The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-19
ON THE NOTTOWAY.
One of the Most Successful
Raids of the War.

An interesting wartime letter de-
scribing the raid to Bellfield and re-
turn has been sent to The National
Tribune by Comrade l.. Brenizer, who
is at the National Soldiers Home in
Tennessee. The letter is dated, Camp
of the 21st Pa. Cav, near Fort Steven
son, Jan. 9, 1864" and states:
The morning of Dec. IL, at 10
o'clock, we returned to our camp, hav-
ing participated in one of the most ex-
tensive and exciting, as we'll as sue
cessful raids Of the war. Every prep
aration having been made for move,
5 a. M, Dec. I, found Gregg's Cavalry
Division in their saddles heading south
ward toward the Jerusalem Plank
Road, followed by the Fifth Corps and
the Third Division of the Second Corps.
The morning was warm but cloudy,
and during the day we had little sprin-
kles of rain.
''At D. m. we crossed the Nottoway
River, the cavalry fording the stream
and the infantry crossing on pOntoonS.
The fording of such a river, the water
four feet deep and the banks bold and
swampy, by division of cavalry, is by
no means a small thing, and to witness
horse and rider, pack-Elule and bag
gage founder into the mud at the wa
ter's edge-sometimes the man on the
horse, and sometimes the horse on the
man, while the shouts of the officers
hurrying OH the column add to the con-
fusion. The whole forms a scene big
with interest; scene which eXcites
laughter, sympathy, hope and fear, all
at the same time.
THE march was continued until 10
p. M, when the cavalry halted at Sus-
Sex Court House. / spread my blanket,
CO. fnr nil nd
the starry heavens for shelter 1 gave
myself to the soothing embrace of sweet
sleep. This. however, only lasted two
hours, for l was aroused by the gentle
pouring of rain into my face, which
by no means added to my comfort. AT
a. m. of the Sth we were again in our
saddles, and continued our march UNI
til 10 a. m. without interruption. Then
small force of rebels made a demon
stration on our right flank near Jarrett
Station, but We're soon driven off.
1--WE here halted to burn a bridge
where the Weldon Railroad crosses the
Nottoway River. After the bridge was
on fire three slaves made their appear
ance on the opposite side, and finding
no other means of crossing, plunged in
to the stream and Waded across, the
water coming up to their armpits. 1t
was to them the crossing of the Red
Sea.
I'VE spent the night at Jarrett's Sta
ton, but slept very little. for a very
cold wind set in at dark and continued
all night. With the ground for my
bed, my saddle for a pillow and the
canopy heaven for a shelter, I slept
about two hours, and during that time
sweet dreams of home. its pleasures and
loved ones, fitted through my brain,
making a deep impression. AT day
light of the 9th we continued our
march, frequently halting TO destroy
the railroad. AT p. m. We arrived at
Three Creeks. a stream 10 yards wide
and about deep enough to swim a horse.
Here was another exciting scene of
crossing. Some horses fell and some
men We're completely ducked, while
some who We're on the banks mbled
under their horses into the mud, and
when extricated you could see little
else than mass of moving mire.
About 4 p. m. our advance reached
the rebel works at Bellfield, where the
railroad crosses the Meherrin River
and as the object of the raid was only
to effectually destroy the railroad SO as
to prevent the rebs from using any part
of it this Winter. for they had already
commenced to build a branch from
Stony Creek to the Southside Railroad,
and as this was already accomplished