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

April 4, 8 a.m., give the latest information received
from Richmond :—General Weitzel telegraphs from
Richmond that of railway stock he foun 1 there 28
locomotives, 4 passenger and baggage, and 106
freight cars. At half-past 3 o'clock t ti, morning
GeneraljGrant, from Sutherland station, 10 miles
from Petersburg, towards Burkeville, telegraphs as
follows General Sheridan picked up 1,200
prisoners to-day, and from 300 to 500 more have
been gathered by our troops. The majority of the
arms that were left in the hands of Lee's army are
now scattered between Richmond and where his
troops now are. The country is also full of strag-
glers. The line of retreat is now marked with ar-
tillery, ammunition, burnt or charred waggons,
caissons, ambulances, &c.'

"E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
"Major-General Dix, New York."
" Washington, April 4, 11 p.m.

" The following telegram from Gen. Grant has
just reached this department. What hour to-day it
left him does not appear, but likely in the afternoon.
No details of the casualties have been received, but
they are expected to-morrow. The statement of
General Custer being killed is not true. He was un-
harmed late this afternoon.

" E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
'• Major-General Dix.
" ' Wilson Station, Virginia, April 4.

g The army is pushing forward in the hope of
overtaking and dispersing the remainder of Lee's
army. Sheridan with his cavalry and the sth Corps
is between this and the Appomattox. Gen. Meade
with the 2d and 6th following. Gen. Ord is follow-
ing the line of the Southside Railroad. All of the
enemy that retain anything like organisation have
gone north of the Appomattox, and are apparently
heading for Lynchburg. Their losseshave been very
heavy. Houses through the country are nearly all
used as hospitals for wounded men. In every direc-
tion I hear of rebel soldiers pushing for home, some
in large, some in small squads, and generally with-
' out arms. The cavalry have pursued so closely that
the enemy have been forced to destroy probably the
greater part of their transportation, caissons, and
munitions of war. The number of prisoners captured
yesterday exceeds 2,000. From March 28th to the
present time our loss in killed, wounded, and cap-
tured will not probably reach 7,000, of whom from
1,500 to 2,000 were captured, and many but slightly
wounded. I shall continue the pursuit as long as
there appears to be any use of it.

"U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General.
" ' Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary at War."

, -
The following particulars are gathered from the
various newspaper accounts :

On Thursday, 30th of March, Sheridan's cavalry
was repulsed in several attempts to reach the South-
side Railway from Dinwiddie Court-house, and was
reinforced during the night by the sth corps under
Gen. Griffin. On the following morning Sheridan
again ordered an advance, which was continued
without opposition for some distance until suddenly
the left of the sth Corps was attacked furiously by
the Confederates under Gen. Pickett and Bushrod
Johnson. The Federals were forced back in great
confusion, but were finally reformed on the Boyd-
ton-road by General Sheridan and again advanced,
and finally, after a desperate engagement at Five
Forks, succeeded in routing the Confederates and
reaching the line of the Southside Railroad. During
this engagement Sheridan is reported to have cap-
tured over 4,000 prisoners. Sheridan's success was
the signal for a general advance of the whole army.
Early on the morning of the Ist inst. the 9th Corps
sustained a severe repulse in an attack upon Fort
Mahone, but carried the Confederate lines at other
points, and finally, after severe fighting, took the
fort by assault, and subsequently repubed several
desperate attempts of the Confederates to re-esta-
blish their lines at that point. The 6th corps also
successfully carried the works at and adjoining Fort
Welsh, capturing some 3,000 prisoners. These suc-
cesses broke the Confederate lines effectually, and
a general retreat seems to have followed. The offi-
cial reports furnished give about the most connected
account of the operations on the Ist and 2d instant.
From the confused mass of newspaper correspon-
dence in relation to the four days' fighting, a few
intelligible paragraphs might be selected, but these,
would be disconnected and confusing. The tota
annihilation of Lee's army is announced as a cer-
tainty by some correspondents, while others state
that although losing very severely Lee will, with the
aid of reinforcements from Johnston, make a stand
with the possibility of checking pursuit. He is said
to be retreating to Danville, to Lynchburg, or to
Raleigh, and his losses are said to have been in pri-
soners alone 25,000 men. General A. P. Hill is re-
ported as killed ; and Lee's loss in killed and
wounded is stated at 15,000. The Northern press
generally regard the speedy and entire dispersion
of the Confederate armies as certain. Great re-
joicing has occurred throughout the Northern States,
business in most cities has been partially suspended,
and illuminations and artillery salutes resorted to.
Some journals, however, agree that Lee had long
ago determined upon the evacuation of Richmond
and Petersburg, and that the war may be yet greatly
prolonged. Intelligence received from the different
northern cities and towns describes the excitement
subsequent, to the receipt of the news of the capture
of Richmond to have hardly ever before been
equalled. Public meetings were held, salutes were
fired, and most of the places were illuminated in the
evening. Business was suspended everywhere."

