The Washington herald., 1914-02-28
THE w AR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
Feb 2 ss4-An Expedition $500 Cavalry Under Kpat
n by Men Under Col Uric Dshssn he Rapdan
River March Rehnssd to Attempt The Liberation Of 5000
Federal Prisoners.
twritten expressly for The Herald,

court-martiaL These officers were sur
prised when their deliberations were In
terrupted by carbines being thrust In the
windows They surrendered and were
taken along as prisoners.
The command crossed the Virginia Gen.
tral Railroad below Fredericks Hall, halt
ing to ciit the: telegraph and tear up the
track. They then took country road
In the direction of the James River.
In the afternoon the weather changed.
Rain began to faIl. The roads were heavy
with mud
Darkness found the troopers some miles
south Of the railroad. but still several
miles from the James River. The way
was so obscure and the night SO black
that the column made slow progress In
spite of repeated orders to CLOSE up
troopers lost their way until more than
fifty had fallen out. At 2 a. m. halt
was ordered for a brief rest at a cross
Soads. where stood solitary abandoned
country store.
Col Dahlgren had forced the pace until
the men and horses were extremely
jaded. A more miserable bivouac could
not be imagined, The rain now fell In
torrents. The cold was piercing. Fires
were lighted and beside them the troopers
threw themselves on the wet ground, and
with their overcoat capes over their heads
went soundly TO sleep.
At dawn the stragglers came in. It
was found that all of the Confederate Of
ficers but two had escaped. A close
watch was kept on the other two.
Before continuing the march southwark
Col. Dahlgren detached 100 men, under
Capt. John F. B. Mitchell OF the Second
New York. TO ride to the James River
Canal and destroy as many mills and
boats and locks as possible. Capt. Mitch
ell was also TO send the ambulances and
his prisoners, IL any were taken. to Hun
gary Station on the Fredericksburg Rail-
road. to Join the main force under Kill
patrick.
stopped by n Flooded Ford.
Col Dahlgren had now stripped his
command for the final dash to Richmond.
Only a few rations, their ammunition.
some torpedoes, turpentine. and oakum
for destroying bridges, were now carried.
Thus equipped the column started in
the early morning for the James River.
The column was some hours behind its
schedule. 1t could not now reach Rich
mond in time to cooperate with Kilpat-
rick at 10 a. m. An attempt had been
made to signal Fitzpatrick with rockets
in the night, but in the rain and misty
air there had been no response. Dahl
gren now sent out a courier to seek Kill
patrick and fix an hour for the delayed
attack. The courier was not destined to
deliver the message.
Dahlgren's orders had been to cross
the James above Goochland, which is
twenty-three miles from Richmond. He
now believed that he could save time by
crossing farther down. 4 negro who had
attached himself to the column assured
ii Ln n
ford over the James River at Dover Mills
eight miles below Goochland.
Under guidance Of the black, the troop
ers set out across country for the river
After delays through taking the wrong
road, the command reached the James
River at Dover Mills about 10 a. M, the
hour when they should have been on the
south sido of Richmond. ready for the at
tack upon Belle Isle.
In arranging for one of the most diff
cult Of military movements. a concerted
action by separate columns. II appears
that no proper allowance had been made
for delays from bad weather or untrust-
worthy guides. Dahlgren had done his
best He was TO be further disappointed
on finding that the ford could not be
crossed. The rains had swollen the river
and there was no ferry. He had no
choice but to follow the north bank in
the direction Of Richmond. hoping to af-
feet a junction with Fitzpatrick, whose
guns he now heard in the direction Of the
city.
.Dahlgren- therefore, ordered his COM
mand to follow the road along the river
toward Richmond. He felt that his guide
had proved false. and halt was ordered
to hang the man.
In few minutes the body Of the negro
was dangling at the end of a leather
strap from the limb Of a tree. When
found by Confederates the unfortunate
negro was identified as "a boy named
Martin, the property Of Mr.. David Mems
Of Goochland."
Await Night to Attack.
The detachment under Capt Mitchell
that had been sent to the canal had
meanwhile been busy. They had burned
six gristmills filled with -four, a saw
mill, six canal boats laden with grain, |
the buildings of some iron works and
the barn on the estate of James A. Sed- |
don, the Confederate Secretary Of War.