have richly deserved the victor's crown, interposed to prevent the consummation of one of the best-conceived and most brilliant plans of the whole war.

Colonel Dahlgren had taken a negro to pilot him to Richmond. His detachment had rapidly moved across the country, destroying barns, forage and every thing which could possibly be of service to the enemy. Pushing on so as to reach Richmond as soon as possible, Colonel Dahlgren discovered that his negro guide had betrayed him, and led him toward Goochland instead of to Richmond, and Tuesday midnight found himself miles in just the opposite direction from that which he wished to take. The negro was promptly hanged for his baseness.

cheer went up from our men. Riding rapidly toward the city, the outer line of works was entered. The rebels therein surrendered, threw down their arms, many of them surrendering and others taking to their heels.

A fight then ensued for the next line, but the batteries were too much for them, and so, with his battery, General Kilpatrick opened upon them and the city.

There is no doubt that the men would have dashed upon and over any thing that stood in their way, so enthusiastic had they become, but General Kilpatrick acted the wiser part, and as the shrill whistle of the locomotive told of the bringing up of reënforcements from Pickett's brigade, at Bottom's Bridge and vicinity, he reluctantly gave the order to move toward Mechanicsville.

Exasperated by this treachery, the men burned the barns and out-buildings of John A. Seddons, the rebel Secretary of War, and it is, per- That this was difficult to do, soon became aphaps, fortunate that the gentleman himself was parent. On every road the enemy's pickets connot present. Retracing his steps, Colonel Dahl- fronted them, and a series of manoeuvres took gren marched down the river road, destroying place, in which the enemy were found to be on the Dover flour-mills, several flouring establish- the alert at every point. Night coming on, Kilments and saw-mills. His force also did consider-patrick, with his accustomed audacity, halted able injury to the James River Canal, burning canal-boats and seriously damaging one or two locks.

and made preparations to camp. He had chosen a place, however, too near a rebel camp, and of this fact he was reminded by being shelled out of his position. So the command groped its way on in the darkness and gloom, fighting when

They did not reach the immediate vicinity of Richmond till afternoon, when every body was on the alert, Kilpatrick having already made his at-pressed too hard, and with the tell-tale whistle tack.

of the locomotive now warning them that troops were being hurried back to Bottom's Bridge in the hope of cutting off their retreat.

On Monday, General Butler received orders to

Colonel Dahlgren's detachment was divided into several parties for the accomplishment of different objects, keeping together, however. One party attempted to cross the river, but were re-send out a force to meet General Kilpatrick and pulsed. A very sharp fight ensued, and, finding the enemy in superior numbers and confronting them on every road, the force was compelled to fall back.

In attempting to cut their way out, Colonel Dahlgren and Major Cook of the Second NewYork, with about one hundred and fifty men, got separated from the rest. The other detachments succeeded in rejoining General Kilpatrick, but nothing has been heard of this one. The people on the road and some of the prisoners aver that a Colonel who had but one leg was captured by the rebels. If so, it is feared he must have been wounded, but strong hopes are entertained that with his usual determination he has cut his way through with at least part of his hundred and fifty men. Meanwhile, General Kilpatrick had advanced down the Brooks turnpike from Ashland, having torn up the rails at that point, destroying the telegraph as he marched.

At one

of the stations, however, the operator succeeded in sending a despatch to Richmond announcing that the Yankees were coming. He was a prisoner in less than fifteen minutes, but that short time put Richmond on the qui vive, and it has since been ascertained that about a dozen field-pieces were put in battery and a new intrenchment thrown up while awaiting his arrival.

The troops reached the outer fortifications early on Tuesday morning, and, as the spires and houses of the city came in view, cheer upon

assist him if necessary. This movement was part of General Kilpatrick's plan as proposed. Had he known of or even expected a force at New-Kent Court-House or at Bottom's Bridge, he would not have then turned away from Richmond, but would have treated General Butler's forces to a fight for the same prize.

Two thousand infantry under Colonel Dunkin, Fourth United States colored regiment, eight hundred cavalry under Colonel Spears, Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry, and Belger's First Rhode Island battery, the whole under command of Colonel West, were ordered to New-Kent CourtHouse, there to be governed by circumstances as to further movements. The infantry colored troops left on Monday afternoon, and reached New-Kent Court-House about noon the next day, having made an extraordinary night march through rain and mud.

The cavalry left Williamsburgh Monday night and arrived Tuesday morning. About eight o'clock Tuesday afternoon, Colonel Spears took a portion of his cavalry force and proceeded to Tunstall Station, where he destroyed a new steam saw-mill and its machinery, burned a freight-car, and twenty thousand feet of lumber.

On Tuesday night, a portion of Kilpatrick's force was discovered, but not knowing whether they were rebels or not, preparations were made to give them a warm reception. On Wednesday morning, the question was solved, and as the two

columns of cavalry came in on both sides of the colored brigade, drawn up to receive them, the mutual cheers were deafening.

