, 1865-03-24

41e VI AeO WILL Suo%-Euus. c4f Dine3 0aG NUS
ke'ss 81 in line Of battle, wh n Capt. Blu nough
| deployeda squadron as skirm1she-s,, and The
enemy. after battle, shortly disappeared
! through piece OF woods.
But few miles bad been made on the road
| Leading to Mound Squirrel Btidkc, oger tn.
| Sou Anna, before fresh t,acks were seen on
the road, and imme diately afterwards negroes
and white troops gave us The inf .rmattou that
Gen. Early, with about then $50 men, was
ltss than an hours ride In front. Lieut.. Col.
nhittaker. with detachments from the 1st
Connecticut and I'd Ohio, were started in par-
suit, at gallop. Less than two miles had
been made, b4fore Eariy's strasglers com
Eenced coming ID, and ut the end OF about
1our miles. Col. Whitaker WAS within q few
1eds~ ~oi Gen. Earlr. The enemy, being close
y pressed, scattered In every direction Capt.
Benton, OF the best horse. was in the I'D ya1ce
On one road. His horse was shot, and fell,
fastening him by the leg to the ground. SeVe-
raj rebel officers rode up to him from the
woods, and asked several questions, when
a one turned gnd asked compant,n. .'5hall 1
General tEar1y). ''Do not take lie unnecessa:
ri)y," Just at This moment soms ot our car
a'Ty came within herring, md the enemy
I'D, leaving Benton still confined un-
der tie. horse, where he re-
mained until relieved by soms ot his
own companions. Before reaching Mound
Squirrel Bridge, EARLY and l1s entire party
hsd dispersed and taken to the woods. going
in different objections, but still closely pui-
sued BY our men. Most Of the fugitiyes ford
ed the South Anna at place IN other times
deemed 1mpructtcable but liberty IS sweet,
and the My hfpe Of escaping Was by cross-
ing. this stream. Onward tic different de-
tachmcnts sped. Our men were within few
hundred yards when Ea1ly md few compan-
ions crcssed the river. capt. Hazlest, Of the
lst Vermont cavalry. was in tie advance.
Earll's party across the river Was again d.
vidtd and dispersed, Early this time only
taking m orderly with him into the woods.
This Eedivision Of his company saved him
frt III capture: Tho direction pursued hy one
squad led to the capture Of two OF our own
overlook Early's Adjutant Genera1. q man
named Moore, whom they captured. Several
other st1aEeling members OF the party were
picked mp, hut Early. favored BY the darkness
Of the night, cscaI ed.
Lieut.. Col: Whitaker kept the main road
with de'achmt Mt Of men, and did not halt
until he struck the Fredericksburg railroad,
fourteen miles from Richmond, aud then
morcd up to Ashland, capturing d number of
prisoners and destroying some public prop
e1ty.
Lieut.. Haswo1l, Of the LIST Vermont csyalry,
commanding Gen. Custar's escost, was sent
down the Richmond dirt road, with 4 tletach-
Richmond pape-. H. had proceeded only a
teW mie when he discovered q tran Of
twenty-five amy wagons parked near the
road. These he destroyed, and captured forty
NAMED Bo1dwell, who had lett Richmond at
10 O'Clock p. N. with dispatches for h,s supe-
1ior. The dispatches we're destroyed by the
prisoner, II he had any written documents.
This, perhaps, WAS the most successful a1lir
Of the day, but the chase Of EARLY was By flr
the most exciting and interesting. The
wagon t1afn captured has been used to carry
wood to .,be Richmond hospitals, and had
just returned from taking q load when dis
covered.
SEVENTEENTH DAT.
WEDNESDAY,, March l5.-The command
this morning moved from the vicinity Of
Ground Squirrel Bird ge at two o'ctock, ,un the
toad to Beaver Dam Sfation-thtouyh mis-
take in the transmission of ordczs-aud after
ma,ch'ng about fiVe miles, the column vas
compelled to counter march, aud recrossinS
the bridge, returned to Ashland Station.
Capts. Ba,nhaldt and Earl, and Lieuts. Moore
and Custar we'c the first TO re-enter the place
aud they ey'succeeded In capturing the Adtutant
OF the 18th Virginia intautry, named August,
who had ,odo into ahe ria'age On br:ef visit
to his mother. 4 scout, who accompanied
h'm, escaped, The advanced guard, por-
tion of the 18th New Fork, mored on through
the village and encountered rebel picket
which they chatged and drove two miles,
killing two and wound ng several others.
