The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-06

ferred 60 in the accompanying extracts
from letters written from the army,
less than two days aftec It's occur
renee, was conducted by Major General
Wade Hampton on one side and Major
General d. Med. Gregg on the other,
ana took place on the Boydton Plank
Road. In Dinwiddie County, October 81,
1864.
The statement OF dick" that 1.-The
enemy had penetrated our cavalry limo
before we knew It," Is explained by
the capture OF Major Venable, of Cen
eral Hampton's STAFF. who bore at the
time. an important message. OF this
General Hampton wrote: II had pre-
Ylonsly ordered bearing to bring his
brigade from the trenches on the north
aide OF Hatcher's Run. and 10 take po-
sition on the Plank Road. General
Hill thought bearing could not be
Withdrawn from the position he held.
and notice of this was sent TO me by
Major Nenablc OF my staff. who had
borne tic orders to bearing from me.
lie was captured on his return, and
| thus / was left in Ignorance that a
very important position was open. The
enemy advanced In the very direction
that was unSuarded, and the first int,-
nation | had of this fact was his
presence on the PLANK Road in my
rear"
In the disposition which Hampton
made TO meet the dangers which now
confronted him. II was arranged thar
w. II. F. Lee. with his division. should
make nm attack on the Plank Road.
while Hampton's other troops co copper
ated In another quarter. While But
Ter" Hampton wrote. was attacking
ION he N,fs!>- Ac>ss.~ aaf. Lee struck
the enemy the Plank Road aria
drove him handsomely.
OF the attack by Lee. General Gregg
reported: The regiment on the left
had just about struck the eneniy's
skirmishers. when heavy firing was
heard in the rear on the Plank Road
Repairing to this point, i found the
ehemys cavalry dismounted attacking
! strongly. ctict' ny tihet SrS or to,s.
rihed guns. - The attack or the
enemy was very determined and made
In lPrge force" Al 1910 y NJ
the division began moving by the
road upon which 1t had advanced in
the morning
or this Nocturnal retreat Hampton
Informed General Lee: I'VE had driven
| him in on all the roads. and he was
! massed In the field around the houses
OF Bond and Burgess. The night hav-
ing grown very dark and a heavy rain
coming on, l was forced to pause in
my attack. In the morning the
the field. leaving his dead and many
wounded in my hands.
The enemy left in his retreat sew
oral caissons. three ambulances. bind
ers. many small arms and accountre
ments. We captured gag prisoners be-
sides the wounded, of which there was
large numcer. My command behav-
ed well. and ] have again to express
my pride in their good conduct"
liz n he reRretted that tn. reno,.
OF this affair by General w II. F. Lee
has not been preserved though re-
ferred to by General Hampton. OF this
affair. General r. Il. Lee wrote: 'In
| letter TO General Hill to-day, j eX-
pressed my qualification at the con-
duct OF the troops In general, and of
the cavalry in particular"
Now follow tho letters before men
toned. one from a private and the
other lieutenant OF the Ninth Vir-
ginla Cavalry:
Camp Near Dinwiddie Courthouse.
October IL. 1864,
Dearest M.-Thankfui I am again to
be permitted to write to you to inform
you that we have again been spared
and are still enjoying our usual good
health. Since last writing to you, we
have been engaged in another fearful
battle, and rs usual. our company has
been a heavy sufferer
a few days ago. the enemy, advance
ed along their whole line, and had
penetrated our cavalry line before we
knew it, We quickly saddicd up.
however, and moved around on the
Plank Road to meet him. About 4
P. NJ. on Thursday, we were dis
mounted and thrown OH either side of
that road. and ordered to advance on
the enemy. This we did. and soon
met his advance. From that time. un-
til o'clock at night, the battle ragged
fiercely. and although we drove tho
enemy from every position, we lost
heavily.
Our company lost two of Its noblest
| inembers-Bush Besle and John Brown
y minnie ball struck poor Bush in the
left ear and lodged in the brain. He
died instantly without n groan.
John Brown was shot through the
head. and never spoke. Our wounded
are Lieutenant Lal Washington. (bad-
ly). w. NJ. Walker dangerously Fred
Wheelwright Daddy. Ed Porter
slightly, Engine Battle (slightly)
After the fight l brought poor Bush
of the field. dressed him and buried
him. He was one OF my best friends
and no ones death among our men
| has caused me 50 much sorrow He
died as he lived, nobly doing his duty
Brother w. was not in the fight
on account OF painful sore on his
leg. Claybrook and r went through
the whole affair, he receiving bullet
! through his brooches leg, and I one
through my haversack. Father com
manded the br!dage. and the officers
say handled 1t nobly
Heartily,
DICK
In a letter by another hand OF SINH
lar date TO that of the one above,
! mention is made OF the soldiers par
ticularly named as killed, as also OF
others either wounded or killed as
follows: ''Bushrod Beale was killed
Instantly. You know how I admired.
how loved him. No truer or more
He IL gone--his rnirth and spirit and
life are gone. and shall look in Vain