doah near Mount Jackson, at which point General Rosser made a fierce attack upon him and tried to rescue the prisoners, but he was handsomely repulsed by Colonel Thompson, who captured some of his men and finally arrived at his destination with all his own prisoners and some of Rosser's men besides. General Devin Gibbs' brigade to destroy the iron bridge over the south fork of the Shenandoah, and to burn and destroy the captured wagons and their contents. General Custer moved on toward Charlottesville, destroying much government property and subsistence at Greenwood depot and Ivy station, also the railroad and the large bridge over Meacham's river, arriving at Charlottesville at four P. M., the mayor and several of the most prominent citizens meeting him in the suburbs of the city and delivering up the keys of the public buildings. beyond description; nevertheless the men pushed boldly on, although horses and men could scarcely be recognized for the mud which covered them. General Custer found General Early, as he had promised, at Waynesboro', in a well-chosen position, with two brigades of infantry and some cavalry under General Rosser, the infantry occupying breastworks. Cus-resumed his march at six A. M., leaving General ter, without waiting for the enemy to get up his courage over the delay of a careful reconnoissance, made his dispositions for attack at once, sending three regiments around the left flank of the enemy, which was somewhat exposed by being advanced from instead of resting upon the bank of the river in his immediate rear; he, with the other two bri- | gades, partly mounted and partly dismounted, at a given signal, boldly attacked and impetuously carried the enemy's works,while the Eighth New York and the First Connecticut cavalry, who were formed in columns of fours, charged over the breast work and continued the charge through the little town of Waynesboro', sabering a few men as they went along, and did not stop until they had crossed the south fork of the Shenandoah river, which was immediately in General Early's rear, where they formed as foragers, and with drawn sabres held the east bank of the stream. The enemy threw down their arms and surrendered with cheers at the suddenness with which they were captured. The general officers present at this engagement were Generals Early, Long, Wharton, Lilley, and Rosser, and it has always been a wonder to me how they escaped, unless they hid in obscure places in the houses of the town. Colonel Capehart, with his brigade, continued the pursuit of the enemy's train which was stretched for miles over the mountains, and the other two brigades pushed rapidly after him, with orders to encamp on the east side of the Blue Ridge. The substantial results of this brilliant fight were eleven pieces of artillery with horses and caissons complete, about two hundred wagons and teams, all loaded with subsistence, camp and garrison equipage, ammunition and officers' baggage, seventeen battleflags, and sixteen hundred officers and enlisted men. The results in a military point of view were very great, as the crossing of the Blue Ridge, covered with snow as it was, at any other point would have been difficult. Before leaving Staunton for Waynesboro'. I obtained information of a large amount of rebel property at Swoop's depot, on the Lexington railroad, and sent a party to destroy it, which was done; a list of which property will be attached to this report. General Custer's division encamped at Brookfield, on the east side of the Blue Ridge, General Devin's division remaining at Waynesboro'. The next morning the prisoners were General Merritt started on the morning of the sent back to Winchester, under a guard of about sixth, first sending the First Michigan cavalry, fifteen hundred men, commanded by Colonel J. H. Colonel Maxwell commanding, down the RivanThompson, First New Hampshire cavalry, who na river to Palmyra and toward Columbia, with safely reached that point, notwithstanding he directions to rejoin him at Scottsville. General was harassed by General Rosser's command as far Merritt thoroughly accomplished his orders, deas the crossing of the north fork of the Shenan-stroying all large flour-mills, woollen factories, The roads from Waynesboro' to Charlottesville had, from the incessant rains and spring thaws, become so terribly cut up, and the mud was of such a depth, that it was impossible for our train to reach Charlottesville under two days. I therefore notified the command that we would remain two days at this point for the purpose of resting, refitting, and destroying the railroad; parties were sent well out toward Gordonsville to break the railroad, and also about fifteen miles toward Lynchburg for the same purpose, to prevent troops massing on me from either Richmond or Lynchburg. A thorough and systematic destruction of the railroads was then commenced, including the large iron bridges over the north and south forks of the Rivanna river, and the work was continued until the evening of the fifth instant, when General Gibbs reported with our trains; forage and subsistence was found in great abundance in the vicinity of Charlottesville. Commodore Hollins of the confederate navy was killed while trying to escape from a scouting party from General Custer's division. This necessary delay forced me to abandon the idea of capturing Lynchburg, but trusty scouts had been sent there to find out the state of affairs in that vicinity. When the time to start came I determined to separate into two