g of the battle of
Chancellorsville was confident that he was going to defeat Lee. In order
to cut off his retreat, he sent General Stoneman, with 2,300 cavalry, on
April 28th, to the rear of the Confederate army. Stoneman crossed the
Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, where his force was divided. One-half, led
by General Averill, headed for the Orange Railroad, a little way above
Culpeper, then occupied by Fitzhugh Lee, with a force of 500 men. He was
attacked with such vigor that he hurriedly retreated across the Rapidan,
burning the bridges behind him. Averill, instead of pursuing, turned
about and made his way back to Hooker, in time to accompany him in his
retreat to the northern bank of the Rappahannock.

Meanwhile, Stoneman crossed the Rapidan on the 1st of May, and galloped
to Louisa Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad, a dozen miles to
the east of Gordonsville. There he paused and sent out several
detachments, which wrought a great deal of mischief. One of them
advanced to Ashland, only fifteen miles from Richmond, while another
went still closer to the Confederate capital. These bodies of troopers
caused much alarm, and a general converging of the enemy's cavalry
caused Stoneman to start on his return, May 6th. For a time he was in
great danger, but his men were excellently mounted, and, by hard riding,
they effected a safe escape along the north bank of the Pamunkey and
York Rivers, and rejoined their friends at Gloucester.

GRIERSON'S RAID.

During the siege of Vicksburg a daring raid was made in the rear of the
city by Colonel B.H. Grierson. In this instance his work was of great
help to General Grant, for he destroyed the Confederate lines of
communication, and checked the gathering of reinforcements for
Pemberton. Grierson, who conceived the plan of the raid, left La Grange
on the 17th of April with three regiments of cavalry. After crossing the
Tallahatchie, he rode south to the Macon and Corinth Railroad, where the
rails were torn up, telegraph lines cut, and bridges and other property
destroyed. To do the work thoroughly detachments were sent in different
directions, and they spared nothing.

Grierson now changed his course to the southwest, seized the bridge over
Pearl River, burned a large number of locomotives, and forced his way
through a wild country to Baton Rouge, which he found in the possession
of Unionists. He had been engaged for a fortnight on his raid, during
which he destroyed an i