This incident is marked from the fact that heretofore the army of the Potomac, and particularly the cavalry, have entertained a marked dislike to colored troops. After resting awhile they resumed their march down the peninsula. General Davis, who led, had several men shot by guerillas, and General Kilpatrick and his attendants chased a body, capturing a lieutenant and two men.

The force picked up on the way one of the escaped Richmond prisoners, a Colonel Watson or Watkins, of an Ohio regiment. The troops went into camp a few miles from Fort Magruder on Thursday night, and yesterday were to move to Williamsburgh for the purpose of procuring forage and rations, and resting the command.

This raid has been one of the most daring of the war, and but for the two fatalities mentioned would have proved a complete success. The men and horses have borne the hard marching remarkably well, the saddles not being removed during the trip, and but little sleep being given to the men.

The men made themselves quite at home with the inhabitants, and the stock of poultry, hogs, etc., has somewhat decreased. The people generally were given to lying, none of them having any thing to eat, either for man or horse. Among other acquisitions large piles of confederate money were secured and squandered with a recklessness befitting their easy acquisition. One party paid eighty-odd dollars for a supper for eight, comprising the best the house afforded.

The ratio with the people was four dollars graybacks for one of greenbacks. A large number of horses also found their way along with the command, and many a soldier has mementoes of Richmond, gathered inside the fortifications. Over five hundred prisoners were taken, but from the nature of the expedition it was impossible to bring them in.

The casualties have not yet been ascertained. Colonel Dahlgren, Major Cook, and LieutenantColonel Litchfield, with about one hundred and fifty men, are missing. The latter is known to have been wounded.

Too much praise cannot be awarded Colonel Dahlgren, nor too much regret felt at his supposed capture. Not fully recovered from the loss of his leg in the charge upon Hagerstown, he volunteered his services to General Kilpatrick, and was assigned to the most important command in the expedition.

The greatest consternation prevailed in Richmond during the fighting, as well it might. The men who have been baffled of their prey-the rebel capital-feel that they would have been gloriously successful if the authorities at Washington had permitted General Butler to coöperate with them, and keep Pickett's infantry employed down the Peninsula.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

The following letter was written by a member of the Fourth Pennsylvania cavalry, who participated in the raid:

DETACHMENT FOURTH PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY, YORKTOWN, VA., March 5, 1864. DEAR CAPTAIN: Before this reaches you, you will have read in the newspapers the full account of "Kilpatrick's great raid;" but, notwithstanding all that, I may be able to give you some facts and incidents which the newspaper reporters have no knowledge of.

On the twenty-seventh ultimo a detail of five hundred men was made from our brigade, proportioned as follows: one hundred of the Fourth Pennsylvania cavalry; one hundred Sixteenth Pennsylvania cavalry, and three hundred of the First Maine cavalry. We reported to General Kilpatrick the same day. We bivouacked near his headquarters, and the next day, a little after dark, we started on our expedition with a force of between three thousand and four thousand men. About three hours, however, before starting, an advance force of five hundred men was sent ahead to clear the ford, and draw the attention of any small parties of "rebs" who might be straggling around. We crossed Ely's Ford at one o'clock in the morning, without opposition, and pushed forward rapidly, passing, in our course, Chancellorsville, of historic fame, and at daylight we entered Spottsylvania Court-House. The numerous campfires around the place indicated that the "Johnnies" were around, but upon our approach they had fled precipitately, too much frightened to offer any resistance to our advance. On we went, stopping only at long intervals for a few moments' rest and refreshment for ourselves and horses. We proceeded rapidly, passing through Mount Pleasant, Markham, and Childsburgh. Up to this time we had followed up the trail of our advanced five hundred, but at Mount Pleasant we diverged from the main road to go to Childsburgh, whilst our advance had taken the road leading to Frederickshall, with the understanding that they were to join us at Hanover Junction. Childsburgh we struck for Beaver Dam Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad. When we had proceeded about two miles from Childsburgh, we suddenly came upon a rebel engineer train and captured the whole thing, engineers and all. They were going to Fredericksburgh, and had much valuable apparatus with them. About three o'clock P.M., we dashed into Beaver Dam Station, captured the telegraph apparatus and operator, and in less than ten minutes the whole station, with all its buildings, etc., was in flames. We ascertained that a train from the Junction was due in a few minutes. General Kilpatrick despatched a party from the First Maine to attack it when it came up, but we were a little too late. They saw the smoke and flames of the burning station and stopped just before the party sent out to attack them came up. The trainguards fired a few shots at our party and then they reversed motion and rushed back to Han

At

over Junction. I will say here that it was the Fourth and Sixteenth Pennsylvania cavalry regiments that destroyed the station, our brigade being in advance that day. It was our intention to go to Hanover Junction and destroy the station also, but for obvious reasons we changed our course and struck directly for Richmond.

