| Headquarters Fifteenth Virginia Cavalry |
| June 23, 1863 |
| |
| Major-General Elzey |
| Commanding, Richmond, Va. |
| |
| General, |
| I went yesterday morning to
Aquia Creek, where my scouts have been watching the enemy for
several days. I found they had removed most of their stores, but had
left all their warehouses, engine-houses, depots, wharves, &c.,
and had four gunboats and two or three sail vessels, keeping up a
strict watch over them, shelling the woods, &c., in the vicinity
wherever we made our appearance. I took a party and set fire to all
of them, destroying all the Buildings and wharf at Aquia Creek, and
also at Split Rock Landing and Windmill Point, a few miles below.
The gunboats fired a few shells while the places were burning. I
think the road should be torn up and the Potomac Railroad {Richmond,
Fredericksburg & Potomac RR} bridge burned, but there is
an engineer officer here who talks about removing it, and removing
the railroad iron. |
| Very respectfully, your obedient servant |
| C. R. Collins |
| Major, Commanding Fifteenth Cavalry |
|