Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-12-22
Successful Expedition in Virginia.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY PoToMAc, Dec.

have finally been developed, and now the OBJ
leets intended TO be accomplished may be
given TO the public as well as the results at 80
tanned.
1t was known that the enemy were procur-
ing large supplies for their troops by way of
she Weldon railroad to Stony Greek, whence -,
they were waggoned to Petersburg. The cav
airy force sent there some 10 days ago not ~.
oeing aole to effectually stop the rebel opera
tion, the 9th corps, with Gregg's cavalry and
tue 81 DIVISION of the I'd corps were detailed
10 eHectually put stop to it BY destroying
the railroad as far south as Hicksford. and if
possible that station also e.. -. 5-s 3s SO
Az daylight Wednesday the column started
thl1nef on the Jerusalem road the cavalry
taxing the advance. On arriving at a point 20 3
- - mics from Petersburg, they divergedf from .-
cue Toaa ABOUT mile to the right, where they
le"eneu tue Nottaway river, and the com % "
mand at once commenced crossing They rs
bivouacked on this side for the uigb, A. T.4.z
halfpast Z a. m. Thursday the pontoors were
taken up and the column started leaving
cavalry detach,4ent to pick up stragglers and
return with them. = s.
. On reaching place two miles beyond Sls-
sex G. H, some cavalry were encountered
and driven back to where the Weldon rail-
road crosses the Nottoway. About noon a
small force of the enemy made a dash in be-
tween cavalry and the advance of the in
fantry, but were soon routed with slight
less on both sides Here a cavalry man was
found who had evidently been wounded and
stripped of even his boots. IL 81.
" The advance then commenced the destruc-
ton of the railroad by burning the bridge
across the Nottoway, and continued on to
Jarrett's Station, bivouacking at that place on
Thursday night On Friday morning an ear
ystart was made, and in the 2. NJ. the ad-
vance reached a point near Hcksford,
where the enemy were found to be in force,
aid ba,-i ho4to ,+h
works on both sides of the Meherrin river
After the position had been examined, an
attack deemed impr acticabIe, on account
of,the strength of the works and the difficult
ty of approaching them, particularly with ar
tillery. 1t was determined to carry the line
of works on this side and destroy the depot,
which was successfully done. During this
charge, Col Sargent, of the 1st Mass, is said
to have been killed. The troops were seen
moving into position at this point as though
they had just arrived, and the fire from the
rebel batteries soon after showed they had
been reinforced.
1t now got dark and began raining, snow
ing. and freezing The troops camped in the
vicinity for the might, and in the morning
started on their return, reaching Sussex q.
II. and hating there. The rebel cavalry aud
a small body of their infantry followed and
endeavored to annoy our rear guard, but
each time they were driven back with loss.
This afternoon the Nottaway river was
reached, and the entire command crossed IN
safety, where they found part of the 9th
corps who had started to their aid in case of
an engagements Tomorrow they will all be
back in their old position in front of Peters " Is
burg. saaEsaaH .'t
THE GRASSES. low lands, which are too
wet for any crop but grass, as our seasons
generally occur it is better toprepare the
ground, and sow the grass seed which may
be selected, without any grain. Worn out
lands do well when thus prepared, without any
manure, for two threes years, when the ss
process should be repeated, and so on for
successive periods. We have seen land TAX
en- up and thus prepared, where not more than
fourth of a ton of hay had been mown
the acre, and BY simply being well ploughed
and sown down with herds grass, to produce
two tons of first quality hay for the market.
The second year the crop would be lighter, .t
and the third still less, when the ground would
be again ploughed ard sown, but still with
much better Success than the first trial a.r
The pasture, too, can be improved and
made to feed three times the stock by proper
care and attention. Let such pieces us are .f.s.
covered with fern andshrub bushes, be cleared
and sOwn down to grass cleared with the
pillow if nothing else will answer the purpose,
and one acre can be thus prepared TO yield
more feed than three or even six, which is
suffered to lie overgrOwu with vines and
bushes. Grass is a natural growth, which
with little care can be doubled, and even
increased three fold, as we'll in the pastures
in the fcld.-PO10Dldn.
BEEF AND MUTToN-Four pounds of beef
will lose one pound by boiling, and pound
and five ounces by roasting, and one pound
three ounces by baking. -Four pounds of
mutton lose fourteen ounces by boiling, and
one pound and four ounces by baking. a
How TO Do ITO destroy barn weevils-
burn the barn. 81
To get rid of bed-bugs-salt EN-. f-
~ To cover strawberry beds--cornstalks;
they give protection and ventilation. .|+
To make hens lay in winter-feed them
well, and keep them warm -5.s -
To make good bread-good flour and plen- t.-
ty Of kneadlng. ~ E- 60 .f
To make hard times fruit-cake-Two cups
Of dried apple, soaked over night, chopped
rather coarse, three cups of moasses,
egg two thirds of a cup of butter, one tea
spoonful Soda all kinds of spice; -four as you
would cup-cake-all this making two loaves.
Cheap vinegar-To eight gallons of clear
rain water add three quarts Of moasses, put
into good cask, shake well few times,
then add two or three spoonfuls of good yeast
cakes. If in summer, place the cask in the
sun in the winter, near the chimney, where
it may be warm. In ten or fifteen days add
to the liquor sheet of brown paper, torn in
strips, dipped in molasses, and good vinegar
will be produced. s.r ee
Soft soap mixed with a solution of potash, +,
or pearlash and Stacked lime, mixed with a
sufficient water to form paste, is an excel g..
lent solvent for old putty and paint. Either
of these, laid on with old brush or rag,
and left some hours, will render the putty or
paint easily removable.
APPLE CHARLoTTE.-Take two pounds Of
apples, pare and core them, slice them into
pan, add one pound of loaf sugar, the juice
Of three lemons, and the grated rind of one.
Let these boil about two hours. Turn it in
to mould and serve it with thick eustard or
cream. .. s-
PoTATo CAKEs.-Take two pounds of very
mealy boiled potatoes, mash them very fine
with a little salt, mix them with two pounds
Of -four, and milk enough to make this into
dough, beating it up with spoon, and put in
little yeast. Set it before the fire to rise,
and when it has risen divide it into cakes
the size of a muffin and bake them These
cakes may be cut open and buttered hot
RoAsT.-However huge the beef, there are
not after all many handsome roasts. The
.girloins are the choicest nieces and tha mid