The following account has been received from
Washington, of date April 3 :
" The fall of Richmond and Petersburg became
known at a few minutes after 11 o'clock this morn-
ing. The intelligence soon spread throughout the
city, occasioning intense and joyous excitement.
Between 11 and 12 o'clock an immense crowd
gathered in the park on the north side of the War
Department, and there received the first confirma-
tory intelligence of the victory, which was greeted
with deafening cheers. There were loud calls for
the Secretary of War, who delivered the following
brief address :

" ' Friends and fellow-citizens,—ln this great hum of
triumph, my heart as well as yours is penetrated with gra-
titude to Almighty God for his deliverance of the nation.
(Tremendous and prolonged cheering.) Our thanks are due
to the President—(cheers)—to the armyand navy—(cheers)
—to the great commanders by sea and land—(cheers)—to
the gallant officers and men who have perilled their lives
upon the battle-field, and drenched the soil with their
blood. (Cheers.) Henceforth our commiseration and
our aid should be given to the wounded, the maimed,
and the suffering, who bear the marks of their great
suffering in the mighty struggle. Let us humbly offer
up our thanks to Divine Providence for His care over us,
and beseech Him to guide and govern us in our duties here-
after, as Ho has carried us forward to victory, and to help
us to secure the foundations of this Republic, soaked as they
have been in blood, so that it shall live for ever and ever.
(Enthusiastic cheers.) Let us, also, not forget the labour-
ing millions in other lands, who in this struggle have given
us their sympathies, their aid, and their prayers. and let us
bid them rejoice with us in their great triumph. Then,
having done this, let us trust the future to Him, who will
guide us, as heretofore, according to His own good will.
(Cheers.)'

'4 The Secretary then read the despatch from
General Grant announcing the capture, at 8.15 this
morning, of Richmond, and that he (Grant) was
moving the army up to capture the Danville Rail-
road and Lee's retreating forces. It was received
with long-continued cheering. A large crowd col-
lected in front of the State Department, which was
profusely decked with flags, and called out Secre-
tary Seward, who, after the eheers had subsided,
spoke as follows :
" thank my fellow-citizens for the honour they do me
by calling to congratulate me on the fall of Richmond.
(Cheers.) I am now about writing my foreign despatches.
What shall I tell the Emperor of China ? I shall thank
him in your name for never having permitted a piratical
flag to enter the harbour of the empire. (Applause.)
What shall I say to the Sultan of Turkey ? I shall thank
him for always having surrounded rebel insurgents who
have taken refuge in his kingdom. (Cries of That's it,'
and cheering.) What shall I say to the Emperor of the
French ? (A voice—' To get out of Mexico.') I shall say
to the Emperor of the French that he can go to-morrow to
Richmond and get his tobacco, so long held under blockade
there, provided the rebels have not used it up. (Laughter
and cheers.) To Lord John Russell I will say that British
merchants will find cotton exported from our ports under
treaty with the United States cheaper than cotton obtained
by running the blockade. As for Earl Russell himself, I
need not tell them that this is a war for freedom andnational
independence, and the rights of human nature, and not a
war for empire ; and that if Great Britain should only be
just to the United States, Canada will remain undisturbed
by us so long as she prefers the authority of the noble Queen

to voluntary incorporation with the United States. (Cheers
and exclamations of That's the talk,' You're right.')
What shall I tell the Ring of Prussia ? I will tell him the
Germans have been faithful to the standard of the Union,
as his excellent Minister, Baron Gerolt, has been constant
in his friendship to the United States during his long resi-
dence in this country. (Cheers.) To the Emperor of
Austria I shall say that he has proved himself a very wise
man, for he told us in the beginning that he had no sym-
pathy with rebellion anywhere. (Cheers.) Ido not doubt,
follow-citizens, that at least you accede to the theory by
which I have governed myself during the war—namely,
that the rebellion was to end in 90 days. (Laughter and
cheers.) I have thought this the true theory, because I never
knew a physician able to restore the patient to health unless
he thought he could work a cure under the most favour-
able circumstances in 90 days. (Renewed laughter.) Finally,
if the American people approve, I will say that our motto
in peace shall be what our text has been while at war—
Every nation is entitled to regulate its own domestic affairs
in its own way, and all are bound to conduct themselves so
as to promote peace on earth and goodwill to mankind.'

