May 26, 1863, The New York Herald
Our Yorktown Correspondence.
YORKTOWN, May 22 – 2 P.M.
About sunset on Tuesday evening, the 19th inst., the casual observer at Yorktown must have notices the unusual number of persons on what are, par excellence, termed streets. The evening was beautiful and the air fresh, compared with that of a few hours before. The ladies of the fort were in the saddle or luxuriating in the old carriages of departed aristocracy.
I did not tarry long, for the steady column of “Harris Light,” “brave Harris Light”cavalry, soon won their way through clouds of dust. I proceeded with them to the wharf, where they were to cross to Gloucester Point to join the Twelfth Illinois cavalry. Col. Kilpatrick was in command, of the forces. While these movements were taking place with the cavalry, two hundred men of the One Hundred and Seventy-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers were embarked on the Winnisinet ferry boat, under command of Major Smith, and two hundred men from the Fourth regiment of Delaware Volunteers, under command of Major La Motte, were embarked on board the Commodore Morris.
These were the arrangements for a raid through Gloucester and Matthews counties, which have from the commencement of the war, besides furnishing a large proportion of men, grain and other materials of the rebels, been infested with a set of guerillas, termed by them “Chesapeake Partison Rangers.” But a short time since a company of them came down to Ware river to attack a boatcrew from a gunboat visiting the place. Through these small rivers the goods sent from Baltimore and along the coast of Maryland are received and thence sent up the country. The two counties had been scarcely visited before, and the only loss they had sustained was the occasional straying away of some of their negroes.
The expedition was gotten up under the orders and direction of Major General Keyes. The command of it was, of course, in the hands of Colonel Kilpatrick. Col. Suydam, the assistant adjutant general of the Fourth army corps, accompanied Colonel Kilpatrick.
The cavalry started from Gloucester Point about nine P.M. They were about twelve hundred strong, well mounted and in excellent spirits.
They crossed the country as far as East river, meeting the gunboat and infantry early on Wednesday morning. They were then divided into small bodies and sent in search of horses, mules, cattle and other forage. There wore many difficulties to be encountered in capturing the horses, for the rebels have been very cautious of late and have sent their best stock into the woods. By night some three or four hundred horses and mules had been brought together, besides cattle, and the party then started through to Matthews’ Court House, the gunboat following round into North river. Here again success attended our efforts. There is an immense satisfaction in going through this section of Virginia, for the stock is very fine.
The soil is, to a great extent, neglected; but little is raised, on account of the absence of male labor. Everything appears to be rotting, and yet the owners will tell you, in the most quiet and dignified way, that they are […..] on supporting the rebel government even though they lose the very clothes they wear.”
One well educated Southern Lady, who had spent much time in New York city previous to the war, exultingly remarked to me that some of her personal friends in New York, holding high positions of trust, found means of sending them letters and she had their assurance that their cause was as good as ever. I need scarcely say that I did not discuss the question further.
Colonel Kilpatrick made his headquarters at Mr. John Taliaferro, on North river, until he started on his return last night for Yorktown. Although Mr. Taliaferro was a great loser by the expedition, still he gave up in the most ready manner all that he had. The ladies of the family were courteous, and, to their credit, refrained from those condemnatory expletives too often indulged in by the gentler sex of the South towards what they are pleased to term Yankees.
About six o’clock a soldier belonging to the “Harris Light,” named James Campden, came in, wounded in the neck by a man some miles away. It appears he was sent to a house with a comrade to inquire what had been done with the horses. The man, a citizen of the place, answered by telling him to […..] after them.” He asked if he had any fire arms about the place. He said he had a gun. On being asked whether it was […..] or not,” he replied that he hoped it was, and started in the house. Campden dismounted, and was about to draw his revolver, when the man discharged his piece, which missed, and then drew a small pocket pistol and sent its contents into the left side of his neck. Campden tried to discharge his pistol, but failed and then jumped at him, striking him over the head with the loaded weapon, which resulted in his death. There were two women present when the man came up, and they cheered when he fired at our soldier. They now mourn the result. He was seen by the surgeon of the regiment, Dr. Charles E. Hackley, and went to Yorktown on the Com. Morris, being cared for by Dr. M. H.. Henry, of the navy.
