Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/75

 Dahlgren's Raid. 63

DAHLGREN'S RAID.

Fiftieth Anniversary of the Defence of Richmond.

By Dr. Q. WATSON JAMES, Co. Q, Third Battalion.

To-day is the fiftieth anniversary of the Dahlgren raid and the engagement at Hick's Farm (Glenburnie). At a private dinner, given in this city some years ago, at which were present General Bradley T. Johnson, General Wade Hampton, General Dabney H. oMaury, Colonel John A. McAnerney and others, the conversation turned on the Dahlgren raid and the Hick's Farm fight, and the concensus of opinion was that the latter was one of the most important events of the War Between the States.

It was. Barring something now and then unforeseen, it saved Richmond from sack ; from rapine, arson and murder by Ulrich Dahlgren's picked desperate men, and the thousands of Federal prisoners on Belle Isle the raiders purposed to release. Dahl- gren's orders to his men were "to destroy and burn, with the assistance of the released prisoners, the hateful city, and not allow the rebel leader Davis and his traitorous crew to escape." Again : "Once in the city, it must be destroyed, and Jeff Davis and Cabinet killed." * * * "Pioneers must have plenty of oakum and turpentine for burning, which will be rolled in soaked balls and given to the men to burn when we get in the city."

MISTAKES IN HISTORY.

It is not necessary to the purport of this article to go into the details of the raid — to explain how Dahlgren was prevented bv high water from crossing James River to the southside, in order to reach Belle Isle, and turn the prisoners loose, before entering the city. Nor is it necessary to follow his looting ride