The Washington herald., 1914-02-27

Fifty years ago today orders were Is
sued IN the winter camps Of the Army
of the Potomac in Virginia for a move
ment Of cavalry, under Gen. Judson XII
patrick and Col. Uric Dahlgren. haNns
for IT'S object the release Of 5000 Feoerais
imprisoned at Richmond.
Col. George A Custer was also orue.S
10 move with LOO cavalry on an eApee
tion toward Charlottesville. va, as = u,
version in aid OF the marcn to"siu ie
mond. z..A,,ona-
,,bich usually is termed Dahlgrens hsio.
because of the prominence given II oy
the death of Col Dahigren. ana events
o,suinv that stirred the North and tne
Soufb deeply Git being claimed IN Rich-
mond that Dahlgren had orders 10 ouIn
the city and kill Jefferson DAVIS ana n, r,s
cabinet)-was political, rather thah NM
tAry. 1ssa
tad issued a proclamation offering am
reStv to ali Confederates who would take
the oath of allegiance to the United
states. Wishing to have copies OF TINS
PROCLAMATION distributed witnin- tne
enemv'. lines, the President early In fco-
ruarv had discussed with Secretary OF
war Edwin II. Stanton the advlsaoiity
of having 1t done by the cavairy' MI:
stanton thought well of the ioea, ano
Gen. Fitzpatrick, who was wen tnousnt on
by the administration, was menuoneu -
the uroper officer to undertake the ousi-
ness. q,
cen Ililpatrick was invited to come 10
washington to discuss q plan for the e1-
nedition, and did so. There was much
faIk at this time Of the desiraplity oi
,,,akint. a dash into Richmond for the
PURPOSE of Iiberating the Federal prison.
ers there Gen. Benjamin r. buIier,
commanding at Fortress Monroe nao
sent out an expedition for TINS purpose on
February 6. and it had failed 10 pass 'ne
Chickahominy River.
T-hc enbiect was discussed afresh by
the President and Secretary OF War IN
connection with Kilpatrick's proposed eA-
pedition, and Gen. fitzpatrick fornuiateo
a plan for the expedition TO include a re-
lease of the prisoners. Richmond was
known to be defended by not more tnan
5000 troops, aud IL a surprise could De
effected. it was thought the work would
be easy.
Younr DnhIEren Volunteers.
II chanced that while Gen Fitzpatrick
was in Washington. Col, Uric Dahlsrcn'
"a soU of Admiral John A. Dahlgren, ar
rived there from a visit to his 1atner,
who commanded the blockading heet on
Charleston.
Dahlghen was young and adventurous
he was not yet twenty-two-and though
he had lost his right leg below the knee
&c the result of a wound received at
Ha-erstown, Nd July6 s. 1855. and had not
vet fully recovered his strength, on learn
Ing from Secretary Stanton, with whom
he was on friendly terms. of the proposed
dash to Richmond he begged to be al
lowed to accompany Fitzpatrick Per-
mission being granted him, young Dahi-
cren proceeded at once to the Army OF
the Potomac. As yet Gen. george u:
Meade, commanding that army, had had
no hand in arranging the proposed ex-
pedition.
Gen. Fitzpatrick, on his return from
Washington reported to the chief oil
cavalry, Gen. Alfred Pleasanton. who
in turn took the matter up with Gen
Meade and plans were put on foot Tor
such an expedition as might carry out
the Presidents wishes
Gen. Meade did not approve the pro-
posed expedition, believing the risk
great and the prospect of success small.
Still he thought that if it did succeed
il would be 'the greatest feat of the
var"-as he stated in letter TO his
wife. With a loyalty that did not per-
init his natural caution to hamper the
enterprise in any way, Gen. Meade de-
voted himself to working out detalls OF q
plan that would give the greatest promise
of success.
Gen. Fitzpatrick was ordered TO assem-
ble $500 cavalry from among the various
divisions Of the cavalry corps Of the
army, the troops being drawn in part
from his own, the Third Division.
DahIgren was given $50 men from the
First Maine, First Vermont, Fifth Miehi-
gan, Second New York, and Fifth New
York regiments and was ordered TO march
an hour in advance OF the main body un-
der Fitzpatrick.
Orders being issued for details on
February q, the troops were held in
readiness to cross the Rapidan the next
evening, at EIy's Ford, south of the
right flank of Gen Lees army, then in
winter quarters a few miles from the
position of the Army of the Potomac.
Dahlgren was to ride rapidly toward
Richmond by way Of Spottsylyania