Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-02
The Dahlgren Raid-Again.

Carolina, on the death or Dahlgren, re-
Gently reproduced in the Dispatch, has
called forth a communication from
Marquis Jones. ESQ.,. of Gloucester county.
who corrects some Of the Colonels state
ments as to localities, and who denies
that Lieutenant Pollard was 1.-THE senior
officer" with the Confederate troops when
the daring raider met his death.
In our issue Of May s, 1894, soon after
the death of Lieutenant Pollard, we re-
published Lieutenant Pollard's own ac-
count Of the fight. In 1t we ma that ne
speaks Of Captain Magruder's placing
thirty men under his Pollard's) command.
The presence Of Captains Fox and Ma.
gruder is mentioned. but II would seem
that Pollard was virtually in command
when Dahlgren was killed. AS matter
Of fact, however, when the raiders sud-
denly rode up at 80 o'clock at night
Pollard was asleep In a house near by
and was not aroused until Dahlgren
had been killed. Pollard was sick and
broken down, and reluctantly yielded to
the persuasons OF his comrades to
take some rest, and this he consented TO
do after satisfying himself that there was
no probability Of the appearance OF the
enemy that night. In this. however, II
turned out that he was mistaken. Pol
lard and Lieutenant Ryland now Second
Auditor of this State) planned the cap
ture OF Dahlgren's party, which they
were the better able to do from their
intimate acquaintance with the country.
There can be no doubt. however. that
there were officers present who outranked
Pollard. Mr.. Jones Is very fail in his
statements, and does not seek to detract
from any credit due Pollard. Sec his let
ter on page II OF this issue Of the Dis
patch.
Mr.. Jones says that citizen residing
near where Dahlgren fell promised 10
bury the body. This Is true. but. by d.
rectlon Of General Fitz Lee. the body
was very soon thereafter exhumed, and
brought to Richmond for identification.
Here 1t was inferred in lakewood Gene
terry From its grave there 1t was stolen
by number of Union sympathizers, who
went to the cemetery in the dead of night,
took away the body, and put it in an
other coffin. and in another grave in a
distant part of the county, and delivered
il to Admiral Dahlgren, after the war
was over.
Most northern writer's have denied that
Dahlgren wrote any such orders as were
said to have been found on his person,
but the proof that he did is unassailable.
The correspondence on the subject be-
tween the Confederate and Federal COM
manders appears in the Rebellion Record.
Where the originals of those papers OF
Dahlerens are now we do not know.
but, luckily, they were photographed
here In Richmond by order OF the Con-
federate authorities, and Photographic
copies OF them are still in existence. These
show that 1t was the purpose Of Dahlgren.
II he reached Richmond, to give his men
license to murder, pillage, and burn. No
more atrocious orders were ever written
by any commander in times OF civilized
warfare. No wonder that the b.ographers
of Dahlgren have essayed to dispute the
authenticity Of them.
Notwithstanding the fact that President
Davis knew Of these barbarous orders,
he gave positive directions that Dahl
gren's body should be sent to Admiral
Dahlgren. under flag Of truce. Then 1t
was that the grave In lakewood Cemetery
was opened and discovered to be empty.
Admiral Dahlgren long thought that Mr..
Davis played him false about the delivery
Of his sons body. but. afterwards he
learned. from letters sent through the
lines by Miss Bette Van Lew. that the
body was In friendly hands.
Dahlgren's corpse was first buried near
Mantopike. where he fell. Thence It was
removed to lakewood. Thence it was taken
to secluded spot near Hungary Q.aureD
Station. and. at last. It found permanent
sculpture up North.
A boy named Willie Littlepage took the
papers from Dahlgren's dead body. II
living now, he Is a middle-aged man, and
his statement would be valuable. Dahl
gren lost a leg at Gettysburg. and he
wore an artificial leg on his raid with
Fitzpatrick. In March. 1854. when he met
his death. Good artificial legs were IN
much demand. and were exceedingly
scarce In Virginia then. and there were
many claimants for Dahlgren's. We have
heard that It was given to Confederate
generai-oficsr who had use for It.