Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-14

TO protect his camp against surprise. My
conclusion at the time was (Which was
confirmed by General Fitzpatrick IN
conversation I had with him since the
war;. that the detachment OF the Fifth
Kentucky was expected 10 perform that
duty. and instead they had been made
| prisoners of war without hiring a shot
! and without his knowledge. SO you see
the important bearing of their capture.
Fitzpatrick had moved around the head
| OF the swamp, and bivouacked with the
swamp behind him, and the order OF
| the attack was arranged as follows:
My division, Wrights Brigade now being
| In front was TO be closed up in column
! Of regiments before daylight, so as 10
, enable Wheeler. stretched back the iui
/ length OF his large division In columns
| OF fours, TO close UP. / was TO follow
I up the line of march taken up by Kill
patrick. move around the head Of the
swamp, and enter his camp from the left.
Wheeler was 10 turn to the right from
about the point where the head OF my
I column was located, and move TO the
right through the open pine woods. and
come from the rear, as nearly simuitane-
| ously with my attack as possible. Ac-
/ cordingly, when / learned that wheeler
! had turned off to the right / moved Tor
ward rp the road.
4 4
| Wright to select a squadron, whose COM
mander he could vouch for, and order him
! to report for instruction. My recollection
| is that he selected Captain Bostick, OF
] the Cobb Legion (and IL 1 am in error In
| this / trust that some survivor OF that
| splendid gallant regiment will correct
| me0.
| Ny instructions were that the leading
! squadron should rush into the camp, sur
| fl,.nf ri lr M
! his headquarters, and remain there, IL
possible, until we could occupy the camp.
| and make Fitzpatrick a prisoner. ] fur
! Their instructed Colonel Wright to follow
| up the leading squadron by throwing
| regiment at time into the camp; that
1 would have Laws Brigade so posted
as to so TO the rescue at the proper time.
'PELL NELL INTO THE CAMP
Wright moved promptly, followed by
Law in a trot. Just before the dawn or
day he charged pell-mell into the camp,
and as turned the head of the swamp,
at the head of Laws Brigade, We were
| greeted with a scene OF the widest con-
| fusion. A squad of about 100 Confede-
rates came rushing frantically towards
| us, and at first we supposed or feared
| that Wright had been repulsed, and yet
| could not understand how that could be.
| as his rear regiment had left US not more
than two minutes. Our minds were soon
relieved on that score, as the Confede-
rates turned out to be prisoners who tore
away from their guards when Wright
rushed in. and were making good their
| escape. The poor fellows reported they
| were half-starved on the march with Kill
patrick, and naturally, rejoiced In their
| deliverance. Our men aroused the sleep
ing Federals, and captured 40.
At this point let me relate what General
Fitzpatrick said of this event in a con-
versatlon with me after the war. told
| him we had ridden up to his camp-fres
the night before, without being chal-
lenged by his picket, or even camp
guard, and expressed surprise that he had
not taken this natural precaution; that
ne paid q very poor compliment to our
vigilance and enterprise, which 1 Thought
was scarcely justified by past experience.
| His explanation was that Colonel Spencer.
who was afterward with me in the Senate
from Alabama, commanded the rear bril-
gade of his column, and that it was his
duty to post the pickets and guards.
Spencer, on the other hand, denied this,
and fixed the responsibility on Fitzpatrick.
OF course could not settle that contro-
versy, and left it where / found 1t.
KILPATRICK'S CLEVER RUSE.
General Fitzpatrick further said that he
walked out about daylight that morning
as was his custom, TO look after his
horses He heard our yell as we broke
into his camp, and said to himself: my
God, here is a major-generaPs commits
sion. earned after four years hard fight
ing. gone up In a surprise; that about
J that time a man rushed up to him ano
said: Where Is General Fitzpatrick?
and that he replied: There he goes on
that black horse (as one Of his men was
escaping upon black horse; that he
Fitzpatrick mounted in dishabille and
| escaped. The Confederate who accostec
him left him and pursued the man on the
black horse. and thus by a clever ruse
''he saved his bacon"
| / have never ascertained who this mar
was. but my theory is that in his anxiety
. to take Fitzpatrick prisoner he was natu
rally misled and dropped the substance
TO pursue the shadow ION black horse.
Be that as it may, Wrights Brigade
charged clear through the camp, anc
when / reached Kilpatrick's headquar-
tiers. in front OF which were packed his
| artillery wagons, and ambulances
Wright had rushed through like whir
wind. Anticipating that there would b.
more or less confusion after the first on
set, had left Laws Brigade near th'
entrance of the camp. to be ordered II
to reap the fruits of Wrights charge IL
: my dismay and disappointment 1 Learned
I that Law had been ordered away from
where 1 had left him. and there / was
! in the midst of hostile camp with M
l support but my staff and couriers
had possession of Kilpatrick's headquar-
tiers and trains, awaiting Wheeler's and
Laws arrival, Wrights command was
OF course scattered after his impetuou
charge.
5 General Wheeler Joined me in shor
time, and on my inquiring for his com
a mand, he replied that he had encounter
: ed an impossible bog. and had to sent
t ii around by the route had taken. Mean
while, Kilpasricks dismounted men, mum
1 berng about 1850. as we were inform
ed. rallied somewhat from the panic. ant
5 opened destructive fire from behin'
| pine trees with their rapid-flre carbines
Q and drove us out. / succeeded In rally
4 ing a part of the Cobb Legion. and, will
gallant Lieutenant Colonel King at thei
! head. charged Kiipatricks men, who hat
/, reached their artillery. We lost sixty
: two men In five minutes. among the mum
. Der the lamented Colonel King, who Eel
, CALAMITY leading almost a forlorn hope
Fitzpatrick reached Sherman's infantry
in time to bring up division to his res
cue and we had TO Withdraw. But FOL
the untoward obstruction Of an impassa'
= BILE swamp 10 General Wheeler's march
| hou f0rQSpnn