The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-30

SRN VIRGINIA.
6EMBER 80, 1854


irgtuin ana tennessee Rail-
Huster's cavalry Operations
r. Hnrrisouburs- The SaltvuIe
works Captured aud Destroyed,
~ Etc
WFsrERN VGRGINIA, December 2j.-Unofi-
cially and by an arrival from the line Of the Nir-
ginia and Tennessee Railroad at the neighbOr-
hood Of the junction Of the New and kautwhI
rive, We ave enabled 90 gather some additional
facts In regard to the operations of the troops
under the con ma1ds of 6 ncrUls Burbridge aud
StonemaD, from all of which IL ppclrs whether
Breckiuridge does or does not drive back our
forces, that the raid has be n O err considerable
success In the capture OF sores rolling stock, and
particularly in the destruction 0f the numerous
bridges along the line of the abroad
Our informant says The wo of destruction,
along he railroad line, as far up as Peak creek,
has been thorough and rapid For the lac', OF
salt much of the pork packing, Mich was actively
going on, will have TO be discontinued until such
time as railroad communication Is reOpeugd with
the salt works az SatyiIIe. Spectators are
work buying mp salt and stIriu- 10, In the eNpcc
tation OF great scarcity OF the aruce. The Rebel
Govern ment has already OrUCrrd 90 De seized
large quantities of salt thus stored.
uNBAsrNEss AT LYSCHUR0.
The raid has created great sensation i'm Lynch
burg. 10 IL have resOrtcd numbers OF ttue
gathorers, quaricrma,tcrs, comml,sarIes and va
Tous other officers Of the Government, who es-
capped from posts taken by the | liou troops.
CONCENTRATION or REBEL FORCES.
An order arrived from Richmond at Lynch
burg to send all available troops forward 70 the
line OF New river, and there make stand. To
do his latter, terrifying had commenced, a.
COrding to latest reports. kemiOrgements were
expected from Early's army iu the Shenandoah
valley.
It was thought that Breckenridge could muster
force OF ten thousand meu-tlrce thousand OF
them being mounted. but rather poorly 50. From
the hospitals at Lynch1urg and other points,
cor.valesccu's and others were placed on the cars
and sent in the direction of New river.
THE SALT WORKS At sALTyrLLE.
The object was not alone to check the raiders,
but also 10 prevent them from getting into the
salt works and destroying the kettles.
GENERAL cusTER's CAVALRY OPERATIONS.
DEPARTMENT OF WEST YmuNGA, December
2j.-Nesterday at an carly hour, General Sheri-
dan received u brief despatch announcing that
General Custer had found and engaged portion
of Rosscr's command, nine miles this side of Har.
risOnburg. In consequence Of Custer having
reached the locality named, We are led to infer
that Early army has been weakened TO reinforce
Immediately threatened points, and that what
remains of his army, except the Ou'pJsts and adj
yanced posts and cavalry, has gone back 70
Mount Cav ford and the lines of the North and
Middle rivers.
This being SO, Early is in postoA to receive
rather easily supplies from Sauu.Ou, TO protect
StauntUn from raidiUg parties and to retreat in
the event OF the advance o, superior force TO
either Swift run or Browns q lps, in the Blue
Ridge. some UmG ago We EOl u report lutL
Early intended to do this. Perhaps IL may be
that Early has gone entirely out OF the Valley
but, rs far as | can learn, no information has as
yet or up TO this time been received leading us TO
believe 80. BY Custer reaching the point be did,
we see that the Rebels have lett the strong post
tiOn of ROOd's Hill-the nest strongest one To
Fishers Hill in the Valey-auL gone back, with
the exception OF Browns Gap, 10 other defensive
points.
RossER ADVANCES on CUMBERLAND.
II may not be generally known, but 1t is never
theless fact, that the Rebel General ROsser a
few days ago moved in person, and with the best
part of his command, to attack Cumberland, Md, ;
but, having received information that he could
not surprise the place, as General Kelley was
being reinforced, and besides having to cross
many little creeks and streams tlat mad suddenly
and greatly swollen, and also on account Of the
very cold weather-tor no doubt he had not for
gotten his fruiUess raid of lst winter, when
some of his own and some of Fizhugh Lee S
men were frozen TO death in their saddles-he re-
tired without having accomplished his pdrposo.
RossER REroRTLD REINFORCED.
We hear that Rosscr's Division has been rein
forced by another entire brigade, under com
mand of general heretofore operating in Texas
This being so, Rosser has now four brigades under
his control.
NosEBY's BRIGADaRsHP.
It is very probably correct that Moseby has
been promoted to the grade Of brigadier- general
in the keUel Army. Last mouih we heard that
Moseby vas TO leave the partisan service on the
10Th ofthis mouth, and it will be remembered by
the readers Of the Herad, thaJ in previous
despatch, was an account OF Captain Chapman
one of Moseby officers, having addressed his men
to the effect, that they were to be sent to thG
Northern neck, during the coming winter and
that all of them would, after the 10th, 90 back
again into the regular Rebel service.
TRIAL OF COLONEL LATHAM FOR THB NEW CREEE
sURPKISE.
This court-martial is being proceeded with, an.
the testimony for the pros cutOn has about ri
been taken. The following officers constitute th'
court -
President Colonel ThomGs I. Hubbard, 3).t
Maine Volunteers; Colonel Nn. II. Brown, l3E.
West Virginia Volunteers; Colonel Thomp,Ou
LIST New Hampshire Cavalry; lleutenaEt-Colone
w. H. Benjamin, 8.h New York Cavalry Lieu
tenant COOnel WIN. IL. NJ 1enire, lj9th Nc9
York Volunteers; Lieutenant Colonel Jas. NJ
Comfy, 33d Ohio Volunteers; Major j. 5. Carroll
lst Virginia Veteran Iufan.y; Major II. W
Smith, lst New York Dragon Lieutenant EDe
Parsons, Jr., 3Slh Mass ohu-etts Volunteers
judge AdvOcate.-N. Y. HcyaR.
Extraordinary Ia 'zyHcrasy.
r, II