss station. At
this point the enemy was found in force so
disposed as to dispute the passage of our
troops. An engagement ensued, extending
over period of nearly three days, at the
close of which General Wilson managed to
eXtricate his command, not, however, with
out sustaining severe losses of men and ma
terial. The fact that Early had been sent
off upon foraging expedition attests the
efficiency of the work of destruction by
our troops. The condition Of the roads
raided over shows conclusively that the
rebel means of transportation are very in
complete. So important roads as these,
however, will not long be suffered to be un-
serviceable, but their restoration will re-
quire time, and large amount of labor
and material. The raid was complete in all
its respects. and probably the service rem
dered more than counterbalances the loss
of material sustained. .., ~
INCIDENTS AND REPORTS.
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