The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-13
When General Custer reached Fisher.


vile, Ave miles from Waynesboro', he
came upon the rebel videttes, but these
he sent flying to their camps IN quick
time. On reaching point near Waynes-
boro' the column was halted, and u de
tachment sent forward to reconnoitre.-
This party soon discovered the ene'ny
posied On a range of hills near "aynes~
bore AID soutn river. TIC rebels bal
FIVE pieces of artillery in position, COM
handing the from. OH which Custer wa
approaching General Custer 'mmedl
.,.'v dismounted and depoyed two re
n;,nen,.- as skirmishers. In the rear Of
,hem and on either side Of the road were
sc,;d Garments The movement on the
s en wo-Es was the work Of mo
ment. Our ski, .nisht's advanced ~ ','al
rapidity, firing at he cen" w. anu snem ,nS'
the whole line moved IN l." ro,'s =
position. The reoels FREQ on The;,
and then ran like flock of sheet GO
attempt to escape was fraitless, as ~ v
ter closed his lines on them, snd su.
rounded nearly the entire force Of the
enemy, capturing eighty seven commits
stoned officers, eleven hundred and sixty
five enlisted men, thirteen State and
battle flags, seven cannon, one hundred
wagons, ambulances and other vehicles.
Among the rebel officers captured were
General Early's entire staff-ColOnel
Orr, chiefof artillery and Colonel Vos-
burg, commanding brigade.
General Early did not attempt to rally
or encourage his men, but fed when he
saw Custer and his troops man9uvrins
for position. He rode off on fleet
horse, attended by'an orderly, and pro
ceeded through the Blue Ridge, ca
Rockfsh gap, and towards Challottes-
Vile.
1t seems that General Early despaired
of making any successful 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 q railroad track for trans
portation elsewhere This train was
also captured by General Custer, to-
gether with all the spoils, including q
large quantity Of artillery ammunition
The artillery was all destroyed, burst Or
spiked, and the gun carriages destroyed
on account Of the muddy condition OF
the roads
The victory was almost a bloodless
one, as we only lost ten or twelve in
killed and wounded.
All the rebel wagons captured from
the enemy were destroyed for the same
reason above stated.
General Custer remained at Wayncs
boro' until General Sheridan, with the
main column, came up, and then pushed
on through Rockfish gap to Greenwood,
at which the force mentioned at the com
mencement 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
an important station on
the Virginia Central railroad General
Sheridan intilnateu to his officers that he
had the game in his own hands and it
would take strong card of the enemy
to beat him. The capture of Ea,ly's 4 IN
nant of his once splendid army frees the
' aliSJ VI uihi iCiNO.
The detachment detailed to escort the
'ebcl prisoners to this point left Waynes-
,oro' on Friday, the Sd instant They
marched eight miles and encamped at
'ishersyillc. Colonel Thompson, cons
handing the brigade, finding his supply
f food inadequate to meet the require
nents Of his men and the prisoners, sent
orward detachment to several of the
owns through which they were to pass,
otifying the inhabitants to bring out to
ae roadside food for the rebel prisoners,
r otherwise they would siarve on the
Dad. On reaching Staunton, Colonel
thompson found only feeble response
} his request, and learning That the
ebels had stored large quantities of
applies III the Lunatic Asylum, a requi-
ton was made on that institution, aud
ur troops and the rebel prisoners were
ars}1ly supplied with -four and bacon.
olonel Thompson discharged this duty
as agreeable a manner and with as
uch humanity as the necessity Of the
Use would p~-mit.
The troops were not molested On their
turn trip until they reached the north
TX Of the Shenandoah, near Mount
ackson, where they were met by
nall but determined rebel cavalry force,
Rosser. 1t appears he
llowed our troops from Staunton and
atched an opportunity to rescue the
bel prison,rs. He waited until the 9th
slant, when our troops were about
ossing the Shenandoah. He boldly
larged on the rear guard-the Fifth
ew York cavalry, Major Force, who
lddenly changed direction, faced the
bells, and, with sabres in hand, and
leer and dash, be drove Rosser and