Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-15
THE ATTACK ON PErERsBuno.

Gallant Conduct OF the list District Colum-
bia acsvary-Lsttsrf from an Omrsr.
We arc permitted to copy the following from
private letter written to a friend In this city
by an officer Of the 1st d. G. cavalry, now In
the Tcnth corps, in Gen. Buffers army;
CAMP NTAR PoINT OF ROCKS val
Tune 10, 1884. I
FRTEND H; Your kind letter was re.
ceived Wednesday evening, Just az were get
ting ready TO make a reconnaissance in force
towards Petersburg. We returned this morn.
ing before daylight, and embrace ibis oppor.
tunity to give you a short letter. -
A little past midnight Wednesday, Gen.
Kautz's column marched toward Petersburg,
crossing the AppomsttoT on pontoon bridge.
Our force consisted Of our lst d. @. cavalry,
Lieut.. Col. Conger commanding; tho 5th and
llth Pennsylvania cavalry, the Cd New York
cavalry, and the Sth New York battery and
some other small guns-tho whole comprising
Gen. Kautz's dashing division. we'll known In
the army. We pursued q winding course, BY
unfrequented roads, having occasional skir.
mishos with the onemy'S outposts, killing and
capturing soms, driving In others. About noon,
having marched some twenty-five miles, we
reached strong picket post three mlest out.
side Of Petersburg and about ono mile from
their outer limo OF entertainments. We drove
the pickets into their fertilization, killing some
when they opened upon our column with shot
and shell. We advanced steadily until ut
favorable positions regiments were dep)oycd
for the various purposes OF Administers. line oi
battle, sharpshootsrs, and supports for our
batteries, which were soon planted.
After sharp hght Of about half an hour we
stormed their works, got into their forts, the
rebels fleeing into their inside line OF defences
a. fast as they could. We killed about thirty,
and took more than that number Of prisoners,
and wounded more than we killed. We cap.
tured = l2-pounder howitzer also.
Much Of the work OF storming the forts was
done by our regiment. The howitzer was taken
and brought off by companies and c Of ou:
d. G. cavalry, and we have It here now in our
camp, In front Of the Colonel's quarters. Our
loss was small-not q man Of our regiment
killed or taken prisoner-And not more than a
dozen or ffteen wounded-none fatally.
Among the prisoners we took was one cap
tain and two lieutenants. I was, thank kind
Providence, fortunat In escaping from wounds, ,
though under fire most Of the time, two shrlls
bursting so near as to throw the dirt upon my
horse, another hitting tree close by and cast-
ing bark into my face and neck, while sbarD.
shooters balls hit-one my hat rim aud an.
other my boot heel. Such were my escApes,
though melted nearly towards the last with a
light sunstroke and over.exertlon, which fol-
lowed just as the action was closed by tho en-
emy's surrender. Finding that large rein
forcements had reached and still were reaching,
Petersburg, and having effected the object for
which we stArted-dlscovered the condition
aud other matters around that cty--the General
gave the order to march back to camp, which
we reached Just after midnight this morning,
having marched ffty miles and fought ono
battle and several skrmlshos in twenty. four
hours.
My battalion, as did the whole regiment, be.
hayed bravely, nobly, and am proud Of them.
am nearly well again to-day, and ready for
duty.
Cordially yours, &C., ID. sc.