Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-16
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the engagements to the West Of Rich
mond March 2, 1854.
THE LOCAL DEFENCE TROOPS.
HOW the Last aud Mcst Desperate Charges
OF tho Rsidcrs Were Meta Par
ticipant's Letter.

on the death OF Dahlgrcn which have
recently appeared in the Dispatch have
attracted attention 20 the whole subject
OF the Dahlgrcn raid. and especially TO
the conduct OF the local troops on the
afternoon ana night OF March /. 1861.
when they rcpuiscd and demoralized the
enemy at the very gates OF the city.
From survivor OF one Of these local
commands the Dispatch has received
the following letter embracing his rccol-
iections OF the night at "Glenburnic." or
Hiokss farm.
\ PARTICIPANTS STORY.
RICHMOND, VA. September y. 1891.
To the Editor OF the Dispatch:
Your article in Sundays paper on the
"pahlgrcn RAID tempts the writer TO
sve you for publication or you deef1 II
worth the space his account OF that beau
tiful little fight. in which he participated
and was wounded. and which took place
Few miles from this city, at a place then
called, IL he remembers rightly. Glen.
bufnie' NJ the tap Of the bell on the
Capitol Square. on March J. 1854, which
was the signal fer the assembling Of
the Clerks Battalion" as we wcrN
called, we hurried from our several places
VI employment AT our n'SkS at atpAl
40 OF y. NJ. 10 the place Of mectinls.
We had SO often been called out before
without any other result than q wearisoms
march that we fct at first rathes
bored than otherwise. not dreaming that
Ne should have the chance Of firing at
the enemy. After having been served
with our cartridges. and having properly
inspected and loaded our guns. we took
UP our lire OF march out Of the city on
stss. 4~t krf
laughter and sly jokes of some of our
friends on the streets and along the way
20 the Battlefield" It was about daylight
down when we reached our position, and
Colonel McAnerney, who commanded MS,
Ga resident now, as l understand. of New
YORK;, aligned us across the main road
and out into the adjoining field some
distance. probably lJ0 or 200 yards, in
two ranks. one behind the other. with
orders for the front rank 10 kneel upon
one knee. The orders We're TO fire al the
word Of command. and not before!
THE ENEMY 5 ADVANCE.
We had hardly gotten into position be-
fore We heard the laundering noise Of
the advance OF the Federal cavalry. II
was now 50 dark that we could not dis
tinguish between horse and rider, but as
they approached we could distinctly hear
the commands and even the talk OF the
iA'fAtAH. ~ ypA may htttN Alf9 hNAN
very close upon us, and yet no order had
been given 10 fire. "Come on. men!
Wen ride into the id city ana burn
81. They're nothing but id militia"
was plainly heard by the writer, as the
voice of Colonel McAne.ney rang out as
steadily as II upon parade: Attention.
Ready. Aim. Fire. Then blaze OF IRE
flashed from the guns down the whole
line from both ranks. for who in the
- n u further
command? LOAD ana FIRE at will"' sang
out McAnerney again. ana as fast as We
could load and fire We let them have IT,
STEADY AND RAPID.
Having been before ia the battle of
Seven Pines. where he heard some firing,
the writer thinks he is competent TO eX-
press an opinion as t. the steadiness, the
cont Luity. and the Tapidity of the IRE
here, IL was just beautiful Without ces-
satiln. almost, the FIRE seemed TO be kent
No au-ine The entire fight our men never
once lift their line or ranks. And these
were clerks and boys. Many OF them
had never been in action before. though
some of them. as You say, had seen ser
vice ard been in battle, and doubtless
ee~yei To- steady the others - there we
stood. loading and nring In ono direction,
right t. front If us. ~ fast as We could
ram u bullets down AID put the guns
to our shoulders. How many times the
enemy rallied and charged unOn us l
do rot clearly know. l think there were
three separate charges but. in III" right
with litue chance 10 see ana Win no
thing to think about but - load ana
fire. the soldier has but little o9por-
tunity for observation.
THEY WE'RE WHIPPED.
But whether they made three or four
chargCs. we whipped them, whipped th-m
q fr.sr a
left, towards Mechanlcsvile, down 10
their rnal point of capture And why,
prav. should they not have been captured?
Tbey lad been beaten. completely beaten,
thrashcd. and Gemoralzed; and the nght
had All been taken out 81 them 10y the
rter,,s at Glcnburne. They were douptiess
hunting for some one to surrender 10
when they were picked up by captain Iol'
lard. after. as it appears, receiving onIy
nne yolley, by which Dahlgren was Killed.
unnor L. Captain Pollard! He did MS
duly. and deserves praise. but he Goes NOT
deserve all the praise. The clerks uld 'he
Oghting. eettlcd the AFFAIR, or dld tle
greater part Of il. and should have theF
due need of praise. which has never
I'm civen them. as far as this writer has
seen. - ,.,,,.
"SoIne sneered at us in phrases wondrous
witty; -
We made no answer; but we sayeu the
en-" G.. +. II.
CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTS.
O. L. RS recollection comedies in the
main with that Of several other meh'pt'S
Of Henlcys DIETER known as NC
Anerney - Battalion this writer IA"
talked V .th. Furthermore, the claim 'n~l
tbe local troops saved the city on me
occasion IN question is substanuated 10y
contemporary newspaper articles AZ
the Richmond papers of March ISpi'
contain accounts Of the nghtihS' uolh "
M north and the west of the city D"'
the most connected story OF the ehsasc-
mcnts on the west side. where the rdiUe, .
made their last ana most ueSPe l",v q
fo-ts TO break through our line' Is III 'He
&bic OF March 81. That account says
THE SEVERAL BATTAL1ONS.
..p,rs,ant IN orders the several bat
,aitons Of governm mt employees geheId-
y, etvied H.. Local Defence Troops, as
serobled at their respective rendezvous
Tuesday afternoon about ) O'Clock anu
marched 20 the Wcstham plank-roaa'
leading westward from cary street pa
relief with James river. Inc ArHIoiS
HattaliOn' con. posed chiefly OF mechail'a
endowed at the armory and in the gov
eminent ordnance-shops we're command
ed by Major Ford; Walters Battalion
composed chiefly Of employees IN iAc
OuartermaSter's Department, were com
rnandol by Captain Carter, MAJOR wal
Ter being at Nassau; Henley's Battalion
composed chiefly Of department clerks
was commanded by Captain McAnefney.
The whole force was under the command
of Colonel G.. W. Gusts Lee 81 N
Presidents staff who was assigned SeNv-
raj months since 10 the command or ne
Local Defence Troops with the brevet
rank OF brigadi.r general We are in
formed that he was detained from ms
command BY Official duties until a lat
hour IN the afternoon.
TIE FIRST CHARGE.
"rhe Armory Battalion reached the
vicinity q Mr.. benjamin ". Greene
farm, five miles from the city. about
O'Clock. Mr.. Ford. learning that the enc
my were in close proximity, sent forward
a lire Of skirmishers and advanced his
battalion 10 the attack In n few minutes
several hundred Yankee cavalry dashed
forward ard discharged their car5.nes
and revolving rifles at Major Fords com
rnand. receiving In return Noliey Of