Year: 1864

Our CAVALRY IN THE VICINITY OF RICHMOND


REBEL ACCOUNTS.


From the Richmond Enquirer, May l4l


The War news-Retreat and Escape Of the Enemy


on the Meadow Bridge Road-Iatest from Cen.


Lees Army Movements on the South side. &c.


The city learned with modification
yesterday morning the news that the
demonstration against Richmond from
the North side had ceased, and that the
enemy had abandoned his position on
the Brooke Turnpike, withdrawn his
forces and escaped. After considerable
firing and some sharp szirmishing, see
ing that we were ready to give battle,
he drew off, and commenced a retro
grade movement, his force falling back
across the Chickahominy. By Thurs
day night he had abandoned his posi-
ton and nothing was to be seen of him.
Persons from the Chickahominy report
that the enemy laid his pontoons over
that stream on Thursday, and that he
was passing his troops across all that
day, and the demonstration on the
Meadow Bridge Road was merely a
feint TO cover his retreat. 1t is differ
emily conjectured in what direction he
has gone, but it is at least definitely
settled the enemy has retired from the
North side of Richmond, and that the
whole movement was intended for no
other purpose than to cut the lines of
communication with Gen. Lees army.


1t seems that the fighting on Thurs
day was most timidly managed by our
Generals Had they pressed the
enemy, instead of standing in their for
tications, they would probably have
completely annihilated him, and cap
tured his whole force During the day
the enemy was engaged in sending off
his artillery and wagons, and the only
fighting done by him was in the front,
and was intended merely to enable
him to get off his forces While this
fighting was going on the enemys col
umn gave US the slip moved down the
military road to the Meadow Bridge
and the whole party succeeded in es-
Gaping by the same road they have
taken in every raid they have made on
Richmond. Had our troops fallen up
on the enemy while this retreat was
going on, they could have crushed him.
Instead of this he leaves us in the
lurch, with loss on our side of about
sixty in killed, wounded and missing


Persons in the vicinity report that,
when the Yankees discovered that our
men had destroyed the Meadow Bridge
there was great panic among their men
They sent squads out to gather up
plank and timber from the fences and
out-houses, with which to rebuild the
bridge; and, as soon as it was COM
pleted, they commenced a retreat, their
forces falling back in great confusion
and disorder. An officer who passed
over the road yesterday, tells US that
families living on the wayside report
that they heard their artillery. officers
say that their orders were, in case of
pursuit, to kill their horses, spike guns,
and the men to take TO the sWamps,
and escape as best they could. This
confirms other accounts which we have,
all going to show that their retreat was
little better than a route, and that, if
our men had fallen upon their panic
stricken columns, they would have cut
them to pieces.





guns, haversacks, dc, and there were
boys out yesterday, who did a profitable
business in gathering up the spoils, and
fishing up from the Chickahominy
what could have been cast away only
by a demoralized and fugitive army. II
is a pity that our men should not have
fallen upon their forces and crushed
them, as they could have done, instead
of permitting them 10 escape under the
feint Of feeble fire from the front
Our Generals held a great victory in the
palm of their hands, but they allowed
themselves to be most woefully cheated
out of it, 4 little more nerve, and We
would have annihilated the enemy.


It is reported that the main column
of the enemy crossed the ChickahOmi-
ny at New Bridge, the remainder cross 1
ing at McClellans Bridge, or what is
better known as the Grave Vine Bridge. /


From the Richmond Examiner. May l4


The Federal cavalry have escaped, /
when by every principle Of common /
sense they should have been cut off TO 4
the last man Up to the moment when
Stuart fell, everything went well He
drove them into a trap, which he closed
on them when he arrived at Yellow
Church. They were caught between the
batteries of Richmond and the COnled-
crate cavalry in large force, with horses
worn out, men demoralized, and Mead
Ow bridge burned behind Several
brigades of infantry, with the whole
local force in the trenches, rendered a
.oup-de-main in front out of the question
1t Is true that they showed fight. No
thing else was left for them, except i'm
mediate surrender Perhaps they were
much astonished 10 find their show Of
battle succeed in the extent it did
They were able to keep their perilous
position for more than tWenty-four
hours, with considerable loss, until they
,ould collect timber and rebuild the
bridge. In the meanwhile, il would
,eem from the facts, that the Confede-
ate Generals were under the impress
ion that they were getting ready for
assault on the city, and that they could
10 nothing better than secure the fOrti-
ications. They withdrew their line Of
,attle within the range Of the batteries
& the very moment when the Federal
.olumn was in motion over the Chicka-
lOminy.


So they had gotten OF BY the same