The Pamunkey and Chickahominy rivers, in the rear of where McClellan was encamped, run nearly parallel to each other in a south-easterly direction, and the main army being across the Chickahominy, the path of the raid lay between the two, cutting, of course, as it swept from the north to the south, the rail road that connected the White House, the base of supplies, and the army itself. McClellan, having possession of all the bridges below him, the expedition could not sweep round him south-north, his pickets extended nearly to Hanover Court House, twenty miles from Richmond; but with only a hundred thousand men, he could not stretch his army that distance. The danger of raids in that quarter he was perfectly aware of, but without a larger force he could not effectually guard against them.

His army occupied a semicircle, of which Richmond was the center-hence the enemy could concentrate their entire force on any given point twice as rapidly as he could. He had to rely solely on such information of their movements as spies and scouts could furnish him, while the farmers of the entire country, through their knowledge of all the wood paths, and by-ways, kept the rebels perfectly informed of the forces and position of the Union troops.

STUART'S CAVALRY RAID.

This was the state of things when Stuart, with some fif teen hundred or two thousand chosen cavalry, started on his daring mission. With the knowledge he possessed of the country, and the strength and position of our forces along the route he had marked out for himself, he knew he could easily reach our rear and cause a large amount of mischief-the trouble was, to get back again, for he could not tell how quickly we might close behind him, preventing his return.

Starting at daylight on Thursday, he marched all day along

STUARTS CAVALRY RAID.

489

the Charlottesville turnpike, meeting nothing but a large company of fugitive slaves making their way towards our lines. These he sent back, and kept on to Ashland, where he stopped for the night. A little before daylight, he sent up signal rockets to tell the rebel leaders of his whereabouts, and as soon as he saw the blazing curves of answering rockets far in the rear, he put his column in motion, and proceeding cautiously, soon came upon our horse pickets, showing that he was piercing our lines. These retired upon the main body, composed of some squadrons of the United States cavalry, near Hanover Court House. The latter, as the enemy approached, also retired still farther towards Hanover, where they made a stand. As the Ninth Virginia cavalry of the rebels came trotting down the road with clattering sabres, they could hear the Union commander calling on his men to stand firm. Seeing the enemy approach, the latter ordered the bugles to sound the charge, and wheeling, shouted to his men to follow him, but they shamefully turned and galloped off. Finding himself deserted, he too turned his horse to follow after, when a bullet struck him and he reeled from his saddle. Sweeping the deserted camps, the rebels now moved rapidly forward, when their scouts brought word that a still larger force was awaiting them a little in advance. Our troops this time came on in admirable order, but swept by a destructive volley by a large body of dismounted men, acting as infantry, they fell back. But re-forming again at the foot of a gentle slope, and the bugle pealing forth the charge, they came up in gallant style. The rebel officer Latane, shouted, "On to them boys," and dashed forward of his men. The Union leader, calling to his men to follow, spurred forward to meet him. The two forces met in full career, and so fierce and sudden was the shock that the front of both columns was unhorsed. The two commanders singled out each other and came furiously together. As they passed, Latane cleft the

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cap

ATTACK ON A RAIL ROAD TRAIN.

