Regiment. Corpl. Peter Myers. Private William Schumaker. Sergt. Richard E. Arthur. Corpl. Lewis Pettitt Private William Rennick. Sergt. Daniel E. Bordsell.. Corpl. Edwin Van Went.. Private George W. Wesilogh.. Sergt. James E. Van Dusen.. Corpl. Daniel G. Cratty Corpl. Job Brewer. Private Mortimer Bonner. Sergt. Charles A. Price.. Corpl. Ira M. B. Crane. Private John Broad. Private George W. Lemon Corpl. James Hannah. Corpl. Alex. French. Corpl. Benjamin C. Gardner.. Q. M, Sergt. John H. Sumner. Corpl. Aug. Busson Corpl. Nich. Henry Private Henry Jerome. Corpl. Herman Schmidt. Corpl. George Newton Private William Rapp Private Henry C. Bradley. Sergt. James Hazzard. Sergt. Donald Sinkley Corpl. Reuben Howe. Sergt. Peter Lennon Corpl. Charles Thayer. Sergt. Othello W. Phelps. Privalo James Harkness. Private Hugh Madison Private William J. Moore Private Alva W. Schofield Sergt. Peter Boffinger Sergt. Charles J. Zwissler. Corpl. William Buddle Sergt. Fayette M. Paine.. Sergt. Edward H. Crie Corpl. Joseph F. Lake Private Jacob C. Brown Private James C. Holt Private Monroe Quint. Private B. T, Trueworthy. Private John Lehanne. Private Martin Harvey. An official copy of this order will be given to each soldier entitled to wear the cross. [25.] D. B. BIRNEY, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Division. 81 R R-VOL LI, PT I Maj. Gen. B. F. BUTLER, HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Commanding Department: GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a statement and plan by Col. Robert M. West, commanding at Williamsburg, which I commend to your earnest and favorable consideration. The statement I believe to be correct as far as it goes. There are, in addition to the forces named, about 1,500 infantry at and near Petersburg; also the City Battalion in Richmond, said to be a considerable body, composed of clerks, mechanics, and laborers employed by the Confederate Government, and tolerably effective on their own ground. Our raids have given them frequent practice in turning out under arms. I suppose it would require at least three hours to bring the Petersburg troops to the threatened point-probably at the early hour proposed considerably longer. They might be drawn down toward Weldon by a previous demonstration of infantry in that direction. I believe the plan entirely feasible, and would rejoice to assume the responsibility and conduct of the enterprise. Colonel West is an accomplished soldier of great prudence and judgment, and in my judgment eminently fitted for the cavalry part of the enterprise. At the moment of entering Richmond, parties of picked meu, selected from exchanged prisoners and others locally acquainted, might be detached to fire public buildings, including, if possible, the Tredegar Iron-Works. I would like to march all the available infantry and light artillery of my command, so as to meet the returning cavalry at Bottom's Bridge and support and cover it. A simultaneous movement of a small army gun-boat into the Lower Chickahominy would add to the safety of the retreat. I have the honor to be, general, with great respect, your obedient servant, [Inclosure.] I. J. WISTAR, HEADQUARTERS, Brig. Gen. I. J. WISTAR, Fort Magruder, Va., November 24, 1863. Commanding at Yorktown: GENERAL: Believing the present to be an auspicious time to strike for the relief of our suffering soldiers in the Richmond prisons, I respectfully beg leave to present herewith a statement and a plan for that object, the former of which can be relied upon, and the latter, I feel the greatest confidence, can be accomplished. The forces of the enemy as at present disposed between here and Richmond are as follows: This side the Chickahominy A scouting force of infantry and cavalry immediately in front of this posi- Couriers on Richmond road at Barhamsville..... Couriers on Richmond road at New Kent Court-House. Picket on Diascond road at Kames' farm, one mile this side Forge Bridge. Opposite side the Chickahominy— At Forge Bridge At Long Bridge At Bottom's Bridge.. About one mile from Bottom's Bridge is the Holcombe Legion of cavalry and two pieces of artillery, not more than 250 At Chaffin's farm, six miles above Drewry's Bluff, is Hunting's [Hunton's] brigade, fragments of regiments, not more than an aggregate of ....... At Charles City Court-House is the Forty-second.Battalion Virginia Cavalry (formerly the Thirty-second Battalion) 240 800 1, 314 Aggregate Aggregate of force between here and Richmond.. 1, 367 I am certain of the correctness of the foregoing at this date. The plan I propose is this: Send all the cavalry. (effective) in this department to this vicinity and organize it into a column for a rapid movement. This can be done without the knowledge of the enemy, if the cavalry can be sent here at night and encamped on an adjacent farm out of sight of the main road. While this is being done I can send out scouting parties of infantry, and by the aid of guides now here nearly if not all the pickets and couriers on this side the Chickahominy can be captured. Taken into consideration by the enemy with recent movements here, this will occasion no alarm. Then let the cavalry column start so as to reach Bottom's Bridge at 3 o'clock (a little earlier would perhaps be better) in the morning. That bridge is now standing. If it should be