Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-14

distant. At that point they destroyed 6
trestle bridge on the Virginia Central Rail
road. This was accomplished without op-
position from the enemy, when General
Dsvins returned to S;Aunton, where he re-.
Joined the main column.
1t commenced raining very hard on the
fourth day, yet no time was to be lost
Sheridan cav his goal nronflr Aapd, and
he had the men, the commuters, and the
will to accomplish his designs. He, there.
fore, ordered General Clusters Division to
move in quick time on the Rockfsh Gap
Road to Waynesbnro, whore be learned
Genearl Early was iu force. The distance
TO the objective point was thirteen miles.
Leaving Staunton, the route was on a
common dirt road. This was sott,ned by
constant rains SO that the mud was nearly
two feet deep. The march was necessarily
slow, but the troops were in excellent spir
Its, aud only too esger to meet the enemy.
T When Gea. Custer reached Fisheryille,
i've miles from Waynesboro, he came upon
the rebel Videttes, but these he sent flying
to their camps in quick time. Oa reaching
point near Waynesboro the column was
halted. and detachment sent forward TO
recounoitre. This party soon discovered
the enemy, posted on range of hills near
WaynesborO and South River. The rebels
had five pieces of artillery in position, COM
mnnding the front on which Custer was
approaching. General Custer Immediately
dismounted and deployed two regiments as
skIrmlshers. In the rear of them and on
either side of the road were solid regi-
ments. The movement on the euemy's
works was the work of moment. Our
skirmishers advanced with rApidity, firing
at the enemy, aud then the whole line
moved on the enemy's position. The reb-
els hred one vOlley, and then ran like
f'ck of sheep. Their attempt: to escape
was fruitless, as Custer closed his lines on
them and surrounded nearly the entire
force of The enemy, capturing eighty seven
commissioned officers, eleven hundred and
sxty.tive enlisted men, thirteen State and
battle fags, seven cannon, one hundred
wagons, ambulauces and other vehicles
Among the rebel officers captured were
General E4rly's entire staff-Coionel Orr,
chief of artillery, and Colonel Vosburg
commanding brigade. ..
General Early did not attempt to rally
or encourage his men, but fed when be
saw Custer and his troops nance lvriug for
position. He rode off on feet horse, at
tended by an orderly, and proceeded
through the Blue Ridge Via Rock6sh Gap,
aud toward Charlottesville. 1t seems that
Gen. Early despsired of making any suc-
cesstul defence against Sheridan, and, on
the morning of the day Custer attacked
him, he caused all surplus stores and six
pieces of artillery to be placed on rail
road train for transportation elsewhere
The train was also captured by General
Custer together with all the spoils, incIu.
ding large quantity of artillery ammuni
ton. The artillery was all destroyed,
burst, or spiked, AMI the gun carriages
destroyed, on account of the maddy con
ditiOn of the roads. The victory was al.
most bloOdless one, as we ouly, slossIiFen
OF twelve in killed and wounded. Allth
rebel wagons captured from the enemy
were destroyed for the same reason as
above stated. r1sft
Gen. Custer remained at Wavnesboro
until General Sheridan with the main COL
umu, came up, and then pushed on through
ROcktish Gap to Greenwood, ut which the
force mentioned at the commencement of
this report was detached to escort the rebel
prisoners to this point.
At last accounts direct from Sheridan,
General Custer was within few miles of
Charlottesville, an important station on the
Virginia Central Railroad. General Sheri-
dan intimated to his officers that he had
the game in his own hands, aud it would
take a strong card of the enemy to beat
him. The capture of E4rIg's remnant of
his once splenhid army frees the Valley of
any regular force.
TIE detachment detailed to escort the
rebel prisoners to this point left Waynes.
boro on Friday, the Sd instant. They
marched eight miles and encamped at Fish
ersville. Colonel Thompson, commanding
the brigade, finding his supply of food in~
4 to 81
men and the prisoners, sent forward de
tachment to several Of the towns through
which they were to pass, notifying the in.
habitants to bring out TO the roadside food
Tor the rebel prisoners, or otherwise they
would starve on the road. On reaching
Stanton, Colonel Thompson found only a
feeble response to his request, and learning
that the rebels bad stored large quantities
of supplies in the Luuatic Asylum, a reoui-
sition WAS made on that institution, and
our troops and the rebel prisoners were
partially supplied with -four and bacon
Colonel Thompson discharged this duty in
rs agreeable manner and with as much
hum nifty as the necessity of the case would
permit.
Our troops were not moles,ei on their
return trip until they reached the North
fork of the Shenandoah, near Mount Jack.
son, where they were met by small but de
termiued rebel cavalry force, under 81. R9s
ser. 1, appears he followed our troops from
Siaunton, and watched an opportunity to
rescue the rebel prisoners. He waited un
til the 9Th instant, when our troops were
about crossing the Shenandoah. He hold
y charged on the rear guard-the 6th New
York Cavalry, Major Force-Who suddenly
changed direction, faced the rebels, and
| ~ IN
and dash, he drove Rosser and his men
in retreat up the pike toward Shenandoah,
capturing twenty seven rebels aud killing
fifteen others. This charge drove Rosser
go far to the rear that he did not trouble
our troops again.
When our troops reached wayuesboro
General Sheridan sent four couriers, each
with copy of an order to General Han.
cock to send brigade of infantry and one
of cavalry to meet the prisoners at or uea,
Mount Jackson. Two of the couriers were