I will not take time nor space to describe all the incidents along the route; suffice it to say that we burnt another station on the Fredericksburgh and Richmond Railroad. On Tuesday, at noon, we passed within the first line of fortifications around Richmond. We took up a position near Old Church, threw out our skirmishers, and opened a brisk artillery fire on them of two hours' duration. We lost one officer-a captain -killed. We now directed our course toward White House, but halted for the night at Bidnel- | la Cross-Roads-threw out our pickets, and in a drenching rain, lay down to get a few hours' sleep, of which we all stood very much in need; but fate ordained it otherwise. General Kilpatrick had set his heart upon taking Richmond, and for that purpose he detailed Major Taylor with four hundred men of his (Taylor's) command, consisting of First Maine, Fourth Pennsylvania, and Sixteenth Pennsylvania, who were to lead the advance, and all the rest were to follow in due time. The preliminaries were all arranged and the enterprise ready to be carried into execution, when we were attacked. This, of course, knocked the project on the head, and it had to be abandoned. The night was awful dark. The rebs came down upon us with a yell that made us think of Pandemonium; but we soon got our lines formed and advanced upon them, when they hastily fell back, not, however, until they had killed the Lieutenant-Colonel of the Sixth Michigan, and captured about two hundred of the men of that regiment.

Our whole force now succeeded in crossing a branch of the Pamunkey. Lieutenant Grant, of the Fourth Pennsylvania cavalry, was in command of the skirmish-line. Just as they were in the act of crossing, they discovered a body of troops coming toward them. They were dressed in blue, and it was soon discovered that they were friends. Upon coming up they proved to be our advance party; there were only about three hundred left-they were surrounded at Frederickshall, lost all their field-officers, and about two hundred men, the remainder cutting their way through. The next day we were reenforced by three regiments of cavalry and a "nigger" brigade of infantry, from Williamsburgh; but we were completely worn out, as well as our horses; we needed rest, so the column was headed for Yorktown, which place was reached without any note-worthy incident. Our appearance created the utmost consternation wherever we went: had a thunderbolt fallen in amongst them, they could not have been more astonished than to see a Yankee column galloping along with perfect impunity, so near Richmond.

On the whole, I can't say that I regret the trip; but if we had known that we were coming on this raid we might have made some different arrangements about clothing and rations. Your sincere friend,

T. W. B.

REBEL REPORTS AND NARRATIVES.

RICHMOND, March 1, 1864. Yesterday afternoon intelligence reached the city that a heavy column of Yankees had made their appearance in the neighborhood of Frederickshall, on the Virginia Central Railroad, fifty miles from Richmond. The statement was somewhat startling, because of the known fact that the greater portion of the reserve artillery of the We now directed our course in such a manner army of Northern Virginia was quartered at that as to strike the Pamunkey about eight miles point, and without an adequate force for its proabove White House. The next morning it was tection. Later in the afternoon, the report reachascertained that the rebs were following used the city that the whole of the artillery, amountAbout ten o'clock we formed a line of bat- ing to some eighty pieces, had been captured; but Two squadrons of the First Maine were this, in turn, was contradicted by a statement deployed as skirmishers, the remaining two that the enemy did not go to Frederickshall, squadrons and the Fourth and Sixteenth Pennsylvania were drawn up for a charge. In about ten minutes our skirmishers attacked them, and almost immediately after, the devils saw our colors and came down toward us on a charge. Captain Cole, of the First Maine, was ordered to meet the charge, which he did in gallant style, completely routing them, and driving them like sheep before him.

up.

tle.

In this charge the rebs lost five killed and quite a number wounded and captured. We only sustained a loss of two captured from the First Maine.

Our advance party of five hundred had not formed a junction with us yet, and we began to have some apprehension for their safety.

We now pushed on for the Pamunkey, about four miles distant-the rebels had gotten all they wanted from us, and molested us no further.

but struck the railroad some two miles south of that point, where they tore up a portion of the railroad track. After inflicting this damage on the road, they left, taking a southerly direction. We are inclined to think, from all the information we can gather in relation to the affair, that this latter statement is, in the main, correct. The raid is no doubt intended to interrupt communication between General Lee's army and Richmond, but it is hoped that, like Stoneman's raid last spring, it may prove a failure.

Passengers by the Fredericksburgh train, last night, state that the Yankee force consisted of one brigade of cavalry, and several pieces of artillery; that they crossed at Ely's Ford, on the Rappahannock, and passed through Spottsylvavia Court-House about eleven o'clock on Sunday night.

A despatch was also received yesterday after

noon from Colonel Mallory, commanding at Char-flouring-mills in the county, among them, the lottesville, that a cavalry force of the enemy were Dover Mill, some twenty-five miles above the threatening that point, and that our troops were city. General Henry A. Wise, who was at the fighting them about three miles from the town. residence of his son-in-law, Mr. Hobson, in GoochLate last night, report stated that they had been land, narrowly escaped capture. He was at Mr. repulsed, and had retired. Hobson's when the enemy went to Mr. Seddon's The train which left this city yesterday morn-place, and hearing of their presence in the neighing, carried, as a passenger, General R. E. Lee, and for a while, those who feed upon rumors had it circulated that the train had been captured, and General Lee made prisoner. For this, however, there was no foundation, as information had been received of the safe arrival of the train at Gordonsville. Some uneasiness was felt in the early part of the evening, for the safety of the down passenger-train, due here at seven o'clock, but it was ascertained later in the night that it, too, was safe.