The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-12
RICHMOND THROWN INTO GREAT
EXCITEMENT.
Alarm at Newbern SubSided.
Great Strength Of the Rebel
Army.
GEN. BUTLER'S DEPARTMENT.
An AbOrtive Raid Towards Rich
lnOnd-..Alarm i'm the City.
BY TELEGRAPH

WASHINGTON, Feb. Seen. Buffers forces
under cOmmfind of Brig. Gen. Wistar marched
from Yorktown via New Kent Court House.
The cavalry arrived at 2:30 yesterday morning
at Bottoms Bridge across the Chickahominy
ten miles from Richmond, for the purpose of
making raid into Richmond and endeavoring
by surprise to liberate our prisoners there.
The cavalry reached the bridge at the time ap-
pointed, marching in sixteen hours and half
distance of fOrty-seven miles. A force of
infantry followed in their rear for the purpose
OF supporting them. 1t was expected to sur.
prise the enemy at Bottoms Bridge, who had
had for some time only small force there.
The surprise failed because, as the Richmond
Erdminer to-day says, Yankee deserter gave
information in Richmond of the intended
movement.
The enemy had telled a large amount of
timber so as to block up and obstruct the forls
and make it impossible for our cavalry to pass
After remaining at the bridge from 2 o'clock
until II, and the supporting infantry not hav-
ing arrived, and the whole object of the sur
prise having been. Debated, Gen. Wistar re-
turned to Williamsburg.
On the march back to New Kent Court
House, his rear was attacked by the enemy,
but they were repulsed without loss to us.
This march by our infantry, three regiments of
whom were cOlOred, was more than eighty
miles in fifty-six hours; and the cavalry march
ed over hundred miles in fifty hours. This
shows that it is possible to make a campaign
in Virginia in the winter
BALTIMORE, Feb. "a special dispatch from
Fortress Monroe to the american from Mr. C
c. Fulton, who is at City Point. says the rebel
flag of truce, with Commissioner Ould and
Capt. Hatch and three officers arrived at
City Point on Sunday. Two citizens, prison.
ers, were brought down. They were both
Maryland men. They brought exciting news
from Richmond, which they represent was in
state of most feverish excitement from mid
night on Saturday up to the time they left, on
Sunday afternoon. At midnight on Saturday
the bells OF the city were rung, and men were
| rushing through the streets, crying, ITO
aims! To arms! The Yankees are coming (.
The Yankees are coming!!'' During the re-
mainder of the night, there was intense COM
motion everywhere visible. The Home Guard
was called out, and the tramp of armed men
could be heard in all directions Cannon were
hauled through the streets. women and chill
dren were hurrying to and fro, and there were
all the evidences of such panic as has seldom
been witnessed in Richmond.
On Sunday morning there was no abatement
in the excitement. The guards were marched
out of the city to the defence, and armed cit
HOrsemen were dashing to and fro and the eX-
citement among the prisoners to know the
cause of all this excitement became intense. 1t
was soon learned that a large cavalry and in
fantry force with artillery, had made their APP
pearance on the Peninsula at Bottom Bridge,
within ten miles Of the city, and that Rich
mond was actually threatened by the Yankees
The same hurrying of troops, arming of citi-
zens, and excitement among women and chill
dren continued during the morning and at two
| o'clock, when the two released prisoners were
about to leave In the truce boat the alarm bells
were again ringing with great fury
The rumors that prevailed were conflicting
and wild. 1t was their impression that from
eight to ten thousand cavalry would have but
little difficulty in entering the city, liberating
the Union prisoners, and destroying the forts
| and public property. and retiring by the PENN.
sula, before any sufficient force to resist them
could be brought to the aid of the small garri-
son left to defend it.
| For several days previous to this alarm, the
troops in and around the city, to the number
OF 1000 or 5000. had been sent off to Join
Gen. Lees army with great dispatch, the i'm
preston prevailing that movement was con-
templated by Meade. In this they were right.
as during the progress of the excitement on
Sunday, intelligence was received that Meade
had crossed The Rapidan
On Monday morning courier arrived at
City Point, bringing copies of the morning
papers with the intelligence that the excite
ment had abated and that it had been ascer-
tanned that the Yankees were falling back
from the ChickahOminy, and had abandoned
| the attack.