The Express.
London, England, 1865-04-17 00:00:00

188 k,

everything before them, capturing the works, gos,
and all, and by 10 o'clock had reached the app.
matter, and had invested Petersburg. simile
success attended the advance of the Second sad
Twenty-fourth. The result was the capture of th,
whole of the tenable portion of Lee's position
front of Petersburg; 12,000 prisoners,
gave, sat
NEW YORK, Ann. 5. large quantities of material. All the accounts con
The operations which closed yesterday in the our in describing the fighting as desperate *us
evacuation of Richmond began early last week, and *sample, and the losses on both sides are
in fact still sooner, for Sheridan's advance up the quently terrible. Each side felt it to be the da
Shenandoah is now known to have formed part of sisive Wide of the war, and acted as if they ask
them. I believe it is generally understood that for it Lae and Grant were both on the ground s
several months past Grant has been satisfied of his person directing the operations. Lee's troops as
ability to capture Petersburg by a general assault acknowledged by officers who have come on from
along the whole line, but has been prevented from 1 the front to have proved themselves worthy of this
attempting it both by • desire to avoid the great reputation, disputing every inch of
loss of life which was sure to attend it, and by his sad defending many points with the herwste
anxiety to have Sherman get up sufficiently near and clubbedi muskets. Those acute sal
him to bar Lee's retreat, in ease he should attempt i impartial writers in London, who are mine
an evacuation. Johnston's failure to prevent Sher- that the United States is governed by the "Nis
man's junction with Schofield, as well as the ion- York mob," and that the Northern army is entirely
pnnity enjoyed by the former in his march through composed of Irish and German II mercenaries," we.
South Carolina, must have, however, convinced Lee doubtless be gratified by the way in which thus
that his reaching Grant was only • question of despicable hordes have acquitted themselves. Cie.
weeks, and rumours have been afloat for some I sidering that they have no interest in the
time, which probably reached the Federal have all been drugged and kidnapped in New yak
headquarters in some trustworthy shape, that and been brutally treated ever since, and wig
the evacuation of Richmond might war dreadfully to get back to the banks of the Shanks
any day. Grant, therefore, resolved upon forcing and the Elbe, the manner in which, titer km
it in his own time, and endeavouring to break up dive exposure to driving rain, sleeping every
etsu
Let's army in the process. Sheridan was sent up on muddy ground, they have carried earthwork!' d
the Shenandoah Valley, and directed to cut all the most formidable kind, constructed with the
lines of communication to the West which he could greatest care, and garrisoned by some of the bat
possibly reach, as well as to destroy all 'torah and troops in the world, fighting for hearths led
then join Grant at Petersburg. These orders were ~ niggers," must astonish even their
admirea
successfully executed, and here-entered Grant's lines It must be confessed that the Yankees are very
a fortnight ago, with 10,000 cavalry, well mounted, lucky to get such men to fight their battles for
though somewhat fatigued. A few days were them, while they stay at home and whittle
eta
passed in resting, and various preparations were and chew tobacco.
made, such as sending off all the sick and wounded The Southsids Railroad captured, sad the
from the field hospitals, betokening the opening of vestment of Petersburg completed, of canna ths
the campaign in real earnest. It was probably Las's evacuation of the place became certain, and it ae•
getting wind of them which led to the desperate cordingly took place on Sunday night after the
attack on Fort Steadman on Saturday week, which fight, and was followed or accompanied by that el
came very near being successful, and which, Richmond, which was entered at 8 o'clock on Mow
bad it been successful, would have cut day morning by General Weitzel at the head of hI
Grant's army in two, and possibly have made his negro corp.. He telegraphs that "the people
whole position untenable. It failed owing to the have received him with a good deal of enthnsisesy
steadiness of the troops, and things re- but I imagine this means the poor and the news,
mained in stain quo until Tuesday week, who must have suffered a good deal what with the
when Sheridan left in the night with his scarcity of provisions and the dread of the ma
whole cavalry force, to make an attempt to reach scription. Davis and his cabinet are said to hut
the Southaide railroad. Most people imagined his left on Thursday last, when the serious chusche
.
