Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-31

lie then attempted TO burn Stanton river
bridge but the Confederate militia, COM
manded by Col. l.. l. Farlnholt,s repulsed
him with loss and disaster. When VIII
son started Hampton was at White
House. and Grant and Sheridan thought
they could count on Wilson's being re-
lieved OF the formers assiduous atten-
ton. on the 9th Lee started Hampton
after wilson and ne reached Stony Creek
Station. on the Weldon railroad, the next
day. Having asceriained the direction
I'm which Wilson was coming Hampton
applied TO General r. T.. Lee 10 send in
fantry 10 Reams Station. and 20 order
Fitz Lees cavalry, near there. TO keep
I'm constant communication with the in
fantry at Reams. and with Hampton at
Stony Creek. The latter attacked the
raiders az SappOney Church, routed them.
and then looked 70 FitZ Lee 20 keep him
advised OF their move TO escape by
Rearns. so that he OHamptOn) could move
down on the rear, and sweep them al
IN.
But Fitz never reported 10 Hampton at
al. but on the next day at \. NJ.
note from him 20 "the commanding oiii-
Ger Of the troops Of Stony Creek Depot
was received, saying 'he was stu pur-
suing the enemy. capturing prisoners, etc,
and that he wished all available force
sent TO Jarratts Depot TO head them Off
there Hampton moved instanter, but
within five miles from Jarratts learned
from scouts that his enemy had crossed
there at daylight that morning, four
hours before Hampton had received Lees
note ITO the commanding officer" &c.
Wilson and all his command ought to
have been captured.
wilson lost twelve guns and four how
tiers, and ell his wagons and ambu-
lances These were loaded with house
hold furniture and family silver. in ono
was found the silver communion service
belonging fro ST. Johns church. i'm Lunen-
burg county. The pilaging had been so
outrageous that an investigation was
made q Federal headquarters. The gene
rails concerned admitted the facts and
regretted them but stated that Kautz's
Division bad for long time served under
Ben. Butler.
THE pICKETs NARROW ESCAPE.
The author was p private in the cavalry
OF HamptOn's Legion and every now and
then gives us glimpses from the ranks or
how things looked 60 the men behind
the guidon. Here IS one picture that is
delicious.
4 detachment Of cavalry was picket
ing the extreme line. near stony Creek.
There was one pos at which, about this
time. two videttes had been murdered az
night. The term murdered" is hardly in
correct. for 70 take q life secretly and
wautOnly without military purpose OF
epecial justification. IS morally murder
at least. in the estimation OF an intended
victim. Naturally. this post was not O.
! favorite. and II may have been a COM
pliment. but it was a disagreeablo one,
! 10 be assigned 10 H. So thought trooper
/ as he took his station there one night
! about lO o'clock. TO remain four hours
/ before being relieved. IL was literally
/ "pitch dark" the post being i'm the midst
of "a wood. with "a raviue on the right
separating 81 from the other stations.
| There was o light. chilly rain falling. and
tho man. wet and uncomfortable SAT-
rigid on his perfectly m0uonless horse
whose ears ne was unable Co see. lie
| could not help thinking that st was just
| the nlght 10 be sitting in diy room
/ however. rough, before burning logs, with
q lumber OF hot whiskey punch-"tho'
| lost to sight, 10 memory dear beside
| him, and q pipe in his mouth, and also
/ how snug IL would feel covered UP with
plenty Of blankets in @ clean, warm SOFT
! bed. hearing the music OF the rain-dio ops
/ ON the roof
II was perfectly stln. except for the
| faint sound OF the rain upon the dead
| leaves. After an hour or more all sucn
reflections as the above were efectually
| dispelled. for from the direction or the
ravine. he detected a slight noise, alto
sether different from that Of the rain. u
was stealthv fOOtstep on the wei
ground Quite wide awake now, he listen
| ed intently, and there was no doubt that
| the cause of the sound was gradually
/ coming nearer to him. il was evident
ne thought. that So he was not To pay
| The role OF No. IN murdered
| videttes. It was high time 10 take mana
| I'm arranging the programme
To fire on the newcomer would not
serve the purpose: for. il his shot missed
! no 81 probably would in the darkness, hls
exact position would be perceived and
! taken advantage Of. OF II the unweicome
visitor made OF. the picket post woulo
be turned out on hearing tho report oil
fhe gun. and no evidence Of the presence
/ of an enemy being discovered, there
would have been laugh az his expense
| for boing "skeered at notnln. 20, the
yidette noiselessly slipped on ms morse
/ on the left side. took q stand JUS bemno
the animal. and quietly drew his sabre
| piao and pis. OF. loaded with paper
/ cartridge might snap in wet weather
! Int as pat saws of his shilalan, the "sa-
! I've never misses IRE" Shortening his arm
ready to drive the point with WILL I1
waited patiently for the stranger 10 ae
vclop his tactics. He inferred the nun
| derer would think him seated in ire h"",
die. and as soon as the exact posi.'On 90
| tbe horse was ascertained, would lear
| nnon his supposed victim with "a KIM
| and then would be the moment 10 sho"
! the counterstr0ke by running him through
! tho bodv. For few seconds the SOUNDS
ceased altogether; then commenced again
| onnroaching. the unseen person even
more cautious than before. Al lensih il.
stoned. remaining quite sim, ana hlua'
| have been almost in touch or the morse
nrobablv was cropping about with MS
| hands feeling for him. The trooper ~"
falt confident the assassin was Wllhlu
reach. and was about 10 thrust his tWoIu
| but restrained his impotence, thinkihs
| 10 be absolutely certain OF ms man ~
he awaited the misdirected attack WHICH
| he expected. ,,.,. 49,, 90 chic
Inst then the horse, which up 10 TINS
moment had remained as suil as lne
I've moved slightly Al this, whoever
n v,os glided quickly away toward the
ravine and thus ended the incident
Tbis graphic picture was drawn by the
octor i'm II. 1t proves itself. But the au-
nor does not give the explanation, patent
80 everv old cavaIryman. The murderer
r.os cow or a SOW. saw the horse, ana
smelled him. and made of Hogs AT ms
poriod developed a curious and marked
tendency TO bite soldiers. Soldiers m-
varioblv resented such attacks and con-
seonently roast pork was not unknown
f. either camp, nor any arm Of the ser
vice Artillery was much sought altef'
but there was more danger in the cavalry
and more pig 49,. ,,,,.,,