From prisoners md scouts the fact WIS
coon uscerta,ned that division Of infantry,
under Longhtreet, tPickett's} had been sent
from Richmond to interrupt our march; but
1t seems their scouts hid been informed Of our
movement towards Bearer Dam early in tho
morning. and believing the troops were
marching nor, Inward, the infantry went into
camp md commenced cooking breakfast,
when their pick. IS were driven in By the Sd
l>ision. Gen. Custar made such ds position
Of his command asto develop The strength
Of the enemy, and was in position al1 day
long. The 1st Connecticut, Col. Whitaker,
wa- sent south wa:d on the railroad, ind the
I'd New York, Col. Randol, on what is known
Us the Tell graph Road, moving In a south
easter1y direction frum Ashland. The latter
ne, and drove 1t back upon the reserve,
when they rullied, ind in turn the I'd Was
forced lack a short distnnce. The fighting
here continued at intervals during the after
noon and resulted In killing enc Of the ed
New York.
4 number Of men we're slightly wounded,
none seriously. Lieut.. Col. Whitaker, on the
railroad, having dispersed everything In l1s
front, obtained permission to make recon-
nolssance, ~and with Q squadron Of the 1st
Connecticut, under Capt. Neville, moved
down to Ki1by Station, four miles. Nothing
IVES seen On the way except scouts, but At
the station caTalry picket was encountered.
It being Important to capture Q prisoner to
the enemy half c mile south Of the station, in
witch First Lieutenant John ". Clark, COM
mandipg Company K, received q mortal
wound through the groin md died On the
field. After Destroying Knby Station, the
accommodating party fell back to the mnin
lint unmo1ested.
THE LAST OF EARLY.
Early, attended By single orderly, was
head OF By Col. Whitaker rs being In the
woods only short distance from K1lby Sta
tjon. He then, according to the statement
Of several negroes, was making extended
strides toward Richmond.
At nightfafl the troops marched northward,
the I'd New York covering the rear vi hout
m0lestation. AZ ii O'Clock D. m. both the
South and North Anna siyers had been cross
cd, and the troops, tired and sleepy. went
into CAMP while heavy shower Of rain was
falling. The bridge across the South Anna
was burned by the Sth New York; by some
with detachment, had arrived from Hano-
rer Court house. The latter command, con-
eequeutly, was compelled to ford the river.
EIGHTEENTH DAT.
FRIDAY, blarch 10.--Left camp this morn
ing at aaybrenk. and marched to Weouga-
hick, IN King William county, without inter
ruption.
Last evening, while the provost guard was
walking through the woods, the two prisoner
aids Of Early managed to clude the guard and
made their escape.
Numerous kilograms were captured yester-
dny, showing the greatest conste7natfon to
exist in Richmond.
NlNTErEENTH DAT.
Friday, March 17.-At IL o'clock last night
I left the command and accompanied de-
tach1nent Of tor,y-lye men under Capt Bur-
rouehs. 8'h New York cavalry, and under
the direction Of Cap.s. Moore and Allen, Of
Gen. Shc1idan,s staff, bearing dispatches.
lie most practicable r,ute to Our lines at
md the whole Of Longstfeet's front had 10 be
passed, Us it Was we'll known his command
stretched along the Pamuuky, With y,ew to
cut Gen. Sheridan from communicating with
this point. Rain fell at intervals until late
horr, accompanied by violent wind-one Of
the most dlsagt eeable nights ina asfuable. To
travel twenty-Dfne miles through hostile
country, where at every step superior fo:cs
of The enemy WIS likely to be met, WAS no
very agreeable prospect but thanks to the
cool Judgment and energy of C2pts. Moore
and Alltn, the i1t:le band reached its destina-
tion in safety. It was not positively known
that friends occupied the White House Land
ing, and when ali eyes were eagerly peer;cg
through the mornings mist to decide the
Question. the smoke pipes Of an old North
river St. amer doomed up In the distance
Never dId s1noke.pipcs look 60 lovely before,
for they indicated rs plain as IN army OF q
hundred thousand men could lave done, that
We were ont Of danger.