of the Union leader, while the pistol of the latter exploded almost against the side of the rebel, hurling him a lifeless.corse under the feet of the plunging horses. Overpowered by numbers, our troops at length gave way, leaving their gallant commander behind them, who was cut down while spurring after a rebel adjutant. Shouting in triumph, the rebels now dashed on through abandoned camps, scattering teams, setting fire to quartermasters stores, and capturing horses and prisoners. Reaching Putney's landing on the Pamunkey, where three schooners were lying, they succeeded in burning two, besides a large quantity of sutlers stores, wagon trains, &c. Still pushing on, they approached the York river rail road, near Tunstall's Station, when they heard the scream of a steam whistle from a descending train. Dismounting, they rolled logs on the track, and ranged themselves along side of it to fire into the cars. Nearly three hundred passengers were aboard of the train, some of them officers of high rank, and there seemed every prospect of the rebels making a splendid prize. As the head of the train came dashing around a bend of the road, a volley was fired at the engineer, while a deadly fire was poured into some platform cars, loaded with officers and men. Luckily the engineer escaped, though the bullets rattled like hail around him, and with admirable presence of mind clapped on steam, and dashing over the obstacles placed on the track, thundered on towards the White House. Some of the frightened passengers jumped from the train, and made for the woods-fourteen were killed and wounded, but the rich prey escaped. The alarm was given to the Ninety-third New York regiment, stationed on the rail road just above the White House, and all the forces in the vicinity were hurriedly concentrated to protect the place, the sutlers and occupants of which were seized with the utmost consternation.

News of the raid, in the mean time, had traveled in vari

CROSSING THE CHICKAHOMINY

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ous directions, to our main army, and the rebel leader soon saw that a storm was gathering around him from which nothing but the most consummate daring and good fortune would enable him to escape. His mission of destruction was now clearly over, and the question was how he should get back to his lines. He saw, at a glance, that the way along which he had come would be closed against him, and in sheer desperation he determined to push on below and around our entire army, and trust to fortune to help him back across the Chickahominy. Scattering every thing from his path, he proceeded boldly to New Kent, thus completing safely onehalf the semicircle.

The victorious squadrons were now below all the bridges, and within two miles of McClellan's head-quarters, while a deep river lay between them and Richmond. Striking for the " Blind Ford," as it was called, they found to their dismay that the water was fifteen feet deep. It was now dark, and as they gazed on the silent, rapidly flowing stream, and knew from their scouts that the whole country was alive with troops in pursuit of them, they scarcely knew which way to turn. Luckily for them, they were in the last place where they would be looked for, and taking every precaution to prevent surprise, they threatened the prisoners with instant death if they made any noise, and then plunged one after another into the stream, hoping in single squads to be able to get over by swimming the horses. Struggling forward through the gloom, they were borne down by the rapid current, and scattered so, that after a long time of desperate efforts, only fifty succeeded in reaching the farther shore. At this critical juncture, one of the residents of the neighborhood came forward, and told Stuart that a little farther up stream, was an old bridge that had been only partially destroyed, and could be easily mended. Some officers were immediately sent forward, who found the joyful news to be true, and im.

492

SUCCESS OF THE RAID.

mediately men were set to work felling trees and bauling logs to the shore. The sharp, quick blows of the axe rang out in the darkness-trees came one after another with a crash to the ground, which were as quickly cut up and dragged to the timbers that were left standing. Limbs and brush were piled on, making a rough but safe footing, and over it in long, silent procession, guns and prisoners were hurried in desperate haste. But on the farther side was a marsh into which the artillery sunk to its axles. Undiscouraged by this new obstacle, they hitched ten horses to each piece, and whipping up the jaded animals, succeeded in getting them all through. It had been a long, anxious, and toilsome night, and when the morning dawned, they were still within our lines. Keeping in the woods to escape observation, they moved cautiously forward, till suddenly the advance came upon a squad of Federal horsemen, acting as pickets. "Who goes there?" shouted the officer on duty. The rebels without replying, dashed into the open ground, followed by a volley, when they wheeled and made for the woods where their main body was concealed. The mounted pickets spurred forward in pursuit, and the next moment found themselves surrounded and prisoners.

Having thus stopped all knowledge of their movements from reaching our lines, they made their way unmolested along the Charles City road, and weary and dirty, in the early dawn reached their pickets, from which they moved leisurely to the rebel Capital. The news of their safe arrival, and their daring adventure soon spread through the city, and crowds gathered around them with shouts of exultation.

It was a bold, successful exploit, reflecting great credit on leader and men, and causing scarcely greater admiration in the rebel army than in our own. They had been in the saddle most of the time from Thursday morning to Saturday