Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-04
GEN. HUNTERS RAID.
STORY OF now GEN. McAusLAND
HELD IMMENSE ODDS IN CHECK
BURNING OF THE INSTITUTE.
rxecu,ion of Two Citizens by ORDER
of General Hunter-Ihe b"''ie
Ivncbburc-Reco of Con-
fcderate Cavalryman.


No event Of the civil war more interest
ed me than the raid of Hunter
through Lexington in 1864. on his way
10 Lynchburg. IL was the first appear
ance IN our historic town OF live, armed
Yankee on destruction bent ana the
whole population OF women, children, ana
slaves viewed them with awe.
The impress of that visit can be seen
easily now-thirty-hve years after. All
was done that could be done to keep
them away. and it is marvellous to think
of the stout resistance made by McCaus-
lands 1900 cayarymen 20 the 25,O.O
Yankees. General McCausland did his
part well. BY cutting trees across the
roads, burning bridges in front Oh them'
and stationing cavalrymen, armed with
Enfield rides. behind trees rocks, etc,
he was able TO check the advance OF
Averil's 5000 cavalry, ana compel a de-
lay until their infantry could be brought
up and dslodge us by thanking.
The sixteenth, Seventeenth, and E!ghth
regiments of McCauslands command
were West Virginians, and brought up TO
endure hardships Their courage was OF
the unfinching kind, natural haters Of
those who were despoiling their homes,
and woe to the Yankee who came within
range Of their unerring aim.
OBJECT OF THE RAIDS.
The destruction Of the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad was a cherished OBJ
ject of the United States Government.
1t was, so to speak, the aorta of the
Confedcracy If destroyed where could
he h
army at Richmond? AS early as Decem-
Der, 1869, Averilrs Cavalry made hazard
Gus attempt to accomplish it's de-
struction, and was partially successful.
AT Salem he destroyed considerable stores
and ten to fifteen miles Of railroad be-
sides five railroad bridges. 1t was des-
perately cold weather, and well do l
recolect the tales of excruciating suffer
ing told me by our men who were after
them. The suffering of the Confederates
OF course. was greater than these we'll
fed and wel-clothed Federals, for at
best the Confederate clothes were in
different. and only those who had homes
20 draw upon to supplement their thin
garments could stand 1t at all. A
Yankees diary, written every day, has
this 10 say Of this event:
mo language can tell the suffering Of
our brigade on that raid. We were cold,
wet, muddy, tired. sleepy, and hungry.
over icy mountains. slippery paths, rocks.
logs, through rain, sleet. snow, mud,
swamps, gullies creeks, rivers, frost,
forest and bullets we rode, walked. ran,
stumbled, plunged, swan, waded scram-
bled. climbed, charged, retreated, fought,
bled. fell drowned, and froze."
These brave and daring riders were not
like the heroes of the charge at Balak-
lava. for nearly all of them lived to tell
the story and receive a brand-neW uni
form as a present from the government
for the inconvenience they had been SUBJ
jected to.
Again. on the 1st day of May, 1864, Cen
eral Averill made another raid. His
starting point was Charleston, and pass
ing through Wyoming, Logan, and Taze-
well counties, on the 10th he arrived
at Wytheville, when he again struck the
railroad. John Morgan and his raiders
were close after them. Averill was com
PEELED 10 evade Morgan to accomplish his
purpose, and he struck for Dublin. Most
OF the railroad between this point and
Christiansburg he destroyed, but was
side-tracked by our cavalry sent 10 in
tercept him. They wheeled to the left
and took a northward course through
Blacksblwg. a force of cavalry met them
In the gap beyond Blacksburg. The
half famished. so they would not try tC
fight. but stole away in the darkness ant
crawed over the mountain. following ar
unfreQuented path In single file. Twenty
Ave or more horses were killed belonging
10 this command by slipping from the
path and plunging over precipices. They
arrived at Union next day. where they
met General Crook. who was returning
from the battle Of "Cloyds Farm" where
General Albert @. jenkins, our beloved
commander. was killed.
This brings me now TO the commence
ment Of the raid on Lynchburg. ON June
81 the combined forces of Averil and
Crook left Lewisburg and marched IN
the direction of Staunton. Among Crooks
men were two soldiers who after
wards became Presidents Of the United
states--Rutherford b. Hayes and william
Mckinley. McCausland's cavalry was
In Crooks front. never losing an oppor-
tunity TO harass and annoy him. We
had one stiff little fight near the Warn
Springs, but there being ten TO one, OF
course we had 20 give back. and by
the night of the Sth we were In the vi
entity OF Staunton, where Crooks and
Ayerllps forces united with the forces
OF General David Hunter who had woI
the battle OF Piedmont two days before
and where General William T. Jones
and Colonel John NJ. Templeton, Of
Rockbridge. were killed.
AGAINST BIG ODDS.
These two armies. now united. accord
ing to the statement Of the commanders
numbered $500 men-5.00 cavalry ant
5000 infantry. TO oppose this large
number were the 100 cavalry of Nc
Causland. and well they did the worl
assigned them. In season ana out O
season they would pinch them In theil
side. rear and front, and retard then
in every way On many days not half
dozen miles progress was made by tn
enemy. The enemy's cavalry consisted
OF the First. Second, and Third Yves
Virginia. the Eighth Ohio. and Four
teenth Pennsylvania, and one or tive
battalions Of" cavalry. The Fourteenth
Pennsylvania was commanded by Coiole
James NJ. Schoonmaker, Pittsburg NIL
lionalre. and was a crack regiment o
the Union army In the United States
service they had the best men selected
|. from other arms OF the service for tn
n cavalry. II soldier distinguished him
oe1f for gQllantry he was prOmOted Il