Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-06-23

e the Federals took Petersburg. An.
other railroad, the Southside, ran from
Petersburg to Lynchburg. Va. about
eighty miles distant. and about forty
miles from Petersburg the Southside
road crossed the railroad from Rich.
mond to Danville. Va.
All Of these routes were of great i'm.
portance to the Confederates, and 50
long as Richmond, Lynchburg, Peters.
burg and these railroads and the upper
James river remained in their posses.
sion Virginia was great stronghold.
Battle For the Weldon Road.
On June 81 the Second corps crossed
the Jerusalem plank road under gen.
eral instructions to cross the Weldon
road and seize the Southside road II
possible. The Sixth corps. Wright's.
was to follow. Barlow's division Of the
Second corps advanced to the Weldon
road. but found the enemy there to dis.
pute the way. General Birney. with
the Second corps. pushed the divisions
Of Barlow, Mott and Gibbon close up
to the railroad.
The Sixth corps. having farther to
move, swinging around south of Bir-
ney. did not keep up its connection
with the Second corps. The Confeder
ates had moved at the same time rs
Birney and Wright. and before these
commanders could form II line General
A. p. Hill. with the divisions Of Ma
hone. Wilcox and Rushrod Johnson
pushed into the gap. Malone and
Johnson fell upon Birney and gained
the rear of Rarow's division. breaking
It completely When Barlow's men
withdrew they carried along Motifs
line. and these in turn disrupted Glib
bon. The corps lost LOO prisoners.
Wilson's Cavalry Raid.
One of the bOldest operations in the
history Of the Army Of the Potomac
took place in connection with this
movement against the Weldon railroad
General ]. H. Wilson's cavalry division
had guarded the crossing Of Grants
army over James river. After cross.
ing the river Wilson was REINFORCED
by General A. v. Kautz's division. and
the column started on the 22d with In
structions to cross the country south Of
Petersburg and strike the intersection
Of the Petersburg and Lynchburg and
the Richmond and Danville railroads
This would cut communications from
Petersburg and Richmond south and
west Wilson's combined force was less
than 5000 men. He crossed the Wei
don road without opposition. dashed
across the Lynchburg road and struck
It fourteen miles below Petersburg.
sweeping south thirty miles to the
crossing Of the Danville road. The
railroad track. the depots. bridges and
tracks and all the rolling stock were
completely destroyed. At the crossing
Of Staunton river. twenty miles farther
south. Wilson found the bridge guard.
ed by earthworks. garrisoned by in.
fantry and supplied with artillery.
The river was not fordable. and
brave attack. led by General Kautz.
failed to carry the position. At this
juncture W. H. F. Lee brought up his
cavalry division and attacked Wilson
in the rear and managed to divide VIII.
son and Kautz into two columns.
In the Enemy's Territory.
The raiders were now 100 miles with.
in the enemy's lines. The news Of
their destructive work had gone into
Petersburg and the forces there went
out In all directions to intercept them.
Wilson sent word to Kautz to retire