The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-04-17
HOW RICHMOND WAS SAVED
Historians Strangely Ignore Wade Eamp-
toms Part.
Charlotte GJ$errcr.

~ II uloloi lttIi' ioi tii>ii i'ii'N ~
scntations of facts, and the men of the
South who made the facts, during the
War between the States.
\ man enemies are they of his own
household, declares Sacred Writ. and
when we come to consider the subject
Of this paper, and the inaccuracy OF
two of our historians with reference to
it, the question forces itself, What
can We do to deliver us from our
friends
\ great injustice has been done that
grand old man and soldier, Wade
Hampton, by both Pollard in his
Lost Cause and McCabc III his lice
and His Campaigns. Both Of these
historians recognize the peril that
threatened Richmond and its inhabi-
tants of sack. pillagc and murder from
the raid Of Fitzpatrick and pahlgrccn
in March, 1854.
Pollard says: In general history
there is little space for detached events
But we must make an exception to
| th:5 rule in case of an expedition of
Federal cavalry directed against Rich
mond in the month Of March. 1864 {
very small incident III military view.
it is to be taken among the most in
tcrcsting events of the war, as con-
tanning one Of the most distinct and
deliberate evidences of the enemies
atrocity that has yet been given to q
shocked and surprised world. .
McCabc says: AN expedition con
sisting of four thousand q, 4,00O) cavalry
was fitted out with great care, Tor the
purpose of capturing Richmond and
releasing the Union prisoners confined
there. The command of this expcdi-
ton was intrustcd to Fitzpatrick. lie
was seconded by Uric Dahlgrecn, a
young officer of great skill and daring.
The plan Of the expedition was as fol
lows: \ column under Gen. Custer
was to make dash on Charlottesville
to draw attention from the main body
which was to proceed to Beaver Dam,
on the Central Railroad arriving
there, the column was to be divided,
part under Gen. Fitzpatrick was to
move on to Richmond along the north
bank of the James river, while the
remainder under Col. Dahlgrccn were
to cross to the south side, move down
the right bank of the James, release
the prisoners on Belle Isle, opposite
Richmond recross the river, burning
the bridges after them. and rejoin Xii
patrick in the city. Richmond WAS to
be given to the flames and President
Davis and his cabinet killed.
Up to this point in the transaction
both historians arc accurate enough
but let us see further. NIcCabc says
"Kilpatrick approached the city by
the Brook turnpike, and there. with
scarcely show of fighting, turned off
and kept down the peninsula - and
Pollard says Kirkpatrick moved down
on the Brook turnpike on the lst OF
March, near the outline of the Rich
mond Notifications and without once
getting in range Of the artillery, took
up line of march down the peninsula,
while Dahlgrccn, not vcnturing to
cross the high water of the James
river, abandoned his enterprise on the
south of Richmond, and, unappriscd
of the ludicrous cowardicc and retreat
of Fitzpatrick, proposed, by moving
down the Wcstham plank road, which
skirtcd the river, to effect a junction
with fitzpatrick, with a view of fur
thcr operations or add to the security
of his retreat.
The injustice Of this account done
to Fitzpatrick is not within the scope
of this article. But why the splendid
strategy of General Wade Hampton
should be so entirely ignored, by which
the enemy were fuilcd in their plans,
and the city Of Richmond saved from
the impending fire and carnage, is
fact beyond the comprehension OF the
writer; and that this mis-statcmcnt of
facts should exist when one OF the
historians at least was in Richmond
ut the time, member of the editorial
staff of the Richmond E.ramincr.
which paper contained, the day after
the dclivcrancc of the city, an accu-
rate account Of the conflict that
brought such magnificent results.
The true history Of Fitzpatrick $
raid and the causes Of its failure are
these: On Sunday, the 18th Of Feb
ruary, 1864, General Fitzpatrick cross
ed the Rapidan river at iiernanna
ford with about two thousand picked
men from the cavalry force Of the
enemy, and proceeded in tie direction
of Richmond, executing the move
mcnt with such celebrity and skill that
he succeeded in cutting the railroad
in rear of General Lee army, which
was then lying in winter quarters
around Orange Court House, without
serious opposition : thus cutting off
the possibility of sending reinforce
mcnts to Richmond, which was in an
almost entirely dcfcncclcss condition.
After detaching at Beaver Dam, five
hundred men under Col. Dahlyrccn,
and sending them around to the north
of Richmond, Fitzpatrick. with the
remainder and main body Of the force,
about fifteen hundred strong, proceed
ed in southeastcrly course, going
into camp on the night of March ls', f,
near Atlcc $ Station. nine miles from
the city. on the Virginia Contra Rail
rood This raid WAS so we'll timed by
the enemy that there were only two
regiments Of the cavalry on the ri@ht
| flank of the Army Of Northern lir
ginia to oppose them. Tiles" were the
First North Carolina, Col. Cheek roii!
mandins and the Second North Cara
lima, Col. Andrews comna::din@. in
winter quarters rear Milford >tati"n
in Carolina cornty. nearly fifty miles
from the picket lines on the "a!'Hian
river, and 50 depleted wee they hSy
details for prkctS an'l other 'ln!lc<.
that the effective cavalry fnrrc in
hand with which to operate against
this raidin@ party. consisted Of tw'
hundred rcn fron the Frs; North
Carolina Cavalry and fifty ncn from!
the Second North Carolina Cavalry.
Gen. James Gordon. the gallant and
lamcmtcd Gordon. t. wh">c brigade
these regiment, belonged, Wa ahscnt
Oh short leave. 50 Maj. Gen. Wa'ic
Hampton entered into the niimHlc$t
details in handling this >i.;,'.nw Of Il
force agains: the bold movements "t
Richmond : woul,l-ir dc>troyers.