June 30, 1863, The New York Herald
Our White House Correspondence.
WHITE HOUSE, Va., June 27, 1863.
OUR ARRIVAL AT WHITE HOUSE – OUR ESCORT.
On the morning of the 25th our forces came up the Pamunkey river and landed at this point. The weather was hazy, and dull in the extreme appeared everything by the wayside. Four gunboats accompanied the expedition, which consisted of any number of transports, containing thousands of troops. The Morse, Captain Babcock in command, was followed by the Commodore Morris, the Smith Briggs, and the General Jessup.
THE REBELS SURPRISED.
The rebels did not appear to have the slightest idea of our approaching them. The first sign of living beings existing on the Pamunkey banks was a group of colored women and children, flaunting a flag of truce and cheering our forces most lustily as they passed. They begged to be taken on board. Poor, deluded people, they are better where they are.
THE REBEL CAVALRY SKEDADDLES.
On turning the last bend, just as the bridge at White House is opened to the sight, a smoke, and then a blazing fire burst and filled the air. The men on board the Morse soon discovered some rebel cavalry, who were mounting their horses in the most disorderly manner, evidently intending a skedaddle. The guns were opened on them, but appeared to serve only as a stimulus for them to hasten their retreat, which, to do them justice, the managed most adroitly.
OUR LANDING – WE EAT THE REBELS’BREAKFAST.
On landing we captured an old man who has been serving as a rebel commissary, he not having any good means of getting away. They did not discover us until we were very near them; and as they were going to breakfast, the latter was not thrown away, but well digested by many of our men. It consisted chiefly of ham and eggs and […..] jacks.” The latter is a very popular dish in both armies. But little information could be obtained from the old Commissary, who might as well have played the part of […..] as a post.” The negroes in the vicinity appeared to be in perfect ignorance of anything going on. They say the cavalry numbered about fifty men, and were guarding the bridge which spans the Pamunkey.
THE REBEL COMMISSARY TRAIN – REBEL REDOUBT.
It is well known that a train came daily to this point from Richmond, a distance of twenty-three miles, and carried back stores, grain, &c., from the farmers hereabouts. They had mounted on a car a one hundred pounder rifled gun, which was calculated to enable them to fight their way through if necessary. Near the bridge a little redoubt was thrown up, in the centre of which was laid a revolving platform. The car, containing the gun could be run in a few seconds, and would thus have proved a formidable antagonist. Near it was an extensive rifle pit. The whole work displayed both skill and ingenuity, and I am very glad, indeed, it was not finished before our arrival.
THE CAVALRY LANDED – OUR FIRST CAPTURE – RECONNOISSANCE.
Colonel Spear’s Eleventh Pennsylvania cavalry was the first landed, and a detachment of men sent out to chase the […..] rebs;” they succeeded in capturing four privates. In the afternoon Colonel Spear took his command out on a reconnoissance; at the time I am writing we are anxiously awaiting his return.
INFANTRY LANDED – ARRIVAL OF GENERAL DIX AND STAFF.
General Getty’s division was landed in a very short time.
General Dix and staff came up last evening on the Thomas, where he has his headquarters.
ARRIVAL OF THE FOURTH ARMY CORPS.
Major General Hayes arrived here from Williamsburg this morning, coming up with his forces by way of the peninsula. His corps came up in splendid condition. General Gordon division was in the advance, having left “Nine Mile Ordinary” yesterday afternoon.
THE SCENE AROUND the whole plain bordering the river is one of life and excitement. The shelter tents of our troops stud the ground as far as human range of vision extends. The place belongs (nominally now) to General Fitzhugh Lee. The men are in the highest spirits. There is a healthful glow about their countenances which tells one plainly they will do their duty and are sanguine of success. I must say I like to see it.
COLONEL S. M. ALVORD, OF THE THIRD NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, is now commanding the First brigade in General Getty’s division. As soon as his troops were landed he invested the woods in our front with skirmishers, and gave them such sound instructions that they could do their duty effectively without running the risk of being gobbled up by the enemy. If this precaution had been taken by many of our other generals, many good men who were gobbled up would not have been away from their posts at this time.
We have three medical directors here to take care of our men – Doctors S. S. Mulford, Edward Dalton and Gilbert, from Fortress Monroe.
MOVEMENTS OF THE REBELS.
No one who has not been in the field during this war can possibly form any idea of the difficulty in obtaining the slightest information of the enemy’s movements. Every person through the country appears to be under some solemn obligation not to answer any question put to them relative to rebel movements. They are certainly true to their instincts, and thoroughly believe they are right in that which they are doing.
THE GUARD AT RICHMOND.
A prisoner brought in to-day says that he left Richmond six days ago, and then General Picketts’s division and old Wise’s Legion were the only forces in Richmond. I doubt it. Of course we hope to gain the rebel capital by this movement.
