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A. LincolnAnother Glorious Victory |
From the May 7, 1863 issue of the Daily Republican,
Lynchburg, Virginia.The official dispatch of General Lee announces another glorious victory from in front of Fredericksburg. It appears that while the battle was raging at Chancellorsville on Sunday a large force of the enemy attempted a movement in our rear by the way of Fredericksburg. This was promptly met by McLaw's Division, which held the enemy in check until Gen. Lee came up with Anderson's and Early's divisions on Monday when the Yankees were badly whipped across the Rappahannock and from its vicinity. This completes our triumpth in Northern Virginia. Hooker's great army is beaten and demoralized, and perhaps expelled from our soil. Wonder what route the Yankees will take for Richmond? Their effort to capture that city has cost them infinite disgrace, millions of money, and not less than two- hundred thousand men who have died from disease or been killed in battle. They have tried every route laid down upon the map--by the Valley, Gordonsville, Fredericksburg, Yorktown, James river and Suffolk, and have been defeated in all of them. McClellan, Pope, Burnside and Hooker have each become famous and infamous in their futile attempt to take the rebel city. Who will be the next victim? We would suggest that as land and water routs have proven hard roads to travel, the next attempt be made exclusively by balloons. The packet which left here Monday evening for Richmond returned yesterday morning, being unable to pass lock No. 14, two miles below Columbia, which was destroyed by the Yankees in their raid on the place last Sunday. The passengers were transferred to the boat from Richmond at the lock. We have some particulars of the raid from Captain Bowles of the Packet which may be of interest. The Yankees dashed into town about sunrise Sunday and forthwith commenced their preparations to destroy the aqueduct by placing underneath it five kegs of powder in a flour barrel which they set fire to, but which fortunately did not ignite, and no other means of destruction being at hand the structure was saved. While this was being done by one party, others were proceeding in other works of destruction. The bridge at the aqueduct was destroyed, two above the town, and four more between there and lock No. 14, a few miles below, making nine in all. They also burned the bridge at Elk Island across (the) James River, and burnt a boat at lock 14, loaded with hay, &c. They destroyed the lock by tearing off the gates. At Columbia they burned a boat upon which Mr. Snoddy had placed all his furniture and family for purposes of escaping. A Lieutenant of the party set fire to it with his own hand. They took four horses belonging to Elson's packet line. The boat Sallie of Lexington, loaded with bacon and corn, was saved by the fidelity of a negro hand on the boat, who claimed it, and the property on it, as his own, representing himself as a free man. They burnt the barn of Mr. John Allen, his stables and corn, house and all his hay and straw and fodder ricks, [sic] and carried off all his horses, and also seven slaves belonging to Mr. B.H. Agee. Several other persons in the county had their negroes and horses carried off. In Columbia a large number of negroes were gathered, and they broke open the stores in the town and stole the tobacco contained in them, and then told the negroes to take what they wanted, which they did. They broke into the house of Mrs. Allen near the town, and destroyed all her furniture, and left the place a complete wreck. Many other citizens who names we did not hear were sufferers, and other depradations too numerous to record were committed by these marauders.-- They stated their intention to be to destroy the South Side Road. There were about four-hundred in number who visited the town, and it is stated the whole number would reach one thousand or twelve hundred, who remained some distance in the county. They staid [sic] until 4 o'clock Sunday evening when they left, expressing an intention to return speedily and complete the destruction of the aqueduct. Several of the citizens were arrested, but all were released when they took their departure. These are as many of the particulars of this audacious raid as we can make room for, though we might fill our whole paper with the details. The citizens we understand, at four o'clock Tuesday felt apprehensions that they would return, but we are confident they are groundless, as Gen. Fitzhugh Lee telegraphed here yesterday evening that they were in full retreat towards Raccoon Ford on the Rapidan, and he was harrassing their rear. Hopes are entertained that the whole party will yet be bagged. The repairs to the canal we understand from the best authority would be completed by yesterday evening and navigation be uninterrupted. |
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