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run on the night of the 18th, and on the 19th the march was promptly resumed, the wagons and prisoners securely crossed over the Rappahannock, and General Hampton was ‘safely home without the loss of a man.’
He brought in 157 prisoners, 20 loaded wagons, 30 stand of infantry arms, and 1 stand of colors.
Again he reported to General Stuart the gallant bearing and spirit of his command, staff, field, line, rank and file.
The wonderful escape from casualties on this expedition is hard to be accounted for, especially in the operations of Captain Clark while disputing the passage of Selectman's ford and charging the enemy's head of column.
It seems ungracious to say that the only explanation is that the enemy were badly demoralized and fired wildly, for they fired abundantly.
At the town and on the Telegraph road, there was no decided resistance offered.
The surprise was complete, and the show of force and dash compelled almost immediate surrender.
These brilliant achievements of General Hampton's command were followed by a fourth expedition, led by General Stuart, with ‘select detachments’ from the brigades of Hampton, Fitzhugh Lee and W. H. F. Lee.
Hampton's command was composed of 175 of the First North Carolina, under Maj. J. H. Whittaker; 150 of the First South Carolina, Capt. W. A. Walker; 150 of the Second South Carolina, Col. M. C. Butler; 180 of the Cobb legion, Maj. William G. Delony; 130 of the Phillips legion, Lieut.-Col. W. W. Rich, and 85 of the Jeff Davis legion, Lieutenant-Colonel Martin; a force 870 strong.
A section of artillery, under Lieut. F. M. Bamberg, was also with Hampton.
General Stuart's purpose was to operate mainly on the Telegraph road, assured of finding it at this time well filled with trains moving to General Burnside's army.
Gen. W. H. F. Lee was ordered to move on Dumfries, General Hampton on
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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