The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-08-27
Col. Dahlgren's Death.

It was now beginning to get dark, and
we wanted some rest and something to
eat, and crossing creek we halted in an
old field, where Col. Dahlgren took q
short nap. We were soon moving again,
and had not marched above half q mile,
when the advance was stopped by an OBJ
struction in the road Lieut.. Merit
rode back and met the Colonel and asked
for more men. The Colonel, Maj. Cook,
myself and ten or twenty men rode rap
idly to the front, and upon arriving at
the trees that were across the road, we
were met by an order to surrender, both
parties demanding surrender at the
same time. Col. Dahlgren then leveled
his revolver at the person who seemed to
be the officer in command of the Con
federates, but his pistol missed fire. In
an instant volley was poured into our
left flank the whole length of our line,
and 80 close that the flashes almost
reached our horses. This caused stam-
pede, as every horse in our command
turned and broke down the road After
going few yards we checked up and
crossed fence on our right, and formed
on the top of ridge few rods from the
road. We now began to look who was
missing, and found that the Colonel was
-
aware of before, having seen him fall off
his horse by the light of the fash of the
guns. Maj. Cooke was not on horseback,
for when we reached the ridge his horse
fell at the same fire that killed the Colo
mel. In fact, there was only one volIey;
not shot fired afterward nor a man to
be seen. We were allowed to form in
the field in peace, and had we guide we
might still have reached Gloucester
Point, on Gen. Buffers lines; but we
were now entirely without any knowledge
Of the surroundings; the men almost
dead for sleep, and out of ammunition; !;
the horses about played out, and every
one more or less demoralized. And was
it strange? We had been in the saddle
for twenty-six hours without halt long
enough to get any sleep. A council was
now held to determine what should be
done, for we did not intend to give up
1t was finally agreed upon to fasten the
horses in hollow square by fastening
the sabers into the ground, and then
every one try to make his escape. The
commissioned officers Major Cooke,
Lieutenant Merritt and myself
with four scouts and guides, were to go
in q party. We intended to cross the
country, going north, and strike the
Rappahannock river below Fredericks-
burg and get one of our picket boats
We left the men and horses and crept
like cats to the woods (the same we were
ambushed from) and through he'bushes
about mile, when it began to break
day, March Sd. We hid in pine thicket
all day, and at dark set out. I had with
me compass and good typographical
map of that part of Virginia, which ena-
bled us to select our route. We travelled
this night about two miles, when we were
getting weak for lack of something to eat,
and, coming to log cabin near the
woods, we made a reconnaissance of the
premises, and found the occupants to be
q white man and woman. We went in
and asked for something to eat, and,
while we were sitting in the house wait
ing for it to, be got ready, the door was
opened, and we were politely told to sur
render, which Major Cooke, being the
ranking officer, very politely did. And
thus ended one of the most extraordinary
expeditions of the year, when we con-
slider the number of men and the dis
tance travelled, the number captured and
the amount of damage done the enemy,
and the fact that we were closer to the
city of Richmond than any other Union
troops had been or were until the city
fell into our hands in 1865. We were
taken the next day, March 4th, to
Stevensville and from there started to
Libby in charge of Captain Magruder's
company of cavalry. These troops were
gentlemen, and treated us as well as cir
cumstances would permit. - Philadelp lphia
Times