 |
| Photo of replica of Confederate land "torpedo" from Civilwartalk.com |
MOVEMENTS ON THE PENINSULA.
Our Yorktown Correspondence.
Yorktown, Va., May 4, 1864.
An expedition moved up the James river on Monday last; but the rebels will not be able to learn much from this movement. They may fancy they understand the object of this advance: but they will find, when too late that a blow will be struck which will smash them.
RECONNAISSANCE ON THE PENINSULA.
A number of reports having reached Williamsburg within the last few days of the concentration of a large rebel force on the south side of the Chickahominy, near Bottom's Bridge, Colonel B.F. Onderdonk, of the First New York Mounted Rifles, was ordered to make a reconnaissance in that direction with a detachment of his regiment, accompanied by the howitzer battery. The party left Williamsburg at daybreak yesterday morning moving along the old Richmond stage road, and meeting with no obstruction until they had passed Barharsmville.
PANIC AMONG THE INHABITANTS
The appearance of the force created the greatest excitement among the few natives still remaining on the debatable ground between the Chickahominy and Williamsburg, They were satisfied that the great advance had commenced, and that General Grant in person was in command. So imbued were they with this notion that the bushwhackers and guerrillas neglected to fire upon the party from the woods, and hastened forward as couriers to herald our advance. Almost every body begged for guards for their houses, to protect them from the expected negro infantry, whose advent they looked forward to with the utmost terror.
A REBEL PICKET.
On arriving at Barhamsville the party was divided, Captain Hill and his troop, commanded by Major Whelan, taking the York river road, while the main body pushed on towards Slatersville. The object of this division of force was to capture a large rebel picket stationed at New Kent Court House. As the main body approached Slatesrville the column was fired into by guerrillas, and after a hard run one of Hume's scouts was captured. The exchange of shots at this point probably gave the rebels notice of our approach, and further concealment was dispensed with.
NEW KENT COURT HOUSE.
Rebel outposts were one after the other ran down and captured, and the moment after the appearance of the head of our column the whole rebel force stationed at this point, which was drawn up in the road to receive us, turned their horses and fled. The whole advance under Major Hamilton pursued them some distance, and would undoubtedly have captured or secured the entire party had not orders for a halt been given. This step was rendered necessary by the necessity of saving the horses for further exertions.
THE REBEL FORCE AT BOTTOM'S BRIDGE
was found to have been greatly overestimated, being composed only of Holcome's South Carolina Legion. Their horse, for want of proper oats and feed, have become almost worthless. This force, however, has been recruiting up, and large numbers of fresh horse are dally expected with witch, according to one of the prisoners, it is proposed shortly to make a raid through our lines at Williamsburg.
THE PRISONERS
are all men of intelligence, and far superior to the class generally met with. The idea that the expedition was the advance of the main army seems to have entirety possessed them. One was captured who had witnessed our approach, and so reported us to the officer in command of the party, who transmitted the same intelligence to Richmond. There is no doubt that the panic existing in the rebel capital was considerably increased by the intelligence.
THE RETURN.
The object of the expedition having been completely accomplished, the party set out on their return, stopping to rest for a few hours at Barhamsville. We left the position after dark, and six miles further on, while passing through a dense wood, came quite unexpectedly upon a new adaptation of the favorite rebel war engine.
TORPEDOES IN THE ROAD.
the column had passed through the greater part of the woods, and were about entering the open country, when the advance came upon some wires lying across the road. Five or six loud explosions followed in rapid succession, and a number of horses and several of the men were hit. One horse and his rider were lifted several feet from the ground, and, strange to say, neither was hurt, Although it was very dark, and this kind of an attack was entirely unexpected, there was not the slightest sign of panic among the men. Orders were rapidly passed along the column, and the fire which now burst from a large body of guerrillas, concealed among the trees, was returned with such effect as to entirely silence the assailants. The column then moved on, and reached Williamsburg without further molestation, shorty after midnight. The strangest part of this affair is the fact that nobody was killed. The men and horse struck were but slightly wounded. The torpedoes are believed to have been twelve end thirty-two pound shells, and their explosion was distinctly heard at Fort Magruder, eighteen or twenty miles distant.
THE TREDEGAR IRON WORKS.
The rebel authorities are busily engaged in removing all the valuable machinery from the Tredegar Iron Works at Richmond to some point further south
-The New York Herald, May 07, 1864
No comments:
Post a Comment