columns, sending General Devin's division, under immediate command of General Merritt, to Scottsville, thence to march along the James river canal, destroying every lock as far as Newmarket, while with Custer's division I pushed on up the Lynchburg railroad through North and South Gardens, destroying it as far as Amherst Court-house, sixteen miles from Lynchburg, and then moved across the country and united with General Merritt's column at Newmarket. position, and condition, and requesting supplies to be sent to White House. My anxiety now was to be able to cross the Pamunkey. I felt confident that the enemy would march out a heavy force and try to destroy my command and prevent me from crossing the river. The railroad from Richmond to Gordonsville was still intact, and to go south of the Pamunkey river, and between it and Richmond, I regarded as too hazardous, and I was fearful that the enemy might use it to get on my flank and rear. General Custer was therefore directed to strike the railroad at Frederick's Hall and General Merritt at Louisa Court-house. General Custer was ordered to thoroughly destroy the track toward Richmond as far as Beaver Dam, while General Merritt did the same thing from Louisa Courthouse to Frederick's Hall. While at this latter notified me of preparations being made to prevent me from getting to the James river, and that Pickett's division of infantry was coming back from Lynchburg via the Southside railroad, as was also the cavalry, but that no advance from Richmond had yet taken place. I at once determined that there was no way to stop and manufacturing establishments, tearing up and demolishing all the locks on the James river canal from Scottsville to Newmarket. I had directed him to try and obtain possession of the bridge across the James river at Duiguidsville, intending to hold it and strike the Southside railroad at Appomattox depot, and follow up its destruction to Farmville, where the High bridge crosses the Appomattox. A bold dash was made to secure this bridge, but without avail, as the enemy had covered it with inflammable materials and set it on fire the instant their scouts signalled the approach of our forces; they also and by the same means burned the bridge across the James river at Hardwicksville, leaving me master of all the country north of the James river. My eight pontoons would not reach half way across the river, and my scouts from Lynchburg reported the enemy concen-place Major Young's scouts from Richmond trating at that point from the west, together with a portion of General Pickett's division from Richmond and Fitz Lee's cavalry. It was here that I fully determined to join the armies of the Lieutenant-General in front of Petersburg, instead of going back to Winchester, and also make a more complete destruction of the James river canal and the Virginia Central and Fred-me unless General Longstreet marched directly ericksburg railroads, connecting Richmond with Lynchburg and Gordonsville. I now had. all the advantage, and by hurrying quickly down the canal and destroying it as near Richmond as Goochland or beyond, and then moving up to the railroad and destroying it as close up to the city as possible in the same manner I did toward Lynchburg, I felt convinced I was striking a hard blow by destroying the means of supply to the rebel capital, and, to a certain extent, the Army of Northern Virginia, besides leaving the troops now concentrating at Lynchburg without anything to oppose them, and forcing them to return to Richmond. This conception was at once decided upon and Colonel Fitzhugh's brigade was ordered to proceed to Goochland and beyond, immediately, destroying every lock upon the canal and cutting the banks wherever practicable. The next morning the entire command moved from Newmarket down the canal leisurely, and completely destroying the locks and banks about the aqueducts, and in some places cutting the banks; the rain and mud still impeded us, and the command, particularly the transportation, was much worn and fatigued; however, by replacing our worn-out mules with those captured from General Early's trains, and with the assistance of nearly two thousand negroes who attached themselves to the command, we managed to get along in very good shape, reaching Columbia on the evening of the tenth instant, at which place we were rejoined by Colonel Fitzhugh's brigade. Colonel Fitzhugh had destroyed the canal about eight miles east of Goochland, thereby reducing it to a very small length. At Columbia we took one day's rest, and I here sent a communication to the Lieutenant-General commanding the armies, notifying him of our success, for the White House, and that he would be unable to do so if I pushed boldly on toward Richmond, as he would be forced to come out and meet me near Ashland; then I could withdraw, cross South and North Anna and march to White House on north side of the Pamunkey. It proved true. But, to divert from the narrative; when General Custer struck Frederick's Hall Station he entered it so suddenly that he captured the telegraph office with all the despatches. Among them was one from Lieutenant-General Early to General Lee, stating that he had been informed that Sheridan's forces were approaching Goochland, and that he intended to move up with two hundred cavalry which he had, and attack them in the flank at daylight. General Custer immediately ordered a regiment of cavalry in pursuit of this bold party, which in about two hours it overtook, attacked, and captured or dispersed