The Yankee raid on the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad.
The
Yankees have been checked in their attempt to destroy the railroad between
Weldon and
Petersburg.
On Tuesday afternoon, about 4 o'clock, our advanced pickets reported the enemy advancing, in numbers variously estimated at from 1,000 to 1,500.
Our skirmishers encountered the advance of the enemy at Roone's Mill, in
Northampton county, eight miles from
Garysburg, and poured such a destructive fire into the ranks of the invaders as caused them to check their speed considerably.
The skirmishing was kept up at intervals, with considerable vigor, until 11 P. M., when the enemy retired entirely out of sight.
Finding all efforts to reach the road by this route unavailing,
Gen. Ransom suspected they would endeavor to reach the
Meherrin Bridge, at Hicksford, by the Murfreesboro' road, and immediately caused a regiment and battery to move to that point.
On Wednesday, at twelve o'clock, when the train from
Weldon reached Jarratt's Depot, ten miles north of Hicksford, artillery firing was heard in the direction of the county road approaching the ford, and apparently some fifteen miles or more distant.
It is stated that in addition to the force which moved out from
Suffolk that a large number of Yankees landed at
Murfreesboro'
N. C., on Sunday night last, where they proceeded to rob the citizens and collect all the negroes they could put their hands upon.
Garysburg and vicinity was filled on Tuesday with fleeing citizens from
Murfreesboro', N. C.,
Jackson, N. C., and other places situated in the route of the invaders.
As many came on horseback, in buggies, carriages, wagons, etc, it afforded an excellent opportunity for
Gen. Ransom to supply himself with horses.
He pressed all the animals, put mounted infantry on them, and was thus enabled to send a large force in pursuit of the raiders.
So far, the road between
Petersburg and
Weldon, says the Petersburg
Express, has not been reached at any point by the vandals, and the trains are running regularly through as usual.
It is stated that
Gen. Matt. W. Ransom, now commanding the Confederate forces in the vicinity of
Weldon and
Garysburg, made a narrow escape from capture on Tuesday afternoon. The General and a portion of his staff were sitting in the porch of the hotel at
Jackson, Northampton county, not dreaming of Yankees, as our pickets were far in advance, when two dozen or more
Lincoln horsemen, who had been piloted through a by path, suddenly dashed up and attempted to surround the hotel.
The General speedily mounted his horse, and, several of his aids following the example, all made good their escape except
Captain Colvert, of the Commissary Department, who was captured.
Several bullets whizzed in dangerous proximity to the
General's head and body, but he escaped unhurt.--Before our forces could be brought up the
Yankees had suddenly departed by the same route they came.
