Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-06-15

1 EAkT ANlA.
Expedition Of Gems WilsOn dn KaRiz
| Agdiast the Richmond and Weldon
Railroad.
This expedition had for its pur-
pose the destruction of the Rich
mond and Danville Railroad, near
Burkville, reaching as far as the
Roanoke River. They were also in
structed to do as much devilment as
possible, making thedefenseiess wo-
men and children TO feel the stern
hand of war. They were particular
| ly instructed 70 destroy the high
bridge on the Lynch6ufg Z. r !,
leading from Burk Station on the
Richmond and Danville r. R., span
ming the Staunton River. Genl.
Meade impressed these instructions
on Major General Wilson, command
ing, as being most important, as by
the edestruction of setwogreat rail-
way arteries Gen. r. Z. Lees al
ready very limited supplies would
be cut of. He was also ordered to
cross over into N. C. and make his
way to the coast or to Sherman, who
was in Georgia burning houses.
These instructions were received on
the afternoon of June the Goth, 1864
On the 21st Brig. Gen. A. w. Kautz
reported to Gen. Wilson with four
regiments of cavalry and battery B.,
consisting in all of ,569 men. On
the 22nd, the entire command consist
ed of Wilson s entire division of cav
airy and Kaut's brigade, in all $500
men and twelve guns. See official
records. At 3 A. NJ. on the 22nd, this
grand aggregation of wind and blus-
ter crossed the Richmond and Wei
don r. r. at Ream's Station. Chap
mans brigade, covering Wilson's S
rear, was attacked by w. III. +. Lee,
who had started on their trial al
most as soon as Wilson had taken
up his line OF march. w. III. +. Lee
worried the rear of the Yankee
column until they reached the South
side Railroad, at the Is mile turn
out. There being no opposition in
his front, Wilson destroyed the Rail
road for some distance. w. II. +.
Lee. thinking that this thing had
gone far enough, swung around by
the right flank, and, by hard march
ing, succeeded in getting between
| Wilson and Danville. KautZ, in the
meantime, reached Burkville June
tion, burning the station and des-
troying the railroad for about J mile
in both directions. This was on the
3rd of June. Wilson continued to
push on in the direction OF Nottoway
G. II. where, very much to his sur
prise, he met Gen. w. III. +. Lee with
McGregor's battery. A very warm
engagement took place, in which w.
Fl. +. Lee drove Chapman brigade
back to the railroad in much confu-
sion. Night coming on hostilities
were suspended. On the 24th Will
son withdrew from in front of Motto
way G. Ii. and by rapid march
through Hungarytown struck the
Danville r. r. near Meherrin Sta
ton. Kautz having committed all of
the depreciation at Burkville juno
tion that he knew Of passed Prices
Station just as Wilson came in sight.
Both commands encamped that night
at Keysville, on the Danville r r.
Early the next morning the march
was resumed and the work of des-
troying the r r. still went on.
About A. n. the advance under
Wilson arrived at Roanoke Station,
near the Roanoke or Staunton River.
Captain Farnholt &C. S. Al with
company of infantry held the bridge.
Wilson says, 1T was defended by
500 or 600 men," The truth as OBJ
tained from the records give the
number as SO men. Wilson in his
report states, II posted the batteries
I-12 guns-on the hills and directed
Brig. General Kautz to dismount
his command aud eudeavor to push
close enough with four regiments to
fire it. After q most gallant effort
Kautz withdrew his command"
Wilson excuses the failure owing
to the exhausted condition of his
men and the intense heat. In the
meantime W. Fl. +. Lee was not idle.
He very Unexpectedly, and in the
most unwelcome manner, suddenly
came on the field and attacked Chap
man s brigade, near the crossing of
the little Roanoke Rive. Wilson
had at that time arrived at the con-
clusion that for the good of the SER
vice he would postpone his contem-
plated trip to the sea coast to rein
force Sherman in his depredations,
but instead would retire into the
lines near Petersburg where the
atmosphere was much cooler. We
find in a dispatch from General K.
+. Lee TO the Secretary of War that
explains why Wilson changed his
mind. Gen. Lee states that under
June 26th: General w. II. +. Lee
reports that he attacked the enemy
near the Staunton River Bridge yes
terday afternoon. and drove him un-
til dark. He also states that the
enemy was signally repulsed on the
bridge, leaving about 30 of his dead
on the field" Wilson on the 18th
withdrew his command to Wylies-
burg, marching all night. At day
light he halted his command, water.
ed and fed, and shortly after the
sun was up, resumed his march pas
sing through Christianville and
Greensborough. crossed the Meher-
rim River and Saffold's Bridge, and
then via Smoky Ordinance and
Poplar Mill, to the Nottoway at the
double bridge, on the direct road TO
Prince George C. H., reaching the
latter point on the afternoon OF the
18th. Leaving Wilson and his plum
der in fancied security, we will now
turn our attention and see what
Hampton had been doing to amuse