The National tribune., 1894-10-25
ONE OF THE 500.
Col. Uric DahIgren's Command, and What
Became of IL.

Col. Uric DahIgren's Command, and What
Became Of IL.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In your
issue of MAY 81 is an article written by
Comrade J. w. LandegOn, giving an account
of the Fitzpatrick raid, Feb. PC TO March D,
1864. was one Of the 500 that went with
Col. Uric Dahlgren's command on our way
towards Richmond. We were guided by a
negro and two scouts one named Hogan.
The negro led Us all right, and knew where
he was going, until after those barrels of
whisky were found. The orders of Col.
Dahlgren were TO break in the heads of the
barrels and let the liquor run on the ground /;
but some of the whisky found its way into a
great many canteens, and the negro got some
too much. He lost has head, and the right
road also Col. Dahlgren did not know the
negro had taken any whisky. lie asked
the negro several times how far it was TO
the large swinging gate he spoke Of His an
swer was always We viii soon come 10 it /;
but we did not, but came in sight of rebel
fort, and then it was that the order 10 hang
the negro was given.
We did pass the rebel pickets March 2,
going in on the main pike TO Richmond. as
they took Us for their own cavalry, 1t being
dark. We charged and captured regiment
but could not spare the men TO take them
to the rear and guard them, for there were
rebels all around US. Without Fitzpatrick S
aid we were compelled to skip out" and
We did.
Col. Dahlgren was brave officer; so, also,
was Leut.-Col. Ed Cook, Capts. Mitchell,
Hasty, and others in the command, and |
think that any soldier living who was with
him (Col. Dahlgren) will say that he was a
brave and fearless leader.
On our retreat from in front of Richmond
towards the York River, or Yorktown, the
command came to where there We're two
roads branching from the main road, and
We separated, one party under Capt. Mitch
ell, of the Harris Light Cavalry, the other
under Col. Dahlgren and Lieut.-COl. Ed
Cook.
The understanding was that the two COM
mands would come together again a few
miles from where we separated, the roads
meeting again. Oar party, under Dahlgren,
took the Tight-haud road, and Capt. Mitch
ell the left.
Our party was every now and then fired
into from the woods along the line-o:-march.
We kept fankers out ali day, and passed by
the plantation of Gov Wise at dusk March 3.
About half a mile from Wise's house we
CdlIE ~ q DcliN III tilC lOstaE, anu % bOlH
men and horses were very tired and hungry,
toe, we lay down By the side Of the road for
rest.
We had not gone half mile from where
we lay down to rest when we received a
FOlley from the rebs in am! ush from the
woods at the roadside. Co. Dahlgren fell
from mis- horse dead. Col. Ed Cooks horse
was shot from under him. / cannot tell
how many were killed.
We fell back IN disorder and jumped our
horses from the road into ditch bordering
a large field. We got together what was
LETT OF rs as soon As 10 sibie near the center
OF he field. We could hear the rebs giving
orders.
Col. Cook came up on foot. and told US in
whispers 10 girth our horses tight. as we
won d have to cut our way ont. We were
waiting in line for orders with sabers drawn
every man silent, when Col. Cook came up
again aud told us we were surrounded on ali
sides. and 10 leave our horses in line and 20
IN squads Of five or six, and make for the
river IS best We could. We tried this after
destroying our csrbines and sabers, but were
stopped at every turn We made; then we
got back 10 the center Of the fed again and
lay down in groups and talked il over.
Nothing could be done, and at daylight a
regiment OF cavalry cline IN, lea Dy IOi.
MaeIuder. aud scoOped as in. We passed
Col. Dahlgren's body lying in the road,
stripped, and his finger cut TO get the ring
he wore. The boys as they passed groaned
a. they saw their brave commander 20 dis
figured. The co umn was brought to a halt,
and Magruder said he was sure that none Of
his command did such brutal act Some
Of the guerTillas must have done it.
Col Cook and some Others were captured
that same day, and Joined us. saw the Colo
nels trousers, with the yellow stripe, on one
OF Nagruder's men through a rent in his own
breeches. ] told Col. Ed Cook, and he saw it
too but we dared not say anything about it.
We were taken TO Richmond / have
never seen any Of our officers since. ] was
taken from Richmond 10 the Augusta Hos
pltal (rebel) with four other men. Three
of the men died at the hospital; the other
soldier and myself were sent to Anderson
vile 10 remain until a short time before the
assassination of President Lincoln, when
we were sent across Black River, about
four miles above or from Vicksburg Ed
WARD c. GARRIGAN, Co. +, Harris Light
Cav, C0xsaclie-on-the-Hu n. Y.