destination was Burkesville, the point of junction of Grant's movement first became apparent His
between the Sontlisidenand Danville Roads. He city was fired in one or two places in as attempt
passed Dinwiddie Court-house on Wednesday doubtless to destroy the stores of tobacco, bat
morning, all well; but it now began to leak out that there seems no reason to believe that the
he was not going to Burkesville at all, but was aim- flames have not been put out by the Mask
ply engaged in an attempt to turn Lee's right flank. Lee ban retreated along the Darville road will
On Wednesday afternoon the rain set in ; the roads what remains of his army, and Grant left early ca
in two hours were converted into a quagmire, and Monday morning in pursuit, doubtless hoping to
so of course was the country round them. This de- cut him oft There is a very general impresses
layed his march seriously, revealed the nature of here that Lee's army will completely bred,
sip en
his movement to the enemy, and in fact precipi- the march, and that there will be no more fighting,
tested the crisis. On the same day the whole army but this is, I think, too 'linguine a view of the
of the Potomac moved out of its old position, ex- matter. There will be desertions on a great mils,
cept two corps left to bold the entrenchments, and there is no doubt. Few of the Virginian troops,
pushed off in the old style to the left, and and none of the North Carolinians, will go vary On
bivouacking that night on the northward side of the with him, but I think it is safe to conclude dabs
Vaughan-road. will leave the State with 20,000 men.
It had by this time, doubtless, become apparent I despair of giving you an adequate idea of the
to Lee where Grant was, and he made his preps effect produced in this city by the arrival of the
rations to foil him with his usual energy. Pickett's news. It came about one o'clock, sad business ms
division, one of the largest in his army, was sent instantly suspended in shop, counting-house, and
to look after Sheridan ;it found him with trains workshop. The courts adjourned, the common
stuck in the mud, his horses in much the same council adjourned, the brokers' board adjounocl, sad
fix, the men living on hard biscuits, and drenched the whole male population poured into tee street&
with twenty-four hours' rain. The fifth corps, Wall-street, the centre of money getting, was
under General Warren, had been sent in support also the focus of the excitement. Stocks, hook,
of him. It was to seize the White Oak road, bills, and invoices, were for the nonce utterly
and hold it, while a brigade of the cavaalry pushed forgotten, and there followed a scene the like ci
into the railroad at Five Forks ; but the infantry which has, I venture to say, never been winnow'
did not come up, or was repulsed, sonic say owing to in any other city. Nobody who did not witness it
the rain, others owing to Warren's disobedience of knows what the phrase "popular rejoicing" mama
orders, or remissness. Sheridan evidently took the Staid, grey-haired merchants and bankers hugged
latter view of it, for he relieved him of his one another, and positively danced on the ads
command on the following day. As soon as it was walk. An immense crowd collected in front of the
disposed of, the enemy flung the whole of Pickett's Treasury and cheered till they were hoarse, sada*
division on Sheridan. The country was thickly great roar passed in waves up to Broadway sad
wooded, moat of the ground impracticable for ca_ down to the river. When tired of cheering, sows
valry, whose light carbines, if they were dismounted, one struck up the " Red, White, and Blue," at
could do little against the Confederate rifles, thousands of voices song it in full chorus. lima
Sheridan was pressed hard during the day, losing followed "John Brown," "The Star Spaaglei
perhaps a thousand men sod a good deal of ground, Banner," "Rally round the Flag, Boys," AM
and was only enabled to stop his retreat near finally "The Old Hundredth," that time-bonomei
nightfall by the arrival of Custer with two fresh Puritan psalm tune, which is to every am
brigades. So far the movement had not been very of Yankee blood what the " Ranz des Varies'
prosperous. is to wee 8
" Ged save the Queen" to the
Thursday was a comparatively quiet day. Little Englishman, or "Garry Owen" to the Irishase.