in every direction, Lieutenant-General Early escaping on a side road with five or six orderlies and two staff officers; he was, however, closely followed by a small detachment, and his staff officers captured, he barely escaping over the South Anna with a single orderly, and the next day he made his way to Richmond, after a campaign in the Shenandoah valley in which he lost nearly the whole of his army, together with his battleflags, and nearly every piece of artillery which his troops opened upon us, and also a large part of his transportation. But to resume: General Custer in the morning of the fourteenth instant was directed to push down the Negro-foot road and cross the South Anna. He sent his scouting parties up to within eleven miles of Richmond, where they burned a hospital train. The object of this move was to divert the attention of the enemy from the North and South Anna bridges and bridges over Little river, which Merritt was ordered to destroy with Devin's division; Custer's main column meanwhile being held at the Negro-foot crossing of the South Anna. General Merritt was ordered to follow the railroad to Hanover Junction, cross the Little river, and go into camp on the north bank of South Anna. In the attack upon the railroad bridge over the South Anna, the Fifth United States cavalry charged up to the bridge, dismounted, dashed across it, and drove away the company of artillery who tried to defend it, and turned their own guns-four twenty-pounder Parrotts-upon them. I here received a despatch from the Lieutenant-General that supplies were at the White House for me, and one brigade of infantry; and also captured the following despatch, which led me to doubt whether General Longstreet had yet determined in his own mind where I was going: HANOVER JUNCTION, March 14-11:25. [By telegraph from Richmond.] COLONEL HASKELL-General Longstreet desires you to follow the enemy if he goes east, until he crosses the Rapidan or Blue Ridge. If he goes toward the Peninsula follow as far as you can. By order of Lieutenant-General Ewell: T. O. CHESTNEY, Assistant Adjutant-General. Next morning General Custer was ordered to move by the Negro-foot crossing of the South Anna, and thence to Ashland, and General Devin was ordered to proceed to the same point. This developed the situation. The prisoners captured in front of Ashland reported Longstreet, with Pickett's and Johnson's divisions and Fitz Lee's cavalry, on the Ashland road, in the direction of Richmond, and four miles from Ashland. My course was now clear and the feint successful. General Devin was quickly ordered to the north side of the South Anna and General Custer was ordered to follow, sending Colonel Pennington's brigade to amuse the enemy, cover his front, and gradually fall back. The whole command was, meanwhile, ordered to cross the North Anna and go into camp at Carmel church, and at daylight take up the line of march for White House, via Mangohick church. I then knew I could get to White House before the enemy, and that he could not operate upon the Chickahominy, as it would be too close to the lines of the Army of the James. The enemy, finding that he had made a mistake, moved rapidly during the night toward the Pamunkey, through Hanover Court-house, but forgot his pontoon trains and could not cross the river; it would have made no difference, however, as I then could have gotten to the White House without question. teenth we reached Indiantown, and on the nineteenth crossed the Pamunkey, at White House, on the railroad bridge, which had been repaired by Lieutenant-Colonel Babcock, of LieutenantGeneral Grant's staff; we here found supplies in abundance. The amount of private and public property collected for the use of the enemy, and destroyed, and the destruction of lines of communication and supplies was very great and beyond estimating. Every bridge on the Central railroad between Richmond and Lynchburg, except the one over the Chickahominy and that over the James river at Lynchburg, and many of the culverts, were destroyed. The James river canal was disabled beyond any immediate repair. There, perhaps, never was a march where nature offered such impediments and shrouded herself in such gloom as upon this. Incessant rain, deep and almost impassable streams, swamps and mud were overcome with a constant cheerfulness on the part of the troops that was truly admirable. Both officers and men appeared buoyed up by the thought that we had completed our work in the valley of the Shenandoah, and that we were on our way to help our brothers in arms in front of Petersburg in the final struggle. Our loss in horses was considerable, almost entirely from hoof-rot. After refitting at White House until the twenty-fourth instant, we resumed our march, crossing the Chickahominy at Jones' bridge, and arriving at and crossing the James river on the evening of March twentyfifth, and on the following day, by direction of the Lieutenant-General, went into camp at Hancock's station, on the railroad in front of Petersburg. The whole number of prisoners captured on the march was about sixteen hundred, but some of them we were obliged to parole, as they were unable to keep up with the column, though, after the first three days, our marches did not average over eighteen miles per day. To General Merritt, Chief of Cavalry, Generals Custer and T. C. Devin, division commanders, Generals Gibbs and Wells and Colonels Fitzhugh, Capehart, Stagg, and Pennington, brigade commanders, my staff, and every officer and