The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-04-19

SOUTHERN Esxnay If Is not only the Yankee,
who show energy in building and rebuilding rail
roads. The great feat Claimed by the Yankees Il
have been accomplished by sherlnan, was til,
"competc and cn,ire' d. .s,raction OF tue railroads
ON his route. The Wilmington (E C) Journal says
Gen Sherman's army destroyed the bridges, cnl
var;s. wafehOuses, water stations and turn tables
on f5 miles Of the Mobile aud Ohio ta;Its.a,t and
within this distance tore miles of the track on
10 miles Of which there Was nothing at cross ties
let but the ashes; and lhe heavy rails of which
that road is b,ii for the whole distance of IG
miles, were bent in every Conceivable shapr-
There were two heavy bridges over rivers nea. "
large rs the Neuse mt tho crossing of the vii,
niingon aud Weldon railroad, one smaller one,
three qua tiers of mile ct testie, beside, sn,a,l
er pieces and wooden cuivefs. He t,ra IN the
track and burned the trestie work (of which iher.
was very little, aud no Important b,iare) on o
mics of the Selma road, which beiu. built witt.
light raii is more easily sra:ghcned Than the heavy
rails used on the Mobile AID DIDO road.
Oa the Southern (VicksbuFs) road. he tore nm
about about three miles of track, and burned few
bridges. aud bnt liitie tres,lc work That ROAD H.
not materially damaged.
Gen Shc.maDs great object seemed to he to de
'stroy the Mobile and ohia railroad and Col rIem
iHg, the Engiaeer and Superintendent, was equally
anxious to repair il In the shortest possible II ne
he larger portion OF the railroad hands had fed I'm
every direction on the approach of Gen Sher,nan,s
army, and another part on the appearance of Gems
Sml h and Grierson. The difficulties encountered
i'll cOffeclins hands III country so cOnpleteIy de-
solate by the enemy win be easily unders,ood-
Notwithstanding this au engine was iun over the
road sherman had destroyed in 29K days after i.,,
work was commenced, or In 81 days after Gher-
mans army Lett Meridiap,-and four DAYS of the
above time was lost by heavy rains SO that the
work was actually accomplished In 25R working
days; and, in fact, the Mobile and Ohio road was in
working order four DAYS before the Scl, road WAS
ready 10 connect with it AS late as last week the
Southern road was net yet In running order.
In addition to the destruction effected by Sher
mans army Gems Smith aud Griefson passed over
thiriytwO miles o! the Mobile and Ohio road on
the prairics, destroying all cuiverts, warehouses;
and water stations 1s.ey also tore up the track at
intervals aud bent the rails Un this part of th,.
road there Is 10 timber, or il any could be OBJ
tained 1t could III t be hauled except by railroads,
and canstq tqueni!y Il was necessary to finish the
work beo~ 0eipre anything could be done towards
repairing ii. And, 10 make The mattfr worse, our
own forces burned 'ho bridge over Tibbea river,
one 0i the hesvtes; on tie road and a t.Gshct Oc-
CURED TIVE days after the rebuilding of the btdte
was commenced, which has delayed operations a
IN week. However, tie " hole work will be com
pietet, notwithstanding. these delays and mis,aps,
Ill six w c-s from, the day tho axe was struck In
the hfsi tree. Our informant says that tie people
OFT taere consider it rapid work repairing eighty
miles OF raIf"ad on which, aecotLiac 10 General
sherman, 9TH" destruction was very complete, in
SIX weeks, ard we agsie with them. The passen
ger trains aT; iAnnin. with a. much regularity over
Gen. Sberman's wori they did before his ap
pcarancc.