Nebraska advertiser., 1864-03-17
KILpATRICK'S RAID.

The command left Stevensbuggh, Vir-
GINA on Sunday nigh; last the 2Sth
ult and crossing EIy's Ford. on the
Rapidan-Ihence by rapid marches to
Spottsylsania, Beaver Dam Station, on
the Virginia Central railroad, to the for.
lifications of Richmond, crossing the Vir-
ginia Central railroad. aud the Chicka-
homany river near the Meadows, the
White House railroad, a little east of
Tunstall's Station, thence TO New-Kent
Court house, and Willamsburgh Court
house, where the command arrived on
Tuesday last, having been in the saddle
nearly all the time from Sunday-four
days, and during the most of that time,
the men were supplied from rebel larders
and their horses from rebel g~ranaries.
Nearly three hundred prisoners were
cap blurred, several hundred horses were
pressed into the service, and hundreds of
negroes availed themselves of this OPP
portunlty to come within our lines.
AS before stated, the command left
Stevens burgh Sunday evening, and nov
ed towards Ely's Ford. Forty men, IN
der the immediate command Of Mr.. Ho.
gan, a well known scout, had The advance
The first of the enemy were met with
in one mile of The ford, q picket TO give
notice should anything like an enemy APP
proach. The picket composed Of four
men, by a little strategy was gobbled with
their horses and requirements, without
firing a shot or doing anything to alarm
the reserve on the other side of the riv-
er, a force consisting Of thiFten men, a
captain. and one lieutenant, and eleven
prlvates. Hogan and bis party gained
the opposite bank. and the night being
cloudy, succeeded in enveloping the re-
serve before they discovered his pres
ence, and captured ali but three. From.
these prisoners the important fact was
as~certained that nothing whatever was
known by the rebel authorities of the
movement then on foot for their discom-
future. Colonel Uric Dahlgreen, accom-
panied by Major Cook, of the I'd New
York cavalry and a small party Of pick
ed men, took the advance after crossing
the Rapidan. The main command NOV
ed along with rapidity, taking the road
to Spottsylyania Court House. The night
was cloudy, and betokened rain; but the
roads we're very good, and every n
was pleasant and hopeful, Spottsylvania
was reached late at night; no halt was
made, and the corps moved rapidly for
ward to Beaver Dam, on the Virginia
Central railroad.
Captain Estes and Lieutenant Wilson,
with a party of men, dashed so sudden.
~ upon this place that the telegraph OPP
orator was a prisoner before he had time
10 announce The arrival of the Yankees,
much to his chagrin, for all the other tel
egraph lines had been cut, and JEFF Da-
Wis, in his anxiety TO know what was 60
in on. had been ~lelegraphing the station
every hour in the day for information.
This place was reached at about FIVE o.
clock P. NJ. on Monday, and the work of
destruction was at once commenced.-
Small parties were sent up and down
the railroad to tear up the track, but the
c%ulverts and bridges, and destroy the rails
by heating and bending them. This was
comparatively an easy task, for there
we're thousands of cords of pine wood
ali Of which was burned, piled along the
track, this being a wood station /; a large
new brick freight house, 100 by 25 feet,
the telegraph Office, passenger depot, en-
CINE house. water tank, several cars, aud
a number of oulbuildings, were all set
on fire. While the command was en-
gagged 10 this work Of destruction, a pick
ct reported the approach of a train load
ed with troops from the direction of
Richmond, aud here commenced the first
fighting. General Fitzpatrick advanced
a colUtnn to capture the train. if posi-
Bile, but the enemy had seen the smoke
Of the burning station. and approached
cautiously. They came on, however, to
within Two miles Of the station, and a
few troops were d~isembarked. A small
force was advanced to meet them, and in
a charge u troops captured two officers
and thsrty men. The enemy then fed.
Several parties we're sent out from this
point TO destroy the railroad at other pla-
ces, and bridges on important roads