May 8, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
We make up from our Richmond exchanges of Tuesday a summary of such additional intelligence of the recent movements of the campaign in Virginia as had been received up to Monday night:
THE BATTLE.
The scene of the battle is in Spotsylvania county, between the Wilderness and Chancellorsville. The latter is a place with only one dwelling, a large brick house, formerly a tavern, and latterly a boarding school. It is about ten miles west of Fredericksburg. The Wilderness we suppose to be indicated by ‘Wilderness Creek,’ a small stream running into the Rappahannock, about four or five miles from Chancellorsville; the country adjacent and widening out towards Chancellorsville is the Wilderness, out of which the enemy came at the bidding of Jackson. The United States Ford is on the Rappahannock, eight miles above Fredericksburg, and two miles below the mouth of the Rapidan. Ely’s Ford is on the Rapidan, four miles above its mouth. The enemy having crossed into Spotsylvania, presented himself on the left of our line in front of Fredericksburg. But our sagacious Commander had taken proper measures, it may be inferred by the result. Longstreet and his command were recalled in good time, and by the best routes for an opportune junction with our main line, while the strategy for getting in rear of the enemy was matured. This decisive movement was conducted by that warrior who never fails, and on Saturday (as we understand) the enemy, in his dismay, found Jackson thundering upon his rear. Driven from his position towards Chancellorsville, he got out of the frying pan into the fire by encountering Longstreet. His rout was complete, as we are officially informed by General Lee.
Brigadier General E.F. Paxton, of Rockbridge county, Va., whose fall in battle is announced, was formerly Gen. Jackson’s Adjutant General. He commanded a brigade in Jackson’s corps, and it is sufficient praise to say of him, that he commanded Jackson’s affectionate confidence. – Green grow the turf over his grave, and undying be his fame!
A letter dated Guinea Station, Sunday, 2 p.m., says: ‘The latest news from the battle field represents our prospects as brilliant. The Yankee infantry are fighting badly. Their artillery, however, is handled very skillfully. – This is the only thing in our way. Our Generals thought we would finish the enemy today.’
THE YANKEE RAID TOWARDS RICHMOND.
The Yankee forces lately engaged in raids upon the railroads were composed of twenty-eight regiments, all under General Stoneman, a force of at least 15,000 men. The detachment of so large a body of troops upon such an expedition, while a battle like that just fought in Spotsylvania was in actual delivery, will remain one of the inexplicable manoeuvres of Yankee strategy. Fifteen thousand cavalry is a most formidable force, and, judiciously used on the battle field, might have caused us irreparable loss. But Hooker has seen fit to expend this formidable force, not upon the battle field, but upon the undefended railroads – and what damage has he done?
From all we can gather, three engines have been partially destroyed, the rails torn up at several points on the lines, creating a delay of transportation of possibly two or three days. The exact amount of the injury done to the railroads has not been ascertained, and the rumors and reports are so conflicting and contradictory that it is folly to repeat them. We learn from a gentleman who was captured by them at Ashland, and whose horse was taken, that no damage was done to the cars, except, perhaps, to the engine; that the force was expecting to be captured; that a Colonel Davis, commanding the force, so expressed himself; that hungry, dispirited and jaded, many of the men expressed openly a desire to be captured. Their main object was avowed to be the destruction of the Central Railroad bridge over the Chickahominy, which they accomplished. Not being gratified by being captured, they are said to have crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge, and gone over the Pamunkey at Old Church, and to be making their way either to Gloucester Point or the Rappahannock.
Another party under Col. Windham passed through Louisa county towards Columbia, on the canal, and being followed by Gen. W.H.F. Lee, were overtaken and dispersed with the loss of thirty prisoners and six killed. The destruction or injury of the canal was prevented by Gen. Lee, who was unable to follow them upon their retreat from the blown and jaded condition of his horses.
We have further intelligence of the attack on Ashland, and of the raid on other points, which may be summed up as follows:
The enemy, about five hundred strong (cavalry), entered Ashland about half past four o’clock on Sunday afternoon, and piled up a number of logs on the railroad track, to obstruct the passage of the down train, which soon after appeared. As it came up they took possession of it, set fire to the engine and several of the cars, after robbing the mail cars of about a peck of miscellaneous letters (none of any importance), and, detaching a portion of the train containing about two hundred sick and wounded Confederates, a part of whom escaped, the rest were paroled. They tore up some twenty five feet of the track at Ashland Station, and performed a similar […..]some half a mile below, besides breaking into a small wooden culvert, which latter was the principal damage done on the road. The engine of the material train, which they also captured, they ran off the track, but did not injure it. Their last achievement was the burning of Mrs. Crenshaw’s barn, in the vicinity. The whole amount of damage will be repaired by today.
From Ashland they proceeded to Atlee’s on the Central railroad, which they reached yesterday morning, where they tore up a portion of the track, and came down to the Chickahominy and destroyed the bridge. An old locomotive, the ‘Augusta,’ which was recaptured from the enemy last year, was sent up with several persons on board to ascertain damages, and reached Atlee’s just in time to be taken, the passengers escaping by taking to the woods. The engine was set agoing by the Yankee, and ran into the Chickahominy at the bridge, which they had caved in. The damage done here was very slight, the bridge being a small concern, and the rest of the damage hardly worth mentioning.
Another party, acting in concert with these, visited Hanover Court House and burned the depots, doing no other injury worthy of note. They then proceeded down the north bank of the Chickahominy, directing their course towards Williamsburg. There were many rumors as to their movements after their operations at Atlee, which we deem unnecessary to mention, there being no truth in them.
Above is to be found all that approaches reliability as to the injury done by these raids.
The Examiner of Tuesday says: ‘The nearest approach to this city ever made by hostile Yankees was accomplished on yesterday morning. When McClellan beleaguered the Capital of the Confederacy, twelve months ago, and ‘On to Richmond’ was the watchword of his numberless legions, five miles was the least distance ever between him and the object of his hopes and ambition. But on yesterday morning, at 9 o’clock, three hundred Yankee cavalry visited the farm of Mr. John B. Young, on the Brooke turnpike, two miles from the corporate limits. Their stay, it is true, was brief, but they enjoyed one of the finest views of the spires and housetops of the city.’