Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/528

 The Kilpatrick-DaJdgren Roid Against Richmond. 527

courier had stayed at his house the night previous, and had exhibited to him the note-book of Dahlgren, in which he read the diabolical plan, which was subsequently made public. The details of this plan, as stated to me by Mr. Washington, were precisely similar to those published; so, unless the parties who killed Dahlgren, or the courier who bore the dispatches on to Richmond, not rinding me, wrote the orders and memoranda in the captured note-book a supposition entirely incredible there can be no shadow of a doubt but that Dahlgren was the originator of the plot to burn and sack Richmond, to assassinate the President of the Southern Confederacy, and that, though not as successful as Booth in his attempt on the life of the Federal President, he deserves as fully as the latter the execration of all honorable men.

Kilpatrick having recruited at Yorktown, moved out, as if to at- tempt to force a passage through my lines in order to rejoin the Federal army. Anticipating a movement of this sort, I had concen- trated my command near Fredericksburg, and was prepared to meet him on more equal terms than at our last encounter. To prevent his crossing the river below me, I had the wharves at Urbanna destroyed. When he found that he could not cross there, and that my command was in position to dispute his passage, he returned to Yorktown, and placing his cavalry on steamers, he transported them safely but in- gloriously to Washington. Colonel Bradley T. Johnson, with a small body of cavalry, co-operated with me during these movements against the enemy, and rendered most efficient service.

The following extract from "General Orders No. 10, Headquar- ters, Department of Richmond, March 8th, 1864," conveys the thanks of Major-General Elzey, commanding, to my command :

" The Major-General Commanding begs leave to tender to Major- General Hampton and his command his sincere thanks for their co- operation in following up the enemy, and their gallant assault upon his camp at Atlee's Station on Tuesday night, in which the enemy's entire force was stampeded and completely routed, leaving in the hands of General Hampton many prisoners and horses. By command of

MAJOR-GENERAL ELZEY.

(Signed} T. O. CHESTNEY,

Acting Adjutant- General.