Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
WHY WILSON AND KAUTZ ESCAPED
The report reached us yesterday that General Hampton would have completed the destruction of the Kautz, Wilson and Speare’s banditti at Sussex Court House on the 30th June, but that the videttes posted by him at Jarratt’s to notify him of the movements of the enemy got drunk, and while in this condition were captured by the enemy. For the credit of our cavalry, who have of late been rendering such brilliant service, we hope that this report is false. We would gladly publish any well attested refutation of the charge. If untrue it should not be allowed to pass uncontradicted.
We hear frequently of officers, high in rank, getting drunk at critical junctures, but this is the first time we have heard anything of the sort of the privates.1
Source:
- “Why Wilson and Kautz Escaped.” Richmond Examiner. July 9, 1864, p. 1 col. 2 ↩