Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-23


riders several being old-time fox-huie-
ers. and who were familiar WIN es.,y
foot OF ground and bride pain pe'"e'
Burkyille and the bridge.
These volunteer couriers ana seo1's
were instructed TO approach near ehons"
tho outposts and sentTies or the rd'ee's
10 attract attention or challenge, ana ~
deport themselves as TO invite pulSuie
and in their flight TO drop or lose ths
dispatches. A..
The design worked TO perfection, inc
raiders reached Burkville, ana Dy .no
time they had posted their sentineis our
couriers put In an appearance. Ihese
were challenged. chased and seyera.
shots fired at them and IN their night
and scamper, they. OF course. lost their
papers, which were found by the Yankees.
HE DIDN'T COME.
Tha railroad depot and all the PUBIC
buildings at Burkville were burned, ana
a great deal Of private property &C.
stroyed or carried off. The following
day was one OF suspense and anxiety
at High Bridge. Our couriers ana
scouts had come in during the Night
with reports of the strength OF TIE m
vadng force, that Burkville was beihs
burned up, and the roads destroyed az
that point and below. We could near
nothing more, and waited and watched
until late in the day scout came IN
and reported that the Yankees were not
coming to the bridge, that after burning
Burkville they had taken a line OF march
up the Danville road, in the direction Oh
Keysyile and stanton river.
1t was for quite q time matter or
speculation and wonder why the YAM
KEGS gave the bridge tho "go-by," after
reaching its immediate Vicinity with
force sufficient for its easy destruction
and the capture OF its mere handful OF
defenders. IL was not until after the
close OF the war that the mystery WAS
fully explained.
In the city Of Washington. n year or
mora after the cessation of hostillties,
Colonel Scott happened TO meet and
make the acquaintance Of the officer VINO
led the raid, and in the conversation
which ensued Colonel Scott remarked 10
the General that they came near
making an earlier acquaintance. and
having a less agreeable interview than
the one in which they were then en-
gagged"
when and where?" querled the Gene
raj.
at High Bridge" replied the Colonel,
"whon you led the raid 20 Burkeyille ana
Staunton River bridge"
ooh. yes; oh, yesl Colonel" was tho
laughing, gleeful reply of the General, Il
remember-I remember: but, Colonel, L
did not walk into the beautiful trap you
had prepared for me; / fortunately cap
tured some OF your dispatches. which
unnnasked the ambuscade into which l
was about to walk, as the bridge was
one of my objective points, and my com
mand was only some few miles distant.
al Of IL IN
away, and I'm a different direction
Colonel Scott permitted the Federal Of
ficer to enjoy his complacency and self
graduation for short time, and then
gave him true description Of his meagre
force and the defenceless condition OF
the bridge at that time, saying that the
dispatches which he captured" and
which changed his line of march, were
prepared specially for his perusal and
ediication and not for the imaginary Of
ficers to whom they were directed, as
none such existed; also, that there was
no military force In the neighborhood
except the little band OF Reserves, who
could have made no effective resistance,
and as he Colonel ScotD had taken the
trouble to forward and deliver the mis-
sives TO the General, who imagined he
had made a capture he thought he was
entitled 10 some acknowledgment IOr inc
courtesy.
1t was said that while Colonel Scott
was relating and describing the "ruse''
by which he succeeded IN saving the
bridge and his little command of boys and
cid men from capture, the Yankee general
became greatly excited. his face palei
and flushed, his eyes glared, his breath
Ing was long and hard, and as the Colo
mel finished his statement, the General
sought relief in a volley OF oaths and Inn
precautions upon his "ill-luck." that would
have put the Army In Flanders" to the
blush.
"Whyr he exclaimed. "the High
Bridge was my main objective point
when the raid was organized. and my re-
pulse at Staunton River and the destruc-
ton of my command at Reams's Station
very nearly cost me my rank and position
In the Federal army D. such luck"