Milton Blues

Milton Blues

From the Southside.

The Petersburg Express, of yesterday, has the following:

A body of 250 mounted riflemen, attached to Col. C. C. Dodge's New York regiment, entered the village of Isle of Wight Court-House, on Saturday night last. They seized feed for their horses, and levied upon the citizens for their suppers, but committed no other depredations so far as our informant could learn.

One hundred of the same body went over to Smithfield Sunday, and arrested a couple of soldiers who were sick in the hospital there. They are members of the Milton Blues, 13th North Carolina regiment, but we have been unable to ascertain their names. Several citizens were also arrested, but subsequently released on parole.

Our informant is of the opinion, and was so told by many loyal citizens with whom he conversed, that Dodge's mounted riflemen are reconnoitering for the purpose of ascertaining the movements of the "rebel guerrilla batteries," as the Yankees term them, which have been recently firing upon McClellan's transports. Since the withdrawal of our pickets from the vicinity of Zuni, the Federals are becoming quite bold, and we fear that the citizens in that section, than whom none are more loyal, will be much annoyed.

The Express adds:

We have conversed with gentlemen who left Norfolk Saturday evening last after twilight. --They reached Petersburg yesterday afternoon, after a most fatiguing jaunt. These gentlemen report Norfolk very quiet. Business of all kinds has been entirely suspended, and commercially the place may be considered dead.

There are now only about 350 troops in Norfolk, and they have but little trouble in holding the place. The citizens go out but little after dark, and in the day time, if they congregate in squads of more than a half-dozen, the guard of General Viele immediately orders them to disperse. The ladies are very firm in their hostility to the Federals, and recognize them in no manner whatever. The only war vessel immediately near is the Minnesota, and she lies at the naval anchorage.

From the same source we learn that there are now 4,000 Federal troops at Suffolk. No preparation for a forward movement is apparent.

Source: Richmond Daily Dispatch, 17 July 1862