The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-11-15
ON TO RICHMOND.
KiIpatriek,s Raid in March. 1864.

| OF Sept. ~ i notice an article by >. A, CLARK,
1st Vt Cav, in regard to the Richmond raid
in the Spring of 1864 He says that upon the
evening of March l, 1864, there were some
1000 or 5000 cavalry gathered on the banks of
! the Rappahannock River
Now, comrade, was it not the Rapidau River,
instead Of the Rappahannock? And again, did
| we not gather there on the last evening in
February, instead of March /? AS for its
/ being dark ] say correct, and will add cloudy,
too 1t seems to me that after the capture of
the pickets we were informed of the objective
! point of the expedition, and permission given
! to anyone to return to camp that had not the
courage to go on. We started as the comrade
says, at a brisk tr0t which was kept up for
several miles. By daylight we were many
miles away on the road to Richmond. We
made halt near Spottsylyania, then on again
| till about daylight, when we halted to feed
| and water the horses and let the men rest and
refresh themselves, after which we again took
! the road and made but few halts until we
arrived at Beaver Dam Station, which was
about p m. Here we had little skirmish,
crossed the North Anna at the ford, captured
the station, burned it, with the supplies-lots
of wood and other things had another Skin
mish with the Johnnies, and after a short time
started on the march again toward the South
| Anna This was the darkest night of the
raid. Some time during the night we captured
few Johnnies, who might have got away in
| the darkness as well as not. Late that night
| we halted on the banks of the South Anna and
there waited for daylight, then crossed the
bridge and sent a small force to destroy the
railroad bridge. After destroying the bridges,
mounted and away for Richmond, where we
! arrived some time before noon. This was on
March 2.
Now according to Comrade Clark's reckon
ing, either he or ] are very much mistaken in
dates. He says that on the fourth or fifth
/ mir n,,4, 1,,lk e., g.
there was, comrade but it was about the fifth
night and according to my memory, on the
| second night after we left Richmond. At Rich
mond, the comrade says Gen. Fitzpatrick
| formed his command in line of battle, and
! placing his battery in position on the nights,
and near Richmond, he opened fire. There
were two pieces placed in position in the road,
where we received the fire of the rebel guns,
but did not respond to them. Those guns did
not remain in this position long before they
were taken away, and the whole battery was
placed in position on the south side Of the read,
in plowed field, where we opened fire and
remained until the retreat commenced. Again,
| the comrade says, Going into camp a few
miles back from Richmond, | was again de-
tailed for picket with the rear guard"
This place l always supposed to be near Me-
| chanicsyille. He says it seemed to him that
| the entire command dropped down TO sleep
! supperless. / do not think that we had very
| hearty supper that night, neither did | ever
| think that anybody went to sleep; perhaps a
mistake of mine. And as for him being the
only man in the command that had fire that
night he could not have been in sight of the
| battery, or else he would have seen several
! fires. and they pretty well surrounded by sol
| diers trying to dry and warm themselves, as it
rained at the time and had for some time be-
! fore We halted. But those fires went out with
| the first shot from the rebs.
| do not see where any great confusion came
/ in, as every order was given and executed as
coolly and as quickly as though nothing un-
/ common had happened; but we got out of that
| place in the shortest time possible. As to the
panic-stricken mob it must all have been in
| the rear. guard, as there was nothing that re-
| sembled mob in the main portion of the
! command. As far as / could see we went all
! the same, and did not take any pains to &c
! very slow for a short time after getting out.
Comrade Clark says: Shortly after daylight
we found ourselves near Mechanicsville where
we went into camp aud for the first time I'M,
saddled our horses" 1t seems to me that il
was nearer Hanover than Mechanicsville that
| we found ourselves that morning The Skin.
mish for feed for our horses was grand. for il
was carried on by boys that were used to being
IN the enemy's country aud would as lief helI
| themselves to rebel corn as anything else. He
also says that as we took up our line of march
for the Union lines we were not further mo
] Tested"
/ Now, If we got from Richmond to Yorktown
| without molestation. would ask him what he
would call molestation? Comrade, did we moi
| have running fight all the way down tC
/ White House Landing? If not, you and refer
to two different raids. We fell in with Buffers
! troops at White House, marched to Williams
burg, where we were allowed to unhtch and
| uDharness for the first time since leaving
! SteYensburg. The next morning we left Will
llamsburg for Yorktown, where we arrived
little before sunset where we remained thai
night, the next day and evening At about
1890 boots and saddles sounded. We harnessed
up, saddled and hitched in, went to the wharf
embarked on board transports and sailed fo1
| Portsmouth. Arrived at Portsmouth we dis
| embarked, and were ready to go to the front
about 10 a. N. We went out several miles
| and found that the troops stationed here haG
| actually been attacked by the whole of one
section of artillery and few cavalry, under
the command of some Johnny Reb This little
side excursion caused the boys to make some
remarks that were not relished by the soldiers
| stationed in and around the Notifications al
this place. We returned to Portsmouth anC
camped for the night. The next morning VIZ
re-embarked and sailed for Gloucester Point
where a, portion of the command remained
until we sailed for Alexandria, from where
after short rest, we marched for our old cam
| near the Rapidan.-NATHAN BENSON, Battery
c, Sd U. S. Art Sidney, Ne.