| From the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph |
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| August 2, 1864 |
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| The Raid on the Central {(of
Georgia)} Railroad |
| From a reliable source we
gather some facts concerning the late raid on the Central railroad.
The raiding party consisted of thirteen regiments of Kentucky,
Indiana, and Illinois cavalry, and numbered between six and seven
thousand men. They were divided into two brigades, the whole under the
command of Major General Stoneman, a Yankee who figured somewhat
conspicuously in Virginia for his repeated failures on expeditions of
a similar nature to the one he now commands. The raiders left
Sherman's army on the 26th of last month, and marched rapidly through
the counties of Newton, Jasper, and Jones. In their march they
destroyed no property, although they robbed the people of their horses
and jewelry, and supplied themselves with everything necessary for the
expedition. |
| On arriving about ten miles
from Gordon, they halted and detached one hundred men, belonging to an
Illinois regiment, and placing them under the command of one Major
Davidson, ordered them to destroy all the stations and water tanks
from Gordon to the Oconee river, and on their arrival there to burn
the bridge. On arriving in sight of Gordon, they discovered that a
train full of militia was on the way to Milledgeville, followed by a
passenger train, and deeming it imprudent to attempt their capture,
the raiders concealed themselves on the left of the railroad and
allowed both trains to pass unmolested. As soon as they were out of
sight they dashed into the town and proceeded in their work of
destruction. The warehouse at Gordon was filled with bacon, meal and
flour, as also a large amount of furniture, belonging to refugees from
Charleston, Savannah, and other points. It was, however, promptly set
on fire, by order of Major Davidson, and the whole consumed. |
| There was at Gordon from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred cars and engines. These were set on
fire by the vandals, as well as the car shed and several buildings
belonging to and continuous with the railroad. One train of cars
contained a large and valuable lot of machinery, the property of the
Western & Atlantic railroad; and another train was laden with a
considerable amount of furniture and other household goods belonging
to refugees. The raiders then left, supposing their work to be
complete and a squad proceeded in the direction of Griswoldville,
tearing up the track occasionally as they went, while the main body
went on to the Oconee river. They took along with them, as a guide,
Mr. Walker, the postmaster at Gordon, after robbing him of eleven
thousand dollars in Confederate money and his gold watch. His going
with them was a compulsory act, the Yankees having threatened him with
death if he refused to accompany them and guide the body to
Griswoldville. He was afterwards released and returned to Gordon. |
|
As soon as the raiders had left the town the citizens
turned out en masse -- both women and men -- and set energetically to
work to put out the fire. The succeeded admirably. Of the large number
of cars at that point only forty were destroyed, while but three engines
have been seriously injured; four have been slightly damaged and the
remainder untouched. The car shed was saved as well as all the buildings
set on fire, and the valuable machinery belonging to the Western &
Atlantic Railroad was saved to the State. Too much praise cannot be
bestowed upon the citizens of Gordon, for the prompt and patriotic
manner in which they exerted themselves to put out the fire, and the
success which resulted from their united efforts deserves and secures
commendation. We regret they were not armed, as our informant says that
if they had been, the Yankee raiders could never have succeeded in doing
even the small damage they did.
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| On leaving Gordon the squad
that marched in the direction of Griswoldville, on arriving in front
of that place discovered our skirmishers and promptly attacked them,
but finding we had a strong force posted at that point they withdrew
and marched round the road, striking it about one and a half miles the
other side. When the firing commenced a train of twenty-seven cars was
very imprudently backed out of Griswoldville and was standing on the
track when the squad of men struck the road. This train was of course
captured. The engine was unhitched and the cars set on fire. The men
then pushed off in the direction of Griswoldville, and the track being
what is termed a 'down grade' it entered the town and was entirely
consumed, but, fortunately, the fire did not ignite the other cars at
the station. We forgot to mention that the Yankees permitted the
negroes and railroad employees on the cars to remove all their private
property before they set them on fire. |
| As soon as the cars were
disposed of the raiders took out nearly all the water from the boiler
of the engine and filling the furnace with pine wood, soon got up a
small supply of steam. They then compelled a boy to get upon the
engine and open the throttle-valve and set it going. The boy did so,
jumping off immediately after, and the engine started at full speed
for Griswoldville. It entered there under a full headway of steam and
struck the rear car of a passenger train, splitting it in two and
throwing the two portions on both sides of the track. Continuing, the
engine threw off two more cars from the train. These two last were
filled with women and children, but none were injured. By this time
all the steam was exhausted, and the engine ceased moving. The only
damage it is reported to have received, is the burning out of the
flues. Their work having been completed, the squad started to rejoin
their companions. |
| In the meantime the other
portion under Major Davidson proceeded to McDonald Station No 16,
where they tore up a small portion of the track, destroyed the water
tank and marched on to Emmet Station No 15 -- where they repeated
their work. While at Emmet, twelve of their number were sent to burn
the bridge across the Oconee river. This small squad did their work
effectually and inflicted the most serious damage done to the road.
Why this bridge was left unguarded we cannot conceive. We learn that
as late as last Wednesday there was a force of one hundred and fifty
men stationed there, and on that evening they were removed and the
bridge left unprotected. The inconvenience its destruction will cause
can only be a temporary one, as another bridge we learn, already
prepared, will be promptly substituted in its stead, but for a squad
of twelve men to destroy so important a structure is extremely
humiliating. We trust that for the future a greater amount of caution
will be exhibited. |
| After destroying the bridge
and tearing up a small portion of the track, the Yankees started back
for the main body of the raiders, under Stoneman, who had marched in
the direction of Macon. |
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