Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-08-23
Al&fal(0rlX QDAzette
THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 23
Incident Of the Civil War.

the Union which have never found place ia
any Of the many so called histories of that
event. Prominent among these is that OF Gen.
Wistar's attempt to capture Riobmond 10 the
month Of February, lSGl-an attempt which
would have been crowred with success. sul
been the most brilliant cveGt OF the war, aud
20 doubt have caused our political history OF
the past five years 10 be entirely different but
for the crime and trcachery CT one insignificant
member Ct the army. The particulars OF the
incident are related by y gentleman Of Middle
town, formerly Of New York, who vas in po.
sition at the time to BE- conversant with al! the
plans Of the movement aud its minor details.
This gentleman is Major David l.. Cronin, az
artist, and now editor of the Middletown Daily
Argus Williamsburg, Va, in the early part OF
1864 was the point nearest Richmond then
held By the Union forces. Gen. ). >. Wlstar
was 10 command Of the troops on the PENN
sula above Fortress Monroe and Lees forces
we're confronted on the Rapidan by the Army
Of the Potomac, and held iu position there.
In the latter part of 1868. and up to the
time that Wistar's attempt was made, desert
ers from the Confederate army, Uoion refugees
and escaped Federal prisoners reached our lines
at and about Williamsburg almost daily from
/
| defenceless condition Of that city, there being
but small force of soldiers there, and they un
disciplined home guards.
That part Of the peninsula between Williams
burg and Richmond was unusually Tree trom
| the presence of rebel scouts, aud there was
nothing to prevent the rapid passage OF arg"
| body of troops onward 10 the rebc! capital.
sudden dash, it vas believed, would result III
the easy capture Of the city and the consequent
release of the prisoners 10 Libby Pllsou and
| Castle Thunder. More important as affecting
! the military situation, the railroad bridge over
| the James river could be destroyed, jeff. Davis
captured, and the rebel seige guns spiked. The
| idea met the hearty endorsement Of the leading
officers at a counsel Of war held to consider i,
! and 60 cxpidition was secretly planned to carry
it cut, the reports brought IN by the refugees
| and descrters having just been Substantlated by
Sergeant Plunkett aud Major Howard, whc
succeeded in entering Richmond and returning
| safely with the Information
When tho Union forces took up position at
| Williamsburg, Lieutenant ". ". DIssoway'
| of Brooklyn, N. Y, was appointed provost
marshal. john Boyle. soldier OF the provost
guard, Oh the night Of the 18th of Oetobsr,
| 1868, was guilty of disorierly coaduct, aud
! Lieut.. Dissoway. attempted to place him undcr
| arrest Boyle shot the officer dead. The nlur.
dercd man was young m.n o! great promise,
| and very popular 10 camp. His murderer Vas
| taken iuto custody at once, tried and sch
fenced to death. Fort Magruder, near
| Williamsburg, vas selected as bis place OF
confinement until the day Of his execution
4 arrived. On the first Of February, 1864, one
| of tho guards at The fort allowed Boyle to es
| ospe lie was not reoapture(l, and his " here
| abouts could not be learned. The guard WAz
| tried and executed. When tbs conGrmatory
| news brought back from Richmond by the two
| Union scouts was received large forces OF troops
| began quietly to join Geo. Wlstars command
until it has increased 10 full brigade OF lntan-
! try--the First New York mourted the tll:t
! and Eleventh Pennsylvania, and tho First Dis
| trict of Columbia cavalry regiments. All was
| 10 readiness to make the important move On
| the morning Of the 9Th Of February, 1864. Gen.
Wistar promulg gated stlrrlrS general order
giving the objects of the expedition, and detail
Ing the results that would follow if it were sac
! csssiuI. Officers end lnen Wt.e picked lirh
the rloat daring of the army icr the special da
ties of capturing the rebel President, releasing
! ,hs prisoners, spiking the guna and destroying
| bridges after the capture. The expedition crca
| ted the acst intense enthusiasm among the sol
ders, and none during the war vas entered np
on with such promising signs oI success 10
| still further contribute to the success OF the
| moycmcnt, Gen. Sedgwck'a corps was sent
| across the Rapidan to engage the attention OIL
large portion Of Lees ARM.
! Bottoms bridge, thirteen miles from Rich.
| mond, was reached the same night, alter d
! march OF forty-seven miles. This bridge cross
| ed the Chckahominy river. When Mcclellan
| was 1nareuvering about Richmond during his
| attempts on that point, carlhworks had been
| thrown up at this bridge on the opposite bank
/ of the stream. Wisar's forces were halted at
! Bottoms bridge to camp for the night. Dur
| Jog the night long lines Of troops were dig:
covered by the Union forces, dmly outlIns
cd in the gloom, marching steadily down
the road on the opposite side and taking up
| position 10 these intrenchmcnts. Soon alter
! ward they opened volley Of artillery and mus
I kerry on the Union camp. Daylight revealed
| fact which the commanding officers had feared
| since the appearance Of the rebels on the other
side. The enemy had gathered in large force,
and detachment from the Union line suffered
considerable loss while rec0nnOllcrlng. The
advance Of Wistar had been learned 10 some
way by the rebels, and all hope Of its success
! was at once destroyed, the expedition having
| been planned with no other object than effect
! inp comrete eurprise of the forces in Rich
mond. No defeat 10 the whole war caused
heavier hearts or more bitter disappointment
than the failure of this attempt ou RIchmond;
The manner in which news OF the lotended
movement Of Gen. Wistar reached the rebel
capital vas for 8 long time mystery, but 1t
was at last ascertaned that the murderer Boyle
reached Richmond, and had been able to, and
| did, give sufficient idea of the proposed cx-
pedition to the rebels to put them on their
guard and cause them to take measures
to learn at once the advance cf Wstar as soon
az his forces started. Boyle returned to New
York city after the war, and still lives there,
having been seen and talked with by members
of his regiment. "Ic carries with him, says
GUS murder but the consciousness Of having
tbwarted one of the boldest and best plauned
expeditions Of the whole war.-N. Y Times.
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IL Shoe Brushes, Dusting and other Brushes
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