66 



ARMY OPERATIONS. 



prisoners were captured, when the enemy 

 rallied in force, and Gen. Ouster fell back 

 toward Ravenna River. Finding that the 

 force of the enemy was considerable, the 

 original intention of destroying the railway 

 oridge and stores at Charlottesville was aban- 

 ioned, and after burning three mills and a sad- 

 dle factory the Ravenna was crossed, and the 

 bridge burned. It now began to rain and 

 freeze, and the night became exceedingly dark. 

 Gen. Steadman's brigade being in- advance, 

 reached Madison Court House soon after day- 

 light in the morning. Gen. Ouster, however, 

 was delayed by the difficulty of crossing 

 streams with his artillery in the extreme dark- 

 ness. Thus the enemy intercepted him near 

 Stannardsville. By means of his artillery Gen. 

 Ouster held them in check until he could fall 

 back upon a, by-road, and thus avoid them. 

 Madison Court House was reached at dusk on 

 the 29th, with a number of horses and prison- 

 ers captured, and without the- loss of a man. 



In the meanwhile Gen. Kilpatrick resumed 

 his advance on the next morning, to Frederick's 

 Hall, on the Virginia Central Railroad. Here 

 the track was torn up for some distance, and 

 several officers of the enemy captured, and the 

 carriages of several pieces of artillery destroyed. 

 Col. Dahlgren was here detached with a por- 

 tion of the force, and moved toward the James 

 River Canal, and Gen. Kilpatrick advanced tow- 

 ard Ashland, on the railroad, twenty miles 

 above Richmond. Here he rested on Monday 

 night, . and tore up a portion of the railroad 

 track. Early the next morning he moved tow- 

 ards Richmond, on the Brooks' turnpike, and 

 reached within six miles of that city. There 

 he was met by a portion of the engineer troops 

 and a few sections of light artillery, by which 

 his advance was checked. A contest with artil- 

 lery ensued for two hours, when Gen. Kil- 

 patrick withdrew in the direction of Mechanics- 

 ville, burning the trestle work of the railroad 

 accross the Chickahominy on his route. 



The detachment under Col. Dahlgren pene- 

 trated as far as the farm of James A. Seddon, 

 Confederate Secretary of War, and burned his 

 barn and stables, and the flour and saw mills 

 in the vicinity. On the canal a number of 

 freight and other boats were destroyed, and a 

 lock cut. A large number of horses were also 

 seized. The ignorance or evil intention of their 

 negro guide had misled the command, so that 

 it was unable to join Gen. Kilpatrick at Ash- 

 land, and aid in the attack on Richmond, where 

 it was supposed the enemy had few troops. It 

 \v as afternoon, however, before he reached the 

 vicinity of Richmond, advancing by the West- 

 ham or river road. As he approached nearer 

 he was confronted on every road by superior 

 numbers, and obliged to fall back. 



He then attempted to reach the Peninsula 

 through King's and Queen's county, where he 

 encountered on the next day the 9th Virginia, 

 Lieut-Col. Pollard, and a sharp skirmish en- 

 sued. Ool. Dahlgren was killed, and about 



sixty of his men captured. The remainder of the 

 command, and the force of Gen. Kilpatrick, 

 who had been obliged to move during the 

 night by the pressure of the enemy, met a cav- 

 alry force sent out by Gen. Butler, from 

 Williamsburg, near Tunstell's station on the 

 York River railroad, and retired down the 

 Peninsula. Their loss was about one hundred 

 and fifty men killed and wounded, besides Col. 

 Dahlgren. A number of prisoners were cap- 

 tured. The newspaper press at Richmond sub- 

 sequently published the following address and 

 orders, and asserted that they were found in 

 the pocket of Col. Dahlgren. His connection 

 with them has been denied, in the most positive 

 manner, by the friends of Col. Dahlgren : 



HEADQUARTERS, TOTED DIVISION. ) 

 CAVALRY CORPS, 1S64. f 



Officers and Men You have been selected from bri- 

 gades and regiments as a picked command to attempt 

 a desperate undertaking an undertaking which, if 

 successful, will write your names on the hearts of 

 your countrymen in letters that can never be erased, 

 and which will cause the prayers of our fellow 

 soldiers now confined in loathsome prisons to follow 

 you and yours wherever you may go. We hope to 

 release the prisoners from Belle Isle first, and, having 

 seen them fairly started, we will cross the James 

 River into Richmond, destroy the bridges after us, 

 and, exhorting the released prisoners to destroy and 

 burn the hateful city, will not allow the rebel leader 

 Davis and his traitorous crew to escape. The pris- 

 ners must render great assistance, as you cannot leave 

 your ranks too far, or become too much scattered, or 

 you will be lost. Do not allow any personal gain to 

 lead you off, which would only bring you to an igno- 

 minious death at the hands of citizens. Keep well 

 together and obey orders strictly, and all will be 

 well ; but on no account scatter too far, for in union 

 there is strength. With strict obedience to orders 

 and fearlessness in their execution you will be sure . t i 

 to succeed. We will join the main force on the 

 other side of the city, or perhaps meet them inside. 

 Many of you may fall ; but if there is any man here 

 not willing to sacrifice his life in such a great and 

 glorious undertaking, or who does not feel capable 

 of meeting the enemy in such a desperate fight as 

 will follow, let him step out, and he may go hence to 

 the arms of his sweetheart, and read of the braves 

 who swept through the city of Richmond. We want 

 no man who cannot feel sure of success in such a 

 holy cause. We will have a desperate fight; but 

 stand up to it when it does come, and all will be well. 

 Ask the blessing of the Almighty, and do not fear the 

 enemy. 



TJ. DAHLGREN, Colonel Commanding. 



SPECIAL ORDERS AND INSTRUCTIONS. 



Guides and pioneers, with oakum, turpentine, and 

 torpedoes, signal officer, quartermasters, commis- 

 saries, scouts and pickets, and men in rebel uniforms 

 these will remain on the north bank and move 

 down with the force on the south bank, not get ahead 

 of them, and if the communication can be kept up 

 without giving an alarm, it must be done ; but every 

 thing depends upon a surprise, and no one must be 

 allowed to pass ahead of the column. Information 

 must be gathered in regard to the crossings of the 

 river, so that, should we be repulsed on the south 

 side, we will know where to recross at the nearest 

 point. 



All mills must be burned and the canal destroyed, 

 and also every thing which can be used by the rebels 

 must be destroyed, including the boats on the river. 

 Should a ferry boat be seized which can be worked, 

 have it moved down. Keep the force on the south 

 side posted of any important movement of the enemy 



