[120] in the direction of Richmond, reached the Aquia Creek Railway at Hungary Station on the morning of the 4th, burnt the depot, cut down the telegraphic lines and tore up the rails; continuing his daring march, he forced his way through the outposts which surrounded the Confederate capital, passed between the redoubts which enveloped it sat intervals, and captured a considerable number of prisoners in sight of the city; then, leaving the enemy astounded at so much audacity, he crossed the Chickahominy near Meadow Bridge, destroyed the railway-bridge, quickly gained the banks of the Pamunkey at Hanovertown, and, being ferried over, succeeded at last in placing that river between himself and the enemy, who was pressing him closely. On the morning of the 5th, starting again for the north, he crossed the Mattapony, and reached the Rappahannock at the village of Tappahannock. From thence, in order to throw the detachments that had been pursuing him all the way from Richmond on the wrong scent, he suddenly turned once more southward; picked up on the way a squadron of the Twelfth Illinois; and finally, on the 7th, reached the strong place of Gloucester Point, at the entrance of York River, which was occupied by the Federals.
Here he found Colonel Davis, who had arrived the day before. The latter had started at the same time as himself, and had followed, more to the northward, along the South Anna, a parallel direction with his own. His route being the shortest, he reached the Aquia Creek Railway at Ashland, which neither Gregg at the north nor Kilpatrick at the south had expected to strike before the following morning, about six o'clock in the evening of the 3d. So that, arriving unexpectedly, he had a chance of intercepting a train of cars coming from Fredericksburg. His presence along the line connecting Richmond with Lee's army threw the capital into a state of extraordinary confusion. Two hours later he occupied the other line at Hanover Junction. The stations were destroyed, as also some of the cars, one or two locomotives, and a large quantity of provisions; the railroad-ties which had been wrenched off with the rails were formed into a pile and set on fire; while two small bridges, one on Stony Creek, near Ashland, the other on Machumps Creek, near Hanover, were burned. But these damages were of small importance: in order