There was probably not an American in the titian-
was done beyond skirmishing. Lee was probably
in massing his troops, while the Federal, to whom it was not the finest music he had eve
occupied
heard, the tune of all others round which mil
were fairly mud bound. The fifth corps held a
position between Gravelly Run and Hatcher's associations clustered, and the spectacle of a vast
Run, about a mile north of the junction of the crowd, at high noon, in the centre of one of Its
Quaker road and Boydton road. At daylight on busiest haunts of trade, thundering it out as seer
Friday morning a column composed of Wise's and song, was one not easily forgotten. When tired of
Johnson's divisions, and one from Pickett's corps, singing and cheering, speakers mounted the stops
flung itself upon it, nd drove Crawford and Ayre's and harangued the audience, many of them so ex•
division in confusion from the field for nearly two cited that their remarks were utterly inochemut
miles. They were not rallied till the afternoon, Every mention of Grant's name was the signal for
and then only south of the Boydton road. The le freah burst of cheering—not mere °Manna
offensive was resumed, with the assistance of the hurrahing, but indiscriminate yelling, in whin
second corps, and after • desperate conflict the every man tried his longs and throat to their ll'
enemy was driven in, and at nightfall the Federals most capacity. The houses were generally drama-
had advanced their position so as to hold the White with flags along the whole length of Broadway, ow
Oak road. The telegram from General Grant to three mile% the stars and stripes waved from the
Mr. Lincoln, who was at City Point, giving the windows or the roof of every house. The °hank
result of the day's operations, was not generally bells all ran& salutes Wen lined in the ivy fed,
considered favourable. People looked on it as a and in the City Hall Park, lasting through the
renewal of the game of give sod take, in which, whole afternoon, and at night the dubs and mazy
even if neither side gained any decided advantage, private dwellings were illuminated. Preparations
the Confederates would have the best of it, Gold rose are being made fora general celebration on • gruel:.
in the evening four per Bent, and New York began scale, to take place some day this week. 1
to feel very feverish. There was no news from 81;senlationa as to Lee's intentions are, of cow%
Sheridan, and the rain continued. numerous. From the accounts which are cmed
On Saturday the weather had improved. Sheri- in of his retreat, be is leaving a large Pc°9lati°l4
dam got bite eereei„ieeti„ with Warren the his men, arms, and stores on the road behind his ;
White Oak road ; Forks was seined and and meat people hers, as flare said before, WM°
held, and st two in the durum, „mbiaad his whole force will be broken up within a few days,
attack was made on Pickett, rolling him up, cap- PwrtieularlY as Steeereael h some 80 1'
turing three brigades entire, a waggon train, two 10,000 mounted infantry, is probably by this time
batteries, and planting the Federala firmly on the la his front. They bad reached &me/ in 14°4
Southaide road. So far all was well. It was
known in New York before bedtime that a posed 100 miles frac' Danville, ark" he bas Prc.
Carelina, on Monday week, and this point is about
engagement wasimminent, and would probably mho bably struck long before this. Grant thinb
place in the morning, but under what circumstances Lee to Lynchburg ; but
point
and with what chances of mores few could tell. I Mum" fa pushing °a towards that
The weather luckily was splendid. Saturday was with a heavy farce from Tennessee, it seems '"'"
one of those glorious days of tbe early spring, and , Moir be will make all haste into North Oarolisa,
the sun rose on Sunday morning in splendour in and that Johnston well break up from hell"
that clear crisp atmosphere, of whine those who are
only familiar with the skies of the old world can stick by them, they and Om Confederate °re
ttS
tina
Sherman and join him, and that with such men m
form little idea. There were prayers in many of the will make their way into Georgia, te receive
churches for the eight and in the afternoon the cold hospitality of Governor Brown and his rackt
hotels and the neighbourhood of the to
By ph t who are more hostile to them than any other Pm*t
office* were thronged by sere crowds. By one of the Soothers, Malaise, 'mein the Virginia°
o'clock the news of Sheridan's stream was known. to "air what Davis Ins" when 16° °am° as.
An hour later came the news that at day- Bared dwoo, two Two Mo. that "be could carry ea
break Grant had ordered an attack along
under 11
whole line. The sixth and ninth corps, - - - -
the the war for twenty years in Virginias."
Wright and Narks, pismed the enemy's line "Lm Propos de Labieens," the parapblst which
simultaneously with an advance on the part of ' was emisemed ter CuesieeMeeal Wingate( Pada km
Sheridan and Warren along the raPtoad, serried loom rissise Min by ear et ne laslise gewnemon

AMERICA.

THE CAPTURE OF RICHMOND.
NARRATIVE OP THE BATTLES.
PUBLIC EXCITEMENT AT NEW YORK.
(nor Ooa SPZCIAL cozazaronzarr.)