man of the First and Third cavalry divisions I return my sincere thanks for patriotic, unmurmuring, and soldierly conduct. To Major H. H. Young, of my staff, Chief of Scouts, and the thirty or forty men of his command who took their lives in their hands, cheerfully going wherever ordered, to obtain that great essential of success-information-I tender my gratitude. Ten of these men were lost. Our entire loss during the march did not exceed one hundred men; and some of these we left by the wayside, unable to bear the fatigues of the march. At daylight on the morning of the sixteenth we leisurely resumed the march to White This report should be regarded as the preface House, encamping at Mangohick church. On of my report of operations in front of Petersthe seventeenth we marched to and encamped burg and Richmond, as my command only rested at Prince William Court-house. On the eigh-one day before its commencement. Assistant Adjutant-General. pelled to surrender, previous to which he informed his men, and gave them the privilege of trying the only means of escape (swimming to the shore on the opposite bank), if they preferred that to surrender. Many of the men took to the water, most of them reaching the shore in safety. A few were shot in the water. The boat was surrendered to Shelby in a disabled condition, together with about thirty officers and men. Most of the ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, November 18, men were colored seamen and of their fate there 1865. Doc. 111. LOSS OF THE HOUSATONIC. is no reliable intelligence. The officers were divided into three squads and sent in different directions under flags of truce; one to Duvall's Bluff with Captain Hickey, his pilot, and a cabin boy, another to Helena, which had been there two days when the Platte Valley passed; the third not heard from. Upon getting possession taking her effects ashore as quickly as possible. of the Queen City, Shelby improved his time by The paymaster is supposed to have had about $6,000 in money. She had a good supply of sub-clothing, which was appropriated by Shelby's CHARLESTON, S. C., June 10, 1864. Since the destruction of the Housatonic, at Charleston, nothing has been heard of Captain Dixon and his crew, by whom the act was accomplished. The following letter on the ject is addressed to Major-General Maury: OFFICE SUBMARINE DEFENCE, CHARLESTON, April 29, 1864. GENERAL The United States sloop of war Housatonic was attacked and destroyed by Lieutenant Dixon and crew on the night of the seventeenth of February. Since that time no information has been received of either boat or crew. * I am of the opinion that the torpedo being placed at the bow of the boat, she went into the hole made in the Housatonic by explosion of the torpedo, and did not have power sufficient to back out, consequently sunk with her. I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, M. M. GRAY, Captain in charge Torpedoes. To Major-General D. H. MAURY, District of the Gulf, Mobile, Ala. Doc. 112. CAPTURE OF THE QUEEN CITY. ST. LOUIS, July 2, 1864. The rebel General Shelby attacked the gunboat Queen City, No. 26, on the morning of the twenty-fourth instant, while lying off Clarendon, on White River, at anchor. The attack was made between three and four o'clock A. M., with a battery of four guns, two ten and two twelve pounders, at a range of about one hundred yards. The combat was terrible for a short time. The machinery of the Queen City was soon disabled, and the Commander, Captain Hickey, commenced dropping with the current, with a view to get a range for his guns, which it was difficult to do owing to the high banks and narrow stream. After a coutest of nearly an hour he was com * See Rebellion Record, Vol. 8, p. 391. Documents. men, as was evident from the amount of rags left on the bank. He also got a twelve-pound howitzer, mounted on two wheels, which gave nine o'clock the same morning he was apprised him five guns to hold the point with. At about of the approach of the gunboats Tyler, Fawn, and Naumkeag, in convoy of a fleet of ten transports, in command of Captain Bache, of the Tyler. He having learned of the disaster to the Queen ed the transports back to the bluff, and proCity, through the refugees from her, had orderceeded with despatch to Clarendon. On his approach to the bluff, Shelby fired her to make his work of destruction more complete. The City was a thing of the past. Before the smoke explosion was heard many miles, and the Queen had cleared away, Captain Bache, of the Tyler, Captain Grace, of the Fawn, and Captain Rogers, of the Naumkeag (a noble trio), approached. General Shelby had chosen a position to give them battle, and, with a bravery worthy of a better cause, the rebel General, with his men, worked their batteries. Well did they stand the repeated broadsides of the boats, as they ran the batteries; nor was there any apparent flinching on the part of the rebels until the gunboats rounded to, after having run past. Then came the enfilading fire from a range that gave Shelby's men more than was congenial, and he precipitately decamped to the Woods, leaving his prize gun and considerable of the captured ordnance on the bank, to be retaken by our brave sailor-boys. The Tyler received eleven shots. Eight or ten men were wounded; all doing well. The pilot was seriously wounded in the head. Hopes are entertained of his recovery. It is thought there was no one mortally wounded in this engagement on our side, nor do we know the casualties of the enemy. They