Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-09


filed with accounts Of General KiIpat-
riCks recent raid toward Richmond. The
command left Stevenson, Virginia, on
Sunday night, the 2sth nit, crossing the
Rspidsn ct Ely's Ford-thence by rapid
marches to spOttsylvania, Beaver Dam
Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad,
to the Eortihcations at Richmond, crossing
the Virginia Central Rsilroad and the
Chiekaheniny River near the Meadows,
the White House RsilsOsd near TGnstalrs
Station, thence to New Kent Courthouse,
and Wiliiamsburgh Courthouse, where the
command arrived on Thursday last-hav-
ing been in the saddle nearly all the time
from Sunday night-s period Of four days
and during the most Of that time the men
were supplied from rebel lardsrs end their
horses from rebel granaries. Nearly three
hundred prisoners were csptnred, several
hundred horses were pressed into service,
snd hundreds ,Of negroes avsiled them
selves Of the opportunity to come within
our lines-tbereby depicting the producing
class Of the Rebel ConfsderaCy Of just SO
many abls-bOdied men.
AT sEAyER DAK, on THE VIRGINIA GEN.
ai TRAL RAH Road.
Captain Estes and Lieutenant Wilson,
with party Of men, dashed 50 suddenly
upon this place that the telegraph operator
was prisoner before be had time to an
nounce the arrival Of the Yankees-much
10 his chsgrin, for all the other telegraph
lines had been cut, aud JEFF. Davis, in BIS
anxiety to know what was going on had
been telegrsphing that station every hour
in the day for information. This place was
reached at about o'clock P. M. Monday,
and the work Of destruction Wes at once
commenced. Small parties were sent up
and down the railrosd to tear up the
track, burn the culverts 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-sll Of which was burned
piled slong the track, this being 8 wood
station large new brick freight house,
| 100 by 2s feet, the telegraph Office, pas
senger depot, engine house, water tank,
several cars, and q number Of foutbuiIdings,
we're all set on fire. While the command
WAS engaged in this work OF destruction, a
picket reported the approach Of train
loaded with troops from the direction of
Richmond, and hore commenced the first
fighting. General Fitzpatrick advanced q
column to capture the train, If possible,
but The enemy had seen the smoke Of the
burning station, and approached cautious
ly. They came on, however, to within two
miles Of the station, and q portion Of the
troops we're disembarked. A small force
advanced to meet them, and in charge
eur troops captured two officers and thirty
men.
TEE APPRoAcH TO RICHMOND,
Tuesday, at 104 o'clock A. NJ, found the
command passing the outer esrthEcrks on
the Brook turnpike. within 81 miles Of
Richmond. The arrival Of Yankee troops
was entirely unexpected, and the indigna.
ton Of some very good looking women,
standing in front Of houses ct the roadside,
excited much amusement. The advance
captured several men on picket duty be-
longing to the citizen soldiery of Rich
mond, without firing q shot-and while
waiting for the main column to clese up,
citizens we're stopped and questioned with
the utmost freedom-they, Of course, did
not know who their questioneTs were
Here was obtained copy Of the Examiner
and Dispatch fresh frcm the press that
morning announcing some rumors about
brigade Of Yankee cavalry having crossed
the Rapidan. What their sstonishment
must have been one hour later to hear Kill |
pstriok's guns may be imagined but not
described. Moving forward 10 within the
second line Of defences going toward the
city, the skirmishers encountered the frat
known as Battery No. 9. Guns were
opened on both sides, and a strong line Of |
administers was thrown out. Captain |
Bacon, with Others charged the Johnnys, |
and drove them inside their works, and a |
desultory firing was kept up until between
and o'clock in the evening, when, for
some reason then unknown, the command
of Colonel Dahlgren not appearing, Gener-
81 Fitzpatrick decided 10 fall back.
The enemy had burned the bridge across
Brook Greek in the rear Of the command,
and the column turned off upon the Mead
ows Road, crossing the Fredericksburg and
Richmond RAilrosd, and destroying every
thing within reach. At night, the COM
mand went into camp at q place six miles
from Richmond, and two miles from the
Chickahominy; there was 8 slight isll of
rain and sleet and the men built fires,
cooked their chickens and bacon, and had
turned in for few hours sleep; but as all
persons are doomed to disappointment at
some time or other, 50 it was their lot on
his occasion. At sbout 1Ot o'clock, Just
IS the command was fairly asleep-exoept
hose on duty-the rebels opened & two
gun battery upon the camp Of General !
Davies Brigade, and immediately after
'hsFged the camp Of The Seventh Michi-
gan. The men, though taken entirely By
IuFprise, seized their osrbines, and under {
Colonel Litchfeld, supported by the First ,
Vermont, Colonel Preston, handsomely re-
pulsed the eRemy-WhO owing to the camp
Tres, had decidedly the advantage over
ur troops, owing to their occupying po-
ition bstween the enemy and camp fires.
Af5er forcing the enemy back, the Com I
handing General decided TO move his 8
ommsnd again, SO to be ready for any t
mergency at daylight. In this affair q q
lumber Of horses we're killed, and few P
7ere Btampeded by the shrieking shell 9
ushing through the midnight air. d
The retreat continued with but little mo. !,
eststion, but under some difficulty, down f
be Peninsula to Williamsburg meeting on 3
be Wsy the cavalry aAd 8 brigade Of ne Il
70 soldiers that had been sent by General q
'utler to their assistance. z
The Richmond Wing, Of March ID, con. v
rms the account given above, and ss- : :
ribss the failure Of the attempt to get in !,
} Richmond to the trsschery of 8 guide T
no was hanged BY Colonel Dalehran. q