" Upon the conclusion of the Secretary's speech
the crowd dispersed, cheering vociferously for the
President, the Secretary, and the Union. At a
subsequent period of the day an assemblage was
addressed from the steps of the ladies' entrance to
Willard's Hotel by Vice-President Johnson, who
was frequently interrupted by cheers. The enthu-
siasm was particularly great when he said the time
the Southern States were talking treason, he told
them to their faces in the Senate Chamber that,
were he President James Buchanan he would arrest
the whole of them, and, obtaining a verdict, he would
do as General Jackson would have done, hung
them as high as Haman for treason. Major-General
Butler, Senator Nye, and others, also gratified the
auditory with speeches. General Butler said :
" Fellow-citizens,—Nothing could give me greaterplea-
sure than to meet you at any time. How much more, then,
to mingle my congratulations with yours upon the glorious
triumph of the American arms ! All honour to the brave
soldiers who have purchased by their blood this success to
our arms, and assurances of peace. In the hour of triumph
let us remember that the deluded masses of the South are
and must be a portion of our countrymen and of ourselves.
But let us also pledge ourselves that the leaders of the re-
bellion, who have cost the countrylso much bloodand trea-
sure, shall never hereafter have any political privileges or
power (the General was here interrupted by loud and long
continued cheering) again to tear down the glorious flag
which waves over us. (Great cheering.) The God of Jus-
tice works by certain means, and perhaps there can be no
more suggestive instance of His retribution than that a
corps of coloured troops under the gallant Weitzel was the
first to plant the flag of freedom over the rebel capital.
(Loud cheering.) Let us thank God that we have obtained
peace, not by negotiation or compromise with treason, but
by the right arms of our soldiers; and that the terms which
e shall give will be consonant with the dignity, clemency,
and justice of the nation.' (Renewed and long-continued
applause.)

"At the National Hotel, and in fact at every
prominent point in the city, large crowds gathered,
and were addressed by eminent gentlemen. An
elderly, respectably-dressed coloured man mounted
a low window-sill in front of Willard's Hotel, and
expressed his gratification of the glorious victory
in Ea brief speech, to a throng of good-natured
citizens. Salutes were fired in different parts
of the city. Such a day of rejoicing was
never before known in Washington. Secretary
Welles sent telegrams to the California and other
navy yards of the United States, ordering a national
salute to be fired immediately on receipt of the
glorious news of the downfall of Richmond."

President Lincoln has addressed the following
letter to Governor Fletcher of Missouri :

" Executive Mansion, Washington, Feb. 20.

"It seems that there is now no organised military
force of the enemy in Missouri, and yet that destruc-
tion of property and life is rampant everywhere. Is
not the cure for this within easy reach of the people
themselves ? It cannot but be that every man,
not naturally a robber or a cut-throat, would gladly
put an end to this state of things. A large ma-
jority in every locality must feel alike upon this
subject, and if so they only need to reach an under-
standing one with another. Each leaving all others
alone solves the problem ; and surely each would
do this but for his apprehension that others will not
leave him alone. Cannot this mischievous distrust
be removed ? Let neighbourhood meetings be
everywhere called and held, all entertaining a sin-
cere purpose for mutual security in the future,
whatever they may heretofore have thought, said,
or done about the war or about anything else. Let
all such meet, and waiving all else, pledge each to
cease harassing others, and to make common cause
against whoever persists in making, aiding, or en-
couraging further disturbances. The practical means
they will best know how to adopt and apply. At
such meetings old friendships will cross the memory,
and honour and Christian charity will come in to
help.

