The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-13
Property Destroyed.
Conespondenoe cm- nnau Commercial.

CoFFespondencs Chr mat Commercial.
"Stoneman's raid complete-success-
full in every respect. were the quick
uttered sentences Of Captain W. P.
Ammen, a A e., as he rode up last
night to Brigadier General Gibson &
headquarters, with orders and dis
patches, and about twelve hours after
ward, Major General Stoneman and
staff arrived
Ii will be seen that in difficulties sur.
mounted, rspidity Of execution, per.
lection Of detail, amount of property
available for war purposes destroyed,
and particularly Ia its general effects
upon the two great rebel armies, Lees
and Johnston's, this raid stands forth
preemlnent and unsurpassed-Of meal.
culRble service TO the early triumph OF
our armies This movement was not in.
tended to be simply an independent 70
ray for The destruction ofproperty, OF
the protection of East Tennessee, but az
one Of the tolls which Anaconda Grant
was weaving around the eastern armies
OF the COniedeTacy. Sherman, Meade
and Sheridan were surely progressing
toward the performance of their parts
an the great programme, and now the
avenues to escape must be closed, which
accomplished, the net would be closed
and surrender or entire destruction
would be inscribed on the cOlors Of
lee and Johnston.
PLAN OF THE RAID.
The plan OF Gen. Stoneman, when be
was placed in command of the District
Of East Tennessee, was to occupy the
mountain passes CT Carter county, will
infantry and artillery; then. at the
head of his cavalry division, Brigadiel
General A. G. Gillem commanding, Il
dash rapidly forward, threaten Sails
bury, North Carolina, and, having
caused n concentration of the rebe
forces at that point to turn toward
Greensboro and Danville everywhere
giving the impression that he was in
tending to cut the North Carolina Rail
road, and then effect juction Will
Sherman. while, in reality, he would
march upon the Virginia and Tonnes
see Railroad, and effectually destroy il
so that Lee could not use il as a means
Of retreat when he should be forced q
iorsake the protecting Notifications Of
Richmond. At the same time, all de-
pots Of provisions, the lead mines al
Wytheville, and sll the munitions Of
WAT, would be taken care Of This &C
cOmplished, he would turn to North
CarolinE, and cut the railroad between
Danville, Greensboro, Salisbury and
Charlotte, and, If possible, capture Sal
isbury, which had been made a large
depot Of supplies, machinery, &c.
To carry out these plans, he ordered
General Davis Tillson, commanding 4th
Division, Department of the Cumber.
land, 70 concentrate his command at
the mouth Of Roane's Creek, and 70
occupy and fortify that point, Tsylors
vile, Deep and Watauga Gaps, and
Boone, North Carolina. The railroad
being in running condition only as far
a. horristOwn, General Tilison had Ia
march his men from that point to
Roane's Creek. General SLOVENIAN.
having assured himself that everything
was IN reSainess, could not wait the
slow novements Of infantry and supply
trains, but
-@ CUT LOOSE
from all lines of communication on the
night Of the Goth Of March, and at II
4 n, ON the 9th, arrived &C Boone.
North Carolina, where force Of home
guards were found arrsyed to dispute
ard delsy his further progress. But
MAYOR keOgh, Aid.de-camp. charged
calamity into town with the advance,
capturing sixty prison era, and killing
eight Of the Nataugs Home Guards,
an organization which has many crimes
80 answer for, as the bleaching skele-
tons Of many OF our officers and sol
diers who escaped from rebel prisons
and arrived safely among these noun
tains, which were 10 them as Pisrah's
Mount 20 Moses, only 10 fall as victims
70 these TENDS, attest During the
melee MAJOR Bascom, Chief OF staff,
captured Captain A. j. PITCHER. 3Tth
North Carolina who claimed to be a
paroled prisoner, but, on searching a
stable where he attempted 20 conceal
himself, an order was found informinc
him that be wss exchanged, and direct.
nc him 10 report TO his command for
duty. ~
Al Boone the force wss divided The
let brigade, Col Palmer, 18th Penn.
SYLVIA cavalry, commanding, passed
through Deep Gap TO Wilkesboro, while
the I'd brigade, Col and Brevt Brig.
zen Brown, and the Sd brigade, Col J.
n Miller, moved 10 the same point
through WaiEugs Gap, on their way
destroying Patterson's Mills, large
manufacturing establishment at work
Tor the Confederates. This movement
caused great excitement at Ssulisburv
s =. was aiterward learned from captured
dispatches.
Troops we're telegraphed for in All
directions, and soon they had concan-
FAted eight thousand men at that
point Detained three days, by high
water, irom crossing the Yadkin. Gen.
-,e - 5e i''lly assured the rebels, by
Ihs oetaohments toward different
polnes on the North Carolina railroad.
Nne. AZ was his intention 10 -ut tbat
IOSo' aud join sherman. To n,svent
-, ~ - changed their troops from
an- ,.s ~ Point as everywhere, at the
snP,,-. - OF = detachment, il was
supposed 10 be the advance Of tbe main
oOoy, and beng so reported. and from
many directions, almost sip,nltoDe.
Oe1iy the rebel commander Wsrs so,,.,
completely mystihed, and AT lsst 80
Aisefhooh, we're amazed 10 find . 60,
approaching Salisbury. Certaiptv -
% Stonemans plans again Eucoo nee =. -
doubt and Salisbury was rapidly 49,
Pered 70 greet the "Yanks" viii 49,
o. shot and shell But the rso~r
ing eaSned, aud Stonelnan and ~.
cavalry had disappeared like ths ,,,; 80
q eFening, but whittier he hsd gora
none knew, nor could the commanding
officer at Salisbury discover the diree.