| From the Richmond Daily Dispatch |
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| May 16, 1864 |
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| The raid on the Danville railroad --
Destruction of property |
| A force of Yankee cavalry,
under Spears, the same that made the raid on the Weldon railroad
{Petersburg RR}, struck the Richmond & Danville Railroad on
Thursdaynight at ten o'clock, at the Coalfield Station, thirteen miles
from Richmond. Here they remained at night, destroying the depot, wood
shed, water tank, and five box cars loaded with On Fridaymorning at
daylight they took their departure from Coalfield, back to the road
again within a mile of Tomahawk Station, and reached Powhatan about
eight o'clock. Here they burnt the depot, freight house, water tank,
and twelve cars loaded with forage. They also tore up the track for a
distance of three or four hundred yards on one side of the road, and
about one hundred yards on the other, twisting the roads and rendering
them useless.--The raiders left Powhatan about three or four o'clock
on Fridayevening, and reached Appomattox bridge at Maltoax Station,
where they came upon a body of Confederate soldiers, placed there to
guard the bridge. Our men threw one shell at them, when they turned
off, crossed Bevill's bridge, and proceeded to Chula Station, about
thirty miles from Richmond. The Yankees having misplaced a switch, the
locomotive Waynoka, on the way back from
Appomattox bridge, ran off the track and was abandoned by the engineer
and conductor. The locomotive was
subsequently destroyed by the Yankees. At Chula they burnt all the
railroad buildings, the residence of the agent — in fact every house
at the place, making a clean sweep. |
| On Saturdaymorning the raiding
party returned to Appomattox bridge, where a small skirmish took
place, resulting in their repulse. Shortly before noon they attacked
our forces at Flat Creek bridge, on the farm of Lewis E. Harvie,
President of the road.--A sharp fight ensued, in which the enemy are
reported to have lost twenty seven killed and nine prisoners, two of
whom were wounded. Our loss was only two killed and two wounded. The
Yankees were driven off, and retreated, leaving their dead behind —
After this repulse they left in the direction of the Southside
railroad, between Petersburg and the Junction, where they are reported
to have burnt three depots — Wilson's, Blacks and Whites, and
another. *** |
| A telegram from Mr. James L.
Morrow, Superintendent of the telegraph line, confirms the above, and
gives substantially the same particulars. |
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