" Please consider whether it may not be well to
suggest this to the now afflicted people of Missouri.
—Yours truly, " A. Ll= ousi.”
Secretary Seward issued the following order at
Washington yesterday :
" To all whom these presents may concern.—Whereas for
some time past, evil disposed persons have crossed the bor-
ders of the United States or entered their ports by sea from
countries where they are tolerated, and have committed
capital felonies against the property and life of American
citizens, as well in the cities as in the rural districts of the
country. Now, therefore, in the name of and by the autho-
rity of the President of the United States, I do hereby
make known that a reward of $l,OOO will be paid at this
department for the capture of each of such offenders, upon
his conviction by a civil or military tribunal, to whomso -
ever shall arrest and deliver such offenders into the custody
of the civil or military authorities of the United States;
and the like reward will be paid upon the same terms for
the capture of any such persons so entering the United
States whose offences shall be committed subsequently to
the publication of this notice. A reward of $5OO will be
paid upon conviction for the arrest of such persons who
shall have aided and abetted offences of this class above-
named within the territory of the United States. Given
under my hand and the seal of the Department of State, at
Washington, this 4th day of April, 1865.
"W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State."
The correspondent of the New York Herald de-
scribes the dispersion of Lee's army as follows :
"At the commencement of General Grant's operations on
this line five days ago the rebels had a force at their com-
mand defending Petersburg variously estimated at from
60,000 to 75,000 men. The defence of Petersburg was the
defence of Richmond—if one fell the other was certain to
fall. Hence every available man was brought to confront
Grant. Of this boasted army of veteran troops, the last
hope of the rebellion, not less than 25,000 have fallen into
our hands as prisoners of war. These have been captured
on the battle-field as the fruit of severe fighting; 12,500 of
them had been delivered at City Feint and dispersed of up
to last evening. So rapidly were they received that troop
could not be spared to guard them all, and Admiral Porter
volunteered the services of his sailors and marines for that
duty ; and the gallant tars of the Monitors (the depth of
the water not permitting them to get up to Richmond) thus
found an opportunity of participating in the great struggle
of the war. I have no data on which to base an estimate
of the casualties in the rebel ranks, but on every hand they
are reported to be very heavy. Ordinarily 331-3 per cent.
is a fair average of losses in a general engagement of any
magnitude. But let it be supposed that, because of the
lack of spirit in the rebel ranks, which caused them to
shrink from the fight and not stand up so bravely as on
former occasions, their losses were small. Make them but
25 per cent. That gives from 15,000 to 18,000 killed and
wounded—say 15,000—which, added to the 25,000 cap-
tured, makes 40,000 more than half the entire army at the
maximum estimate of its strength, or three-fourths at the
minimum estimate. These estimates leave from 15,000 to
30,000 of the Petersburg rebel army yet alive and at large.
Add to this, say, 10,000 occupying the defences of Rich-
mond, making from 25,000 to 40,000 the sole survivors of
the Grand Army of Northern Virginia. These are divided
into not less than four distinct fugitive bands, each seeking
safety for itself alone, with no settled purpose or plan of
junction, and no rest afforded them by their unrelenting
pursuers to form plans. Sheridan's success at the Five Forks
on Saturday cut Lee's right wing off ; since which time it
has not since been heard of. Doubtless it was understood
by them that defeat meant abandonment of the Petersburg
and Richmond lines, and rightly considering Sheridan's
flank movement a virtual defeat these fellows made off with
all haste. Their disappearance has been considered a mys-
tery up to this time, the rebels themselves supposing them
captured entire. The vigorous push by the 9th 6th, and
24h Corps yesterday morning, penetrating and piercing the
rebel lines, caused another separation of their forces, cutting
off a second large body. Of the flight of these we have some
A portion of them started for the Appomattox, and
succeeded in crossing that stream by means of a pontoon
train at a point some 10 or 15 miles above Petersburg,while
the rest being hard pressed could not get across, and fled
up the river on its southern bank. Sheridan is still pur-
suing and pushing them, capturing more prisoners at every
step. A third detachment, consisting of those who held,ror
sought to hold, the works immediately in front of Peters-
burg, escaped through that city, The fourth detachment,
those in the defences :of Richmond, are also fugitives, it
now being known that the place i 9 evacuated.
.Thus we
have the grand army reduced by its many battles and cam-
paigns to but 60,000 or 75,000 men; this number being re-
duced in the final struggle to 20,000 or 30,000, or, includ- ,

trace,