The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-05
WILSON'S RAID.
History Of the Expedition
Many and important Captures

gOmery, Columbus, West Point and
Macon-sreat Destruction of Prop
,erty-Captnres Of Cotton md Rail
road Stock.
A Press Dispatch.
NEW YORK, May 4-The Herald's Sa
vannah correspondent, writing on the
Goth, says Gen. Wilson's famous raiding
expedition arrived here yesterday from
Macon. The following is a condensed
history of the trip:
Gen Wilson left Chickasaw, Ala, on
the 22d of March. 1t is not proper to
give any statement of the number of his
force.
Ebenezer Church, near Planterscille,
Ala, was taken after short engagement
with Forests cavalry. Three hundred
prisoners were captured and three guns
Forests forces were driven to the west
of the Cahawba river and separated
A column was sent to Tuscaloosa,
which captured and destroyed much
Government property.
Selma, 24l miles from the base. was cap
tured OH the I'd of April, with 1900 pris-
oners, so guns in position and 70 in the
arsenal We destroyed 3 rolling mills,
with fixtures, very large naval foun-
dry, an arsenal second in Importance in
the Confederacy, powder works, maga-
zines and large numbers of cars. We re-
mained at Selma eight days. The Ala
bama river was bridged $50 feet, tAe OPP
Grafton occupying five days, from the
5th to the 10th.
The next place attacked was Mont
rOmery, fifty miles distant, destroying
all the bridges Oh the Alabama aud Ten
nessee rivers. The railroad to Columbi-
ana was destroyed The enemy destroy
ed 25, 900 bales of cotton Montgomery
surrendered without assault Five guns
fell into our hands We destroyed two
rolling mills and foundries, two maya
zines, one locomotive, twenty-three cars,
five steamboats,, captured on the river
near Wetumpka, and the nitre works.
The rebels burned $4,000 bales of cotton
before evacuating.
Columbus, Ga, eighty-tve miles dis
tant, was taken by assault by General
Upton, after dark on the 18th. 1900
prisoners were captured, fifty-three guns,
seven large cotton factories, 1000 bales
of cotton, and immense quantities of or
dinance, quartermasters' and comlnissary
stores. A large arsenal, pistol factory,
naval foundry, an accoutrement facto-
nv, a railway mill and foundry, an arse
nal foundry, thirteen locomotives, over
one hundred cars, the depot, machine
shops, &c, were captured and destroyed.
A gunboat mounting seven-inch rited
guns, now called the Jackson, the name
of which has been recently changed, was
captured here.
A detour to West Point was made by
Lagrange's brigade, who attacked the
works and carried them by storm, cap,
turing the garrison, $50 in number, and
four guns, and killing the rebel Gen. Iy-
ler, in command. Fifteen locomotives
were destroyed; also 200 cars, two bridges
and two large factories in the vicinity.
We destroyed large quantities of quar-
termaster and commissary stores at Grif-
fin, and the railroad bridges on the Sci
ma and Montgomery railroad. We cap
tured along the road five guns.
Macon was taken without opposition.
Tt has not been necessary as yet to de-
stroy any property. We captured Gen
erals Howell Cobb, Gustavus w. Smith,
formerly Street Inspector Of New York
CITY, and Colonels Robinson, Mercer and
Mccall. The captures are 132 guns in
position, in field and by assault, and 200
guns in arsenals and in store, with i'm
mense amounts of ordnance, quartermas-
ter and commissary stores, cotton, ma
chinery, railroad stock, &c.
In the assault on Selma, Brig. General
Eli Long, OF the Second division, had
command of the right, and Brevet Brig
General Emory Upton OF the left. Apre-
liminary assault by the escort was un,
successful The Second division charged
over the works in splendid style; carry
ing everything before them. The enc
mys force was from 5000 To 900, mostly
militia, and our assaulting force was only
1850. General Long was wounded and
has arrived here, ell route for the North.
Our losses were $50, and the enemy Of
ficially state their losses to have been
between 400 and 500.
Our whole loss, in all the expedition,
was only $50. A total of 48l miles were
marched in 20 days, averaging over ~
.,;1os ,,or dow durinu the time