must have been severely punished when they abandoned a good twelve-pound gun on a light carriage, that could have been drawn by four men out of the reach of the gunboats. General Shelby having retired from the river, Captain Bache collected the wounded and stragglers and brought them to Duvall's Bluff, and communicated with General Steele, and he immediately ordered a force under General Carr to proceed to the scene of action. General Carr, with about three thousand infantry and cavalry, on transports, accompanied by the above gunboats, landed at Clarendon on the morning of the twenty-sixth instant, to again contest General Shelby's position. Skirmishing commenced immediately, but it was soon apparent to the most experienced commander, that Shelby was not disposed to make a stand. General Carr followed him some twenty miles to the interior, with slight skirmishing, and having no transportation returned to the river by easy marches. The General arrived at Clarendon about midnight of the twenty-eighth instant. He captured one twenty-four-pounder gun (that must have been taken from the Queen City after she was sunk, while the gunboats were away with their wounded), and one thirtytwo-pounder that he brought with him from the south side of the Arkansas. General Carr captured one rebel Colonel, wounded, believed to be Colonel Schenck, and many wounded were found, but owing to the excessive heat, were left in care of their friends. Our losses could not be ascertained, from the fact that we did not know how many there were taken prisoners; could learn of but five deaths and twenty wounded. There were many cases of sunstroke; among them, Lieutenant-Colonel Stephens, of the Eleventh Missouri cavalry, well known in St. Louis, who was carried from the field, supposed to be dead, but he lives to fight another day. Doc. 113 RAID ON DUFFIELD'S DEPOT, VA. Duffield's, Va., July 3, 1864. Our quiet village was thrown into quite a stir last Wednesday, about two o'clock, by the appearance of a flag-of-truce coming in from the rebel side of the road, and demanding the unconditional surrender of this post. The command here, consisting of two companies, I and F, of the First Maryland, Potomac Home Brigade, under command of Lieutenant John Beard, who was at the time away on official business, the command at the time falling upon Lieutenants Long and Matthews, who had to comply with the demand of the rebels, their force consisting of about four hundred cavalry, with two pieces of artillery. The rebels then entered the camp, taking prisoners all the men found about the encampment, some forty seven, after which they entirely destroyed the camp with all its equipage, together with all the books and papers befonging to the command. During this time a large number entered the store at this place and plundered and carried off nearly the entire stocks of dry goods and groceries, boots and shoes, causing a loss to the owner of about two thousand dollars, They also took a large amount of goods from the Waw House, belonging to other parties, to the amount of some four thousand dollars, after which they left, and the last heard of them they had crossed the Shenandoah without molestation. There was no damage done to the railroad or trains. They cut the telegraph wire near this place, and expected to have captured the mail train going east, but the train was notified in time to put back before getting here. The place was soon occupied by our troops. Those who escaped coming in, and the pickets that had been cut off making their appearance, with a portion of other forces near at hand made us feel safe again. Doc. 114. GENERAL AVERELLS EXPEDITION. July 5, 1864. T The cavalry of this department is divided into two divisions, of which General Averell commands the second. On the first of May this division, starting from Charleston, moved down through the uninhabited and almost unknown region of South-western Virginia, toward the Virginia and Tennessee railroad. The design of the movement was to prevent such a concentration of the rebel force as would defeat or delay the main column of General Crook moving on Dublin depot. For a hundred and fifty miles, across deep streams and over trackless mountains, where a wheel had never been seen, and up which the horses were dragged, among fallen trees and huge rocks, the command held its way, surrounded on all sides by an active enemy. The news of their approach preceded them, and at Cove Gap, eight miles from Wytheville, they encountered the command of General W. Ě. Jones, which, advancing against Crook, had been brought to a halt by the sudden appearance of this new enemy at their very camps. The rebels were five thousand, and they doubtless expected to crush, easily the little division of eighteen hundred men, which had so impudently thrust itself between them and their goal. For five hours they hurled themselves against it, until dark put an end to the conflict, and they retired to Wytheville, leaving Averell, wounded in the head, to move off the field unmolested, with a loss of one hundred and thirty men. The object of the expedition had been accom plished, for Crook was, at this time, on his way to Lewisburg, having defeated the ex-VicePresident, and destroyed New river bridge. Averell's command moving toward Lewisburg, destroyed the railroad from New river to Christianburg, at which place two guns were captured. The ammunition had been spoiled in crossing New river and by days' and nights' exposure to rain, and no more could be obtained |