May 12, 1863, The New York Herald
Colonel Kilpatrick’s Report.
WASHINGTON, May 11, 1863.
The following was received at headquarters today:–
YORKTOWN, Va., May 8, 1863.
Major General H.W. HALLECK, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army:–
GENERAL – I have the honor to report that, by direction of Major General Stoneman, I left Louisa Court House the morning of the 3d inst. with one regiment (the Harris Light Cavalry of my brigade), reached Hungary on the Fredericksburg Railroad at daylight on the morning of the 4th, destroyed the depot, telegraph wires and railroad for several miles; passed over to the Brook turnpike; drove in the rebel pickets down the pike, across the brook; charged a battery and forced it to retire to within two miles of the city of Richmond; captured Lieutenant Brown, Aide-de-Camp to General Winder, and eleven men within the fortifications; passed down to the left to the Meadow Bridge, on the Chickahominy, which I burned; ran a train of cars into the river; retired to Hanovertown, on the peninsula; crossed and destroyed the ferry, just in time to check the advance of a pursuing cavalry force; burned a train of thirty wagons, loaded with bacon; captured thirteen prisoners, and encamped for the night five miles from the river.
I resumed my march at one A. M., of the 5th; surprised a force of three hundred cavalry at Aylett; captured two officers and thirty-three men; burned fifty-six wagons and the depot, containing upwards of 20,000 barrels of corn and wheat, quantities of clothing and commissary stores, and safely crossed the Mattapony, and destroyed the ferry again, just in time to escape the advance of the rebel cavalry pursuit. Late in the evening I destroyed a third wagon train and depot, a few miles above the west of Tappahannock, on the Rappahannock, and from that point made a forced march of twenty miles, being closely followed by a superior force of cavalry, supposed to be a portion of Stuart, from the fact that we captured prisoners from the First, Fifth and Tenth Virginia cavalry.
At sundown I discovered a force of cavalry drawn up in line of battle above King and Queen Court House. The strength was unknown; but I at once advanced to the attack, only, however, to discover that they were friends – a portion of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry, who had become separated from the command of Lieutenant Colonel Davis, of the same regiment.
At ten o’clock A. M. on the 7th I found safety and rest under our brave old flag, within our lines at Gloucester point.
This raid and march about the entire rebel army – a march of nearly two hundred miles – has been made in less than five days, with a loss of one officer and thirty-seven men, having captured and paroled upwards of three hundred men.
I take great pleasure in bringing to your notice the officers of my staff, Captain P. Owen Jones, Captain Armstrong, Captain McIrvin, Dr. Hackley, and Lieutenant Estis, especially the latter, who volunteered to carry a despatch to Major General Hooker. He failed in the attempt; but, with his escort of ten men, he captured and paroled one major, two captains, a lieutenant and fifteen men. He was afterwards himself captured with his escort, and was afterwards recaptured by our own forces. He arrived this morning. I cannot praise too highly the bravery, fortitude and untiring energy displayed throughout the march by Lieutenant Colonel Davis and the officers and men of the Harris Light Cavalry, not one of whom but was willing to lose his liberty or his life if he could but aid in the great battle now going on, and win for himself the approbation of his chiefs.
Respectfully submitted. J. KILPATRICK,
Colonel Comd First brigade Third division Cavalry.