The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-29
MORNING. SEPTEMBER q.
THE WAR NEWS.

Rumors from the Valley are plentiful but n1ost IL
them are Of an unreliable character 1t waa re-.
ported yesterday that General Early whipped the
enemy OH Tuesday at Weyers cave, but of this4Akre
is no confirmation. From all We can learn, aLeavy
skirmish took place On Monday at Brow1.s gap
since which time there has been no fghtiHS III
this affair the enemy seem to have made He at
tack, and were repulsed. The object of the esaemy
was, doubtless, to engage Early's attention While
their cavalry occupied Staunton and went Oh raids
in various directions They entered Staunton As we
have before stated, at five o'clock on Mond64 eye-
nng hi force variously estimated at from five hun
dred to five thousand men. We heard nothiag fur
ther from them until yesterday morning, when, be-
tween eight and nine o'clock, body Of cav
airy advanced upon waynesboro, on the
Central railroad twelve miles this side Of Stannton
Here they destroyed splendid iron bridge, the
best on the road, two hundred and thirty feet in
length, and built iii the most substantial manper.-
They also burnt the depot, engine e-houses, wood
Sheds and in fact according to the best iuf0rma-
ton at hand,) destroyed all the railroad pazerty
at the station Waynesboro'sis at the western foot
of the Blue Ridge, on the South river We have no
account Of the enemy's subsequent operations,
although it Is reported that party of cavalry had
gone i'll tho direction Of Lexington. Between
Waynesboro' and Staunton, with the exception Of
the iron structure Just MENTIONED the only railroad
bridges are oi wood and trestle-wofk, averaging,
perhaps, twenty feet i'll length. These have proba-
bly, been destroyed. report reached US last night
that the Yankees were advancing towards the Blue
Ridge tunnel, but this lacks confirmation.
An impression prevails in some quarters that the
enemy contemplate raid upon charlottesville
To accomplish this, however, they must first pass
through Browns gap, which confident of our
ability to hold. Meanwhile, although we have no
positive information to General Early's present
position, there is report believed to be authentic.
that he has started in pursuit of the enemy, and
is hoped he will be able to punish them sufficiently
to check their destructive operations. We are as
sured by gentleman from Staunton that there is 10
truth i'll the rumor OF the Generalization of our
army i'll the Valley. The men were never in better
spirits, ami only await their generals command to
go.forward and meet the foe.
Parties who arrived last evening from Me-
ehums river inform us that all the inhabitants vi
Staunton and vicinity, who could do SO, fled the
approach Of the Yankees 1t is represented that
the road between staunton and Charlottesville il
lined with wagons horses, cattle and negroes, their
owners all seeking place Of safety the whole pre-
immense caravan These unfortunate people, thus
driven from their holmes will doutess locate tenn
rorariy in some Of the upper counties until such
time as the departure of the Yankees lunder COM
pulson, we hope, shall leave them free to return.
As a measure Of prudence, the public stores at Me
chum's river were yesterday removed. Should the
enemy happen to advance III that direction, they
will find bat little to crafty their thirst for punder
at staunton had been removed previous to the occu-
patton Of the town by the Yankees, and the sick
and wounded were carried to Lynchburg.
We add the following to cur list Of casualties Ill
the Valley: Captain ]. Livingston Massie, OF the
Fluvanna artillery. killed; Sergeant-Major Will
liam NJ, Abe,i OF Charlottesville, acting adjutant
of the Fifth Virginia cavalry, killed. Major J. Nj.
Wilson, Seventh Louisiana regiment, wounded; ;
Edward q. Minor, of Charlottesville, member OF
the New Kent cavalry arm shot off Lieutenant
Colonel Pendleton, assistant acknowledgement to
General Early, mortally wounded; Captain Duncan,
of louisiana killed Lieutenant Henry Long, Of
the same State, wounded; Captain Lasley, company
X, Second Virginia cavalry, and Hugh Garth, OF
Albemarle, same company, killed Edward Wills,
of Lynohburg, member Of Massie's battery killed,
Major Seaton Gales, Of North Carolina, captured.
General Wharton is reported wounded.
FROM PETERSBURG.
Since our last report no movements OF importance
have transpired the lines III front OF Petersburg
Save the occasional discharge Of nusket, and, at
long intervals, the boom vi d cannon, everything
continued quiet yesterday On cur right, where, if
anywhere, fight has been considered imminent
for several days past, the enemy show no present
disposition to make any movement, and the conse-
Quence is, that brave boys i'll the trenches have
nothing to do but keep sharp lookout and hold
themselves ready for action at moments warning
There is doubt but that Grant is receiving rein
forcements, though III what numbers it impossible
to say. Parties from the enemy's rear report the
arrival of large bodies OF recruits within the past
eight or ten days, while steamers crowded with
troops are continually arriving at City Point.
The Yankees On the Weldon railroad continue to
destroy private property. though, far US We can
see they have object in view except the gratca-
ton of that spirit of malevolence which has charac-
terized their proceedings throughout the war. 1t
will be recoliected that We mentioned the burning of
the Davis house some two OF three weeks ago, an
We now learn that they have burnt the houses on
the Wells place, Immediately opposite. In the
woods the Davis place, near the railroad, the
enemy have been busily engaged telling trees for
several days past, and it is thought they pre-
pairing for the erection Of battery there.
1t is reported that Tuesday the Yankee piekets
informed ours, Ill Language more emphatic than
elegant, that Forrest was playing with Sher-
mans communications and that, if not checked,
Atlanta would have to be abandoned" They had
probably heard OF Forests exploit at Athens, Ala
bama.
Though everything continues comparatively quiet
i'll front of Petersburg, the storm OF may, amy
day. break out affesh. The present lull in events
means that the enemy are making preparations for
desperate movement and We doubt not our au-
thortes are as actively engaged in preparing to meet
it and eounteract ITS effects.
Last night the enemy opened on our right, in
front OF Petersburg, with musketly. and the firing
gradually progressed towards the left, where NOR
tars ana artillery were used Firing still going
u. nine O'Clock.
FORESTS MOVEMENTS FoRETOI.D.
On the I'D Of September, an Alabama paper held
the following language in regard to the movements
Of Forrest "There continues TO be much specula-
tion as to the future movements Of this favorite
cavalry cheftain. We only say his present pur-
poses are important, and will bear more intimate
connection with the progress Of the campaign IN
this section than heretofore"
Since that period Forrest has made brilliant COM
mencement by capturing the garrison at Athens and
is in position TO give sherman infinite trouble by
operating in his rear and destroying his lines OF COM