WHITE HOUSE, Va., June 28, 1863.
SUNDAY MORNING, 5 O’CLOCK.
RETURN OF COLONEL SPEAR’S COMMAND – ROUTE TAKEN.
Colonel Spear returned with his command last night, bringing with him some baggage of no mean order. He started from here and struck out immediately for Tunstall’s Station, and thence took a northwesterly direction, which brought him in from the West Point side of the Pamunky.
CAPTURE OF GENERAL FITZHUGH LEE.
Among his numerous friends who returned with him, is the rebel General Fitzhugh Lee, who was captured while stopping at a friends’, at Hanover Court House. He says he had no idea our forces would have penetrated thus far into the country at this time, and he felt that he might remain there with perfect safety until he had recovered from his wound, which he received during the last skirmish at Kelly’s Ford. He was shot through the thigh, but is doing well. He came in a very comfortable carriage and four which belonged to his friends. He has all the bearing of a refined and courteous gentleman. He is firm looking, and calculated to produce the most favorable opinion of his abilities as a leader. At the time I saw him he was reading the HERALD, and appeared to be much interesting in an article on the editorial page. I do not know what it was. To the many questions that were asked him he gave the most courteous answers, and I assure you made no small number of friends by his manners. He goes down on the Thomas A. Morgan to Fortress Monroe this morning.
CAPTURE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS HUTCHINS, THE NOTED BLOCKADE RUNNER.
At “Old Church,” about sixteen miles from the capital, information was obtained of a large baggage train proceeding to Richmond, and which it was thought advisable to go after, and was done. In the meantime, by examining the hotel at the place, the noted Captain Hutchins, celebrated as a blockade runner, was captured. He is now a master in the rebel navy, and wore the uniform when taken. He says that he was on his way to Richmond from Maryland, and the weather being bad and his horse pretty tired he asked the landlord whether there was any risk in his staying there over night. Boniface, of course, replied there was not; and if even the “Yanks” came he could let him know in time to hide away. It proved otherwise. He is pleasant in manner, converses freely, but affords no information.
CAPTURE OF A BAGGAGE TRAIN – REBEL STORES DESTROYED.
Near Hanover Court House, the baggage train was met, consisting of over one hundred wagons and an escort. It contained stores of every kind. The best, consisting of about sixty of the teams, were brought in, and will prove useful. The bulk remaining was all piled up and burned. Over a thousand saddles and bridles was among the destroyed property. It was on its way to Richmond and will prove as severe a loss to them as did the train captured at this place last winter by an expedition sent out by General Keyes. On hearing the news of the loss of his train on that occasion General Wise swore that he would hang the thieves – if he caught them. What will he say now? The guard consisted of a number of men from the Forty-fourth North Carolina infantry.
FIGHT AT HANOVER COURT HOUSE.
On nearing Hanover Court House our advance discovered an earthwork thrown up, and some rifle missiles were thrown in amongst them. The work was held by sixty men, under the command of a colonel, also belonging to the Forty-fourth North Carolina troops. The order was given to charge, and most gallantly did our men do so. The rebels fought like tigers, and even after our men had scaled the work the […..] attempted to leap out on the other side and fight on. Some persons who have seen much fighting remarked last night that they never before saw such resistance made before so large a body of troops as we had.
THE CASUALTIES.
The rebel colonel, whose name I could not ascertain, was in among them fighting hand to hand, and was severely wounded, losing one of his fingers in a sabre encounter. They lost several in killed and wounded. Our own loss was two killed and four wounded, who were brought back in an ambulance. I shall try and obtain further news to-day.
OUR GAINS.
Against this loss we have on our hands from the expedition, besides the general, colonel and blockade captain, over two hundred prisoners of other […..]. This will make a very good balance sheet in our favor.
RAPID MARCHING.
The troops rode over sixty miles in one day. They had many interesting little meetings on the road. The romance and dash connected with a cavalryman’s service is not met with in any other branch of the service.
INCIDENTS similar to those your readers are in the habit of reading, occurred all along the line of march, and however inclined I might be to place them before you, the time will not permit.
WHY GENERAL LEE WAS NOT PAROLED.
Taking it all in all the expedition was most excellently well done. Colonel Spear might have paroled General Lee and other wounded officers, but the dastardly tone the rebel leaders have taken towards our own officers captured in actual conflict, and their refusal to surrender certain ones on account of this, and account of that (doubtless were bluster), still prevented him from displaying too much charity. They will possibly by-and-by find out that we can play the game they have inaugurated very well.
Fleet Captain Crosby arrived here yesterday in the Commodore Barney, to take command of the gunboats in the river. The Admiral displayed good judgment in sending him up for that purpose.