Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
THE LATE YANKEE RAID ON THE DANVILLE RAILROAD.
It seems that the enemy found the line of the Danville railroad a very unpleasant route, after the attempt to burn the Staunton river bridge, and hastily set about retracing his steps, striking through Lunenburg and Dinwiddie. It was reported yesterday in Petersburg, (heavy firing being heard down the Weldon railroad, below Petersburg,) that a part of the force were trying to make back to Grant’s army with the view of getting reinforcements. A citizen of Nottoway county, through which they passed, gives the following particulars of their thieving and plundering along their route:
From Mr. Edward Scott and brother they stole some forty or fifty negroes.
From Mr. Robert Sydnor, an estimable citizen of Dinwiddie, they stole forty gallons of wine and twenty-five barrels of corn.
At Ford’s depot they arrested Mr. Pegram, the railroad agent, and confined him in a hog pen.—Mr. Pegram had given his watch and $1,800 to a servant for safe keeping, but it is stated that the negro proved recreant to his trust and went off with the raiders, carrying the watch and money with him.
From Mr. Freeman Eppes, of Nottoway, they stole twenty-seven likely negroes.
From Thomas H. Campbell, Esq., they stole all his negro men but two. They also plundered Mr. Campbell’s house of all its valuable furniture, silver plate, etc. Dr. Campbell, the father of Thomas H., and a neighbor, was also robbed of everything; and Mr. Algernon Campbell, a brother, shared a similar fate. Mr. T. H. Campbell is a son-in-law of the Rev. Dr. Pryor, and the Doctor’s escape probably incensed the raiders against the family.
From Mr. Lee Hawkes, of Nottoway, they stole and burnt one hundred and fifty bales of cotton.—Others in Nottoway suffered great losses.
From Mr. Edward Stokes, of Lunenburg, the raiders stole a set of silver service, for which was paid $5,000 before the war. They also took all of Mr. Stokes’ negro men, and much gold and silver coin.
The residence of Captain William A. Adams, who formerly commanded the Dinwiddie cavalry, was robbed of every light article of value it contained, the furniture broken up, and the house then burned.
Many other valuable residences were ransacked and burnt.1
Source:
- “The Late Yankee Raid on the Danville Railroad.” Richmond Examiner. July 1, 1864, p. 2 col. 6 ↩