Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-03
GREAT BATTLE IMMINENT.
FROM GEORGIA.
SHERMAN LOSES HIS CANALRY n
~ aS SUPPORT. %EF
Probable Retreat ON vlcIssburg.
THE EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
On the Road to Richmond.


WASHINGTON, March beta reports
from Headquarters, Army of the Potomac,
to this bureau, under date of March LIST |:
1t would seem that Gen. Sedgwick was sent
to the extreme left of the enemy to engage
his attention aud divert his,vigilance from
Rapidan fords. Fitzpatrick, seizeing adyan-
tage of this, crossed the river and made
rapid detOur to the southwest of the enc
my's main position around Orange G.. H.,
and Gordonsville, while Custar swings rap
idly around the extreme right of Sedgwick
via Madison G. III. and Stonardsville. Our
latest information from Fitzpatrick was up
to o'clock yesterday morning, when he
was reported to be at Spottsylvania and on
the trot. OF Custar we have positive knowl-
edge that his long lines of cavalry dashed
rapidly through Madison G. Ii. before day
light yesterday morning.
1t is reasonably supposed by Tribune
special, who left the Court House at noon,
that Custar had engaged the enemy at one
o'clock, for heavy cannonading was heard
at that hour in the direction of Orange G.
III. and it continued up to dark.
Gray sends news from Madison Court
House, dated Monday noon, that Sedg-
wick's corps marched at sunrise Saturday
with four days rations; bivouacked at night
seven miles beyond Culpepper; reached
Russell's ford, on Robinson river, Sunday
forenoon, where most of the corps bivouck-
ed, and Sedgwick established his head
quarters. Talbot's brigade pushed on to
Madison Court House, with cavalry under
Capt. Dafin. The 1st division Of the Sd
corps came up to the support of the sixth
on Sunday night. +,
AT one o'clock on Monday morning, Gus
tar's cavalry, with horse artillery, marched
1t M fn fha IL
crossed near Barnett's ford.
LATEST.
News from the front indicates a battle
this morning at Stonardsville between Gus
tars cavalry and the rebel infantry. Ru-
mors persistently place Fitzpatrick at about
twenty-five miles from Richmond; give us
Spottsylvania Court House and Madison
Court House; and as drawback swell the
waters of the Rapidan six feet over the
level of yesterday.
WASHINGTON, March IA special to the
Times says: The latest information re-
ceived from the Army of the Potomac is to
nine o'clock this morning. Heavy musket-
ry firing was heard early this morning off
to the extreme right, in the direction Of
Stonardsville, where it was supposed that
Custar's cavalry were engaging the enemy.
IhauioOu SOuIb IlOuSc, dS well dS SpOCUSyl-
vania Court House. are in our possession.
There is an evident disposition on the part
of Lee to await battle by Fitzpatrick be-
hind his intrenchments.
Fitzpatrick has been heard from. The re-
port is favorable. Lees communications
no longer remain unbroken. Itwas report
ed to-day at Culpepper that Hampton's
legion had been badly whipped by Kilpat-
rick, with loss of several hundred pris-
oners. Hampton, himself, among the num-
Der.
A special to the World from Washington
says: Gen. Fitzpatrick, with large force of
cavalry and mounted infantry, started three
days since for Richmond in hope of captur-
ing that city by coup de main, or compel
Lee to leave his entertainments at Miner
Run and march to its defense. The rapid
retreat of Longstreet on Richmond is ex-
planned by this movement. 1t is rumored
that Fitzpatrick will have the cooperation
of large force advancingu up the Peninsula.
New YORK, March 2.-The Post SAYS
there are reports from Virginia that a cav
airy force under Fitzpatrick has got into the
rear of Lees army, and is making its way
towards Richmond; also that one corps Of
the Army of. the Potomac is making di-
version in Kilpatrick's favor against the
main body of the rebels. Nothing authen-
tic has been received as to the movements,
but it is known that no battle had occurred
up to yesterday noon.