| From the Richmond Dispatch |
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| March 14, 1865 |
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| The "capture" of Fredericksburg
-- destruction of tobacco |
| The Yankees have the
particulars of the recent expedition to Hamilton's crossing, near
Fredericksburg, and the destruction of the tobacco there. A letter
says: |
| On Monday last, thirteen
transports, with troops from Fortress Monroe, accompanied by the
gunboats Commodore Read, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant - Commander E.
Hooker, and Yankee, Acting Master Cook, proceeded up the Rappahannock
on a raid, the principal object being the capture of a large quantity
of tobacco known to have been sent from Richmond to Fredericksburg to
be smuggled into our lines. |
| On the way up, the expedition
proceeded very cautiously, and the gunboats scoured the river well for
torpedoes, and it is believed cleared it of all such missiles as far
as Fredericksburg. A schooner bound up with a cargo of whiskey and
salt was first captured by the Reed. The crew were secured as
prisoners, and after the cargo had been removed the schooner was blown
up. |
| On arriving at Fredericksburg,
it was found to be garrisoned by rebels, who, however, offered no
resistance, and the troops were landed, as well as a detachment of
sailors, the latter being under the command of Captain Hooker, and the
town was taken possession of, the rebels skedaddling. |
| Our forces captured the
tobacco, which had lately arrived, to the amount of ninety-five tons.
It was manufactured, and it is estimated to be worth $380,000. The railroad
depot of the Fredericksburg and Richmond railroad
{Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac RR} was
destroyed, as well as considerable rolling stock. The railroad
bridge in the rear of the city was also destroyed, and a force
went out some distance on the railroad,
destroying culverts, bridges, etc. The country about Fredericksburg
was scoured pretty thoroughly, and during the raid over four hundred
prisoners were taken. Our men several times came in contact with the
enemy's pickets, and several shots were exchanged, but no one was hurt
on our side. |
| The gunboats returned to their
original stations on Wednesday night. |
| On the way down the river,
both banks of the river were found to be well lined with the enemy's
pickets, Mosby's men being on the northern bank; but not a shot was
fired from them, although at one point, where a number of them were
seen, several shells were thrown into their midst. |
| |
| A letter from Fortress Monroe says: |
| The expedition under command
of Brevet Brigadier-General Roberts, consisting of about fifteen
hundred men of the Twenty-fourth army corps, which left here last
Sunday, returned last evening, having fully accomplished the object of
their mission. All the steamers of the expedition went up the
Rappahannock river and landed at Fredericksburg without any resistance
being offered. The rebels in the city kept out of view, and our forces
occupied the place. |
| About one thousand one hundred
boxes of tobacco and a large amount of stores, designed for Richmond,
were destroyed; also, a large railroad
bridge. The tobacco was stored in Fredericksburg, preparatory, it is
supposed, to being shipped to Napoleon by means of English
blockade-runners. Our troops brought away some six hundred boxes of
tobacco and burnt the remainder. We also captured about one hundred
prisoners. |
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