Daring raid of the enemy — they Approach within three miles of the City — their Repulse on the Brook road — reported Fighting on the Westham Plank road.
The raid of the enemy, so sudden and unexpected, has so completely interrupted telegraphic communication that little is known of the damage inflicted by them on the Virginia Central railroad; but what little we have been able to ascertain leads to the belief that the injury to that road has been comparatively trifling.After leaving Frederick's Hall, on Monday evening, the Force seems to have divided, a portion of them passing through the upper part of Hanover county to the Fredericksburg railroad, which they are reported to have struck between Taylorsville and Ashland, and the others moving off through Louisa into Goochland county.
Early in the day yesterday nothing could be heard from Ashland, on account of the interruption of the telegraph line, and nothing could be learned of the column of the enemy that struck the railroad at that point until they appeared on the Brook Turnpike a few miles from the city. This was about 10 o'clock A. M. They were gallantly met by a detachment of battery troops, commanded by Col. Stevens. After an engagement of some thirty minutes with light field pieces, they were driven off and retired in the direction of the Meadow Bridges, on the Central road. During the firing the enemy threw several shells at the fine mansion of Hon. James Lyons, one or two of which, we understand, passed through the building, but happily without inflicting any material damage. It was reported last night that this column had encamped about five miles from the city on the Mechanicville road. In the fight on the Brook road, Col. Stevens had one man killed and seven wounded. This force of the enemy is variously estimated at from 1,000 to 5,000 cavalry, and a battery of artillery. The best information we have leads to the impression that their force at this point did not exceed 1, 3000. In the fight nothing but artillery was used.
The column that went into Goochland county paid a visit to the farm of Hon. James A. Seddon, Secretary of War. We heard last night that the damage done by them on his place amounted to but little. They burnt two or three flouring mills in the county, among them the Dover Mill, some twenty-five miles above this city. Gen. Henry A. Wise, who was at the residence of his son-in- law, Mr. Hobson, in Goochland, narrowly escaped capture. He was at Mr. H.'s when the enemy went to Mr. Seddon's place, and hearing of their presence in the neighborhood he put out for Richmond, and arrived here about the middle of the day yesterday. This column of the enemy is said to have consisted of four regiments of cavalry and one battery of artillery. A report reached the city last night that a portion of them had crossed James river, whilst the others were moving in the direction of Richmond on the Westham plankroad, with the view, it is conjectured, of forming a junction with the column that was repulsed on the Brook turnpike. If it be true that any portion of them crossed James river — which was doubted at the War office--the design doubtless is, in conjunction with those approaching on the Westham road, to attempt the release of the prisoners on Belle Isle. About nightfall musketry firing was heard on the plankroad, supposed to be about five miles distant from the city, and as a body of our troops had been sent in that direction, the inference is that they had come up with the approaching enemy. Of the result of the firing we had learned nothing up to the time of writing this article.
Later.
Since writing the above, some fifteen prisoners, captured at different points along the line of the enemy's routes, have been brought in. They say that the column of their forces which approached on the Brook road are under Gen. Kilpatrick, and that the column which went into Goochland is commanded by Gen. Gregg. The main body of Kilpatrick's forces crossed the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridges late in the afternoon. The rear guard went into camp last night at the junction of the Mechanicville and Meadow Bridges road.Whilst in Goochland Gregg's force burned the barn of Hon. J. A. Seddon. It is also reported that they carried off with them Mrs. Patterson Allan, who is under indictment for treason in the Confederate District Court. This is only rumor, and should be received with allowance.
Kilpatrick's party visited the premises of Mr. John P. Ballard, about three miles from the city, and stole from his stables a pair of valuable carriage horses.
