The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-03

lister of the Baptist church, Mr.. Hobson, to-
gether with his wife. Two large hotels, Sit
mated in the centre of the town, bore evidence
of having fallen into gradual decay, and but
one of them could provide dinner, and that
for party of four officers. The houses mostly
frame. were Ornamented with small patches of
ground In front, where roses and other flowers
blossomed in great profusion Not male
person, save negroes, was to be seen in any
part of the village, they having evidently gone
into the rebel lines the moment the news of
our advance was communicated to them.
GRANTS HEADQUARTERS AT GUINEAs STATION
THE SIXTH AND NINTH CORPS MOVING.
NEAR GUINEAs STATION, May 21.--At day.
light this morning no one not in the secrets
of headquarters had the least idea of the events
impending. Our lines had been curiousy and
SUCCESSFULLY run, and the Cd corps, as 1 an
nOunced yesterday, was lying around loose,
but still we supposed push for the telegraph
road to be the only thing on the programme.
Headquarters of the armies. both Grants and
Meade's, were astir at an early hour, and the
trains sent off to the left, and the boys, used to
it by this time. and the immOvable tenacity of
Grant, when they noticed the direction taken.
said, approvingly. "by the left flank, march. "
Long after their trains had gone, Grant and
Meade, with their stats, remained on the old
ground, neither of them, apparently with any
away O spare hour.
At last Meade rode slowly away, and a half
hour after Grant followed him. Two miles
brought him to the Massaponax Church, on
the telegraph road, where Meade was found.
Here the nature of the events transpiring be.
gan to appear to the outside minds. 1t was
known that the Second corps was far to the
left and Bowling Green was mentioned as its
probable destination. While we lay at the
church, lunch being discussed by those fortu.
nate enough to have any, the transportation of
the Fifth corps began moving past, and the in
formation being positive that Burnside with
the Ninth, and Wright with the Sixth corps
would be in position to the left of the tele-
graph road, it became evident that the race for
Richmond had commenced. Again the head
quarters train was started off, and the generals
remained behind chatting leisurely under the
shade of the old beeches.
A CAVALRY FIGHT.
rode off towards the middle of the after
noon, and instinct taught me to take the first
left hand road. / soon overlook the train of
wagons, and enjoyed the unusual spectacle of
road from which the cavalry pickets of the en-
envy were coming-a circumstance resulting
from our extremely heightened swing around
the flank of the enemy. Nor were these pick
cts useless, as the event proved. Just as the
head of the train was crossing the railroad,
ABOUT lille ana o nall ABOVE Gulne0, up the
valley came three hundred rebel horse It was
gay sight. wide, magnificent open valley,
devoid of fences, and in full view for mile,
came the rebels to seize their prey. They
counted without their host. Major Poe, with
three hundred cavalry. started to meet them,
when the wary rebels stood not upon the order
of their going but went at once.
1t was an exciting chase, but the rebels
gained the shelter of the timber bordering the
Mattapony river, when they turned and stood
at bay. Here it was discovered that a brigade
of the rebels, under Fitzhugh Lee, was defend
ing Guinea Bridge, over the Mattapony river,
or rather endeavOring to burn it. Major Poe
was able to prevent Lee from doing this, but
was not competent to drive Lee from his posi-
ton.
At this juncture up rode Grant and Meade.
1t was curious predicament for headquarters.
The second corps was seven miles away to the
front; the head of the fifth corps was still four
miles in the rear, and the sixth and ninth be-
hind them yet and here was a brigade of rebel
horse within three quarters of mile of army
headquarters. The Provisional brigade, the
Sixty-eighth and One hundred and fourteenth
Pennsylvania infantry and Third Pennsylvania
cavalry, command by Colonel Coils, was at
land and proved equal to the emergency. Col.
Coils first endeavored to charge over the bridge
but found it barricaded on the further side, and
the planks in the center taken up; SO, dividing
his force, and wading the stream, breast deep,
above and below, drove the rebels from their
position, and to Catlett's house, q mile and q
half beyond, inflicting severe loss on the en-
envy.