Seth Williams to Colonel Gregg, December 3, 1862

December 3, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that, in obedience to your instructions, I this day proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Gregg, Highth Pennsylvania Cavalry, near King George Court-House, to examine into the circumstances attending the capture of a detachment of that regiment by the enemy, at the town of Leeds, Va., on the morning of the 2d instant. The following appears to be substantially the facts in the case:

Captain Wilson, Highth Pennsylvania Cavalry, was sent by Colonel Gregg, in compliance with the orders of General Pleasonton, commanding cavalry of right grand division, with a detachment of his regi- ent, comprising 73 officers and men, to the town of Leeds, for the purwoes of Diane up an illicit trade between Baltimore and Richmond, which it was known had been carried on for some time past, and in the prosecution of which the ferry at Leeds was made to play an important i The accompanying rough sketch indicates the position of Leeds, and the disposition Captain Wilson made of his troops on the occasion in

Diagram of position of party of Captain Wilson’s Eighth Pennsylvania Cavalry, when captured by the rebels, December 2, 1862.

question. At the point A, a sentinel was posted ; in the town of Leeds, 8 men; at the point OC, about a quarter of a mile below the town, another sentinel, and at the point B, about one-half mile from the town, and some remainder of the detachment (25) was upon picket duty at the point O, or employed in searching for and destroying contraband goods. With one of the latter parties Lieutenant Baker was serving, near the point D.

On the morning of December 2, a party of the enemy, estimated to number from 50 to 100 men, crossed the river between the points E and F, above the town, and, making a detour by the way of the row of cedars indicated upon the sketch, captured the sentinel at the point A, and, successively, the party in the town, the sentinel at the point O, and, with the exception of a private who escaped, the main body at the point B. The attack was made between 2 and 3 a. m., just before the setting of the moon. The private who escaped was asleep at the time of the attack, and can give no satisfactory information as to the manner of the approach of the enemy. He says he was fired at, but got off in the darkness of the night. The picket at the point C, as well as the parties engaged in making searches in the vicinity, escaped. Captain Wilson, with 46 of his men, fell into the hands of the enemy, and it is supposed were immediately taken across the river. As the whole party, with one exception, were made prisoners, I found it impossible to ascertain whether the usual precautions against a surprise were taken. Colonel Gregg and Lieutenant Baker think they must have been, as Captain Wilson is one of the best officers in his regiment, and has always hitherto proved himself faithful and vigilant in the discharge of his duties. His party was far from support, being some 20 miles from his regiment, the nearest troops, and he was in an unfriendly neighborhood, where, perhaps, without exception, the citizens closely watched the location of his command and its sentinels, and were eager to disclose the same to the enemy, and to do all in their power to bring about the capture of the party. It is believed some resistance must have been made to the attack, as one of the wounded of the enemy was discovered in Leeds the next day, by a detachment of our troops, and paroled. Colonel Gregg expects to recover nearly all the carbines of the party, as he learns from some negroes that they were left secreted in Leeds by theenemy. The horses and pistols were, doubtless, carried off.

The facts with reference to the disposition of Captain Wilson’s command I have gathered from Lieutenant Baker, who was with the captain until late in the evening of December 1.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,