Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/527

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North Carolina, also bore himself well, and gave assistance; while the artillery behaved admirably. I cannot close my report without expressing my appreciation of the conduct of Colonel Bradley T. Johnson and his gallant command. With a mere handful of men he met the enemy at Beaver Dam, and never lost sight of him until he had passed Tunstall's Station, hanging on his rear, striking him con- stantly, and displaying throughout the very highest qualities of a soldier. He is admirably fitted for the cavalry service, and I trust that it will not be deemed an interference on my part to urge, as em- phatically as I can, his promotion.

Captain Lowndes, Lieutenant Hampton and Dr. Taylor, of my staff, accompanied me, and rendered me great assistance. I have the honor to be,

Very respectfully yours,

WADE HAMPTON, Major- General.

MAJOR MCCLELLAN, Acting Adjutant- General.

When the attack on Kilpatrick was made, Dahlgren, who had been repulsed by the local troops in a feeble attack made on the city, was camped either on the Brooke turnpike or the Telegraph road. He had a body of picked men with him, and his object was, in case Richmond was taken, to free the Federal prisoners, to destroy the city, and to assassinate our authorities. Having failed in his assault, and hearing the attack on Kilpatrick, he immediately sought safety in flight. With a portion of his command he crossed the Pamunkey, was attacked the same night by a few furloughed men of the Ninth Vir- ginia Cavalry, under direction of Captain Fox and Lieutenant Pol- lard, together with a small detachment of the Home Guard of the county, was killed, and most of his men were captured. Upon his person were found the papers which proved the execrable and atro- cious nature of his enterprise. As the authenticity of these papers has been denied, it may not be out of place for me to state here what I know regarding them. As already stated, I followed Kilpatrick when he retreated, and I halted on the night of the 2d March near the house of Dr. Braxton, and not far from that of Mr. Lewis Wash- ington. I remained during the night at the house of the former, and moving off at a very early hour the next morning, I met Mr. Wash- ington, who asked me if I had seen a courier who was in search of me. Replying to him in the negative, he informed me that this