destroyed in the meantime, no matter. We know a ford for cavalry just below it. Once across the stream we have a run of twelve miles. The Holcombe Legion would be surprised and captured or driven pell-mell into Richmond, our cavalry following, running the gauntlet of the works. Past these, we are safe, for they are not inclosed, nor are they auxiliary. The road is not obstructed. This accomplished, the remainder of the work would be easy. The exact locations of the prisous and prisoners are accurately known for our purpose. They would need no material aid from us. The terror which our presence would inspire would enable them to release themselves. The location of the arsenal is known, and also that it contains arms and ammunition enough to place in the hands of such of our men as would be able to bear them. There are officers enough there to organize and command them. Carriages and ambulances could be pressed into service to any extent needed. Whether the city could be held or not would depend upon circumstances which cannot now be foreseen sufficiently clear to decide. There has not been a time since the war began when the auxiliary force around Richmond was so small as at this time. The city has never been before so entirely helpless for defense. The best troops in the world could scarcely recover from such a surprise as the one proposed in time to make an effectual resistance. The garrison of Richmond at present is of the most ineffective troops of the so-called Confederacy. They would be overwhelmed completely with the shock of alarm, and the arming and organizing of our friends could be sufficiently advanced to remove all possibility of danger before any force could be gathered to oppose them. I have thought of this thing for more than a year, and have always believed it to be feasible. Now, the known weakness of our force and the activity of our scouting parties here, the feeling of confidence on the part of the enemy and his utter helplessness, all combine to make the moment propitious for striking a terrible blow. I beg of you not to understand that I would make the command of the expedition a condition of giving it my most cordial support. Not at all. I will further it with all the resources of my mind and of the means under my control. I would unhesitatingly undertake to execute the plan with confidence of certain and complete success. But it is not right that I should be placed in the way of commanders who have the prestige of success, and thus deprive them and the enterprise of the benefits which would reasonably arise therefrom. If it is to be done, it should be done quickly. Not one moment should be lost. I respectfully recommend that no telegraphic communication be had upon this subject over the Peninsula line until the object is either consummated or abandoned. Most respectfully, general, I have the honor to remain, your obedient servant, [29.] Maj. Gen. B. F. BUTLER, ROB. M. WEST, YORKTOWN, VA., February 3, 1864. Commanding Department of Virginia and North Carolina: GENERAL: Your note of this morning by Major Haggerty is received. In saying Friday in my telegraph, I meant to concentrate on that evening at the lines, to march thence on Saturday at 10 a. m., and strike the blow at R[ichmond] on Sunday morning at 6 a. m. If General Meade co-operates, he should be moving at this moment. If he has no accumulation of supplies at his front, and he probably has not, it will take him some time to make an earnest movement, and a detected and understood feint is worse than nothing. I have, however, made my calculation without expecting anything from him, and whatever he may do will be a gain. About 6,000 men went south through Richmond at the end of the week before last, and on last Monday week 2,000 others, coming from the south, passed through Richmond to replace them. Those 6,000 men, with what have been drawn from the Appomattox line and Blackwater, and possibly a few previously in observation in front of New Berne, are, I suspect, about what is in front of General Palmer. One brigade at least of Pickett's is at Chaffin's farm, and part or the whole of another is at Richmond and Hanover Junction. His artillery is at Chaffin's and Richmond, and perhaps Petersburg. I know of some at both the two first-named places. It is a great risk to send men to cut the telegraph, lest if taken they should confess, in their ignorance, under the supposition that it would exonerate them from the character of spies. If they did, the enemy could draw but one inference. I think, however, I can find two to send, unknown to each other. They will start to-morrow night. How are we to know whether they cut it properly or not? Of course they will say so. I mean in reference to the payment of reward, for I shall act as though I knew the telegraph to be unharmed. My surgeon-in-chief has telegraphed for twenty new stretchers, which I hope will come on to-morrow's (Thursday's) boat. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, [33.] I. J. WISTAR, HDQRS. DEPARTMENT OF VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA, Fort Monroe, Va., February 3, 1864. Brigadier-General WISTAR, Commanding Expeditionary Division, Yorktown, Va.: MY DEAR GENERAL: Yours of this morning's boat is received. Find more than one man who can cut telegraph wire, and offer each a larger |