The land forces came in this morning about two o, and the boats about the same time. They were successful beyond expectation. The only disappointment they really felt was not meeting some of “Stuart’s best,” which we had reason to think were hovering in this vicinity. About six hundred horses and mules, large numbers of cattle and quite a baggage train was brought in. Their loss is our gain to the amount of at least one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I dare not attempt, in this warm weather, to compute the amount or number of dollars it would reach in Confederate scrip. Our loss is summed up – none. The loss to them is incalculable. Stuart may well hide his head, and mutter sic transit, &c.
YORKTOWN, VA., MAY 23,
I send you this morning further news and a copy of the instructions guiding the officers on their raid through Gloucester and Matthews counties. The scenes through which some of our men passed are full of adventure, and will be heard with interest by many old soldiers in this corps whom fortune prevented from participating therein.
I hope in a day or so to send you the official reports. Many incidents of interest occurred by the way which, of course, in my hurried report of yesterday, could not be mentioned. A band of thirty guerillas was met by a small detachment of our own men near Matthews Court House, and were making such rapid movements in an opposite direction that our small force was compelled to let them go.
Five mills were destroyed on the return from Gloucester Court House to Gloucester Point. They were filled with grain. The evening was beautiful, the sky clear, the stars, and what little there was of moon, shedding just sufficient light to render the scene one of interest. The solemn tramp of the horses over the deserted ground have rise to new thoughts and strange sensations. Those in advance kindled the fires; a slight breeze fanned the flames, and as the sails caught fire, and revolved again and again, and as the sparks and burning grain filled the heavens, and the thought of the cause of all this, was sufficient food for the mind for the rest of the journey home.
Many supplications were made to leave this […..] horse” and this […..] mule. ” On being closely questioned these supplicants turned out violent secessionists, and had sons and brothers in the rebel service. In many instances their appeals were listened to.
The wife of Brigadier General Taliaferro, formerly in the United States Army, and now in the rebel service at Savannah, asked, in the most naive way, whether we were making war on women and children because our cavalry took horses which she claimed.
The following were the instructions signed by Major General Keyes: –
A combined expedition will set out tonight for Matthew county. The cavalry and a section of artillery, supported by two hundred infantry to leave Gloucester Point at one A.M., will be under the immediate orders of Colonel Kilpatrick, commanding cavalry brigade. The gunboat and ferry boat, under command of Lieutenant Commanding Gillis, will have on board two hundred infantry, subject to the orders of Lieutenant Colonel C. C. Suydam, of my staff.
A small supply of intrenching tools will be on board, with some extra ammunition for the field artillery.
The infantry will carry one hundred rounds of ammunition per man, and all the troops will have two days’ cooked rations.
Colonel Kilpatrick will consult with Lieutenant Colonel Suydam and Lieutenant Commander Gillis in regard to the movements necessary to insure prompt and effective cooperation.
Besides inflicting as much injury as possible on armed enemies, the detachments of the expedition will capture and bring in all animals and supplies needful to our troops that may be found, but will not wantonly burn or pillage anywhere.
(Signed, &c.)E. D. KEYES,
Major General Commanding.
FORT YORKTOWN, Va., May 19, 1863.
I forgot to mention that Captain Mink, of the First New York Volunteer artillery, commanded a section of his battery on this expedition.
The weather in this section is decidedly hot, the thermometer ranging from 94 to 97.
The present medical director of this corps, Surgeon T. M. Getty, United States Army, will leave in a few days to take charge of the hospitals in one of the Western departments. His successor, Dr. Mulford, of New York, will take his place.