The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-02-13
TIE NEWS

Grant seems to have made good his hold
on the position on Hatcher's run, and is
still strengthening his intrcnchments
thrown up there. The Yankee papers &C
knowledge this last attempt of Grant to
be signal failure, though they of course
lie about his loss. This We must expect.
1t is part Of their system Of carrying on
the war to magnify their successes and
conceal their losses. From persons who
have visited the battlefield, we learn
that the Yankee loss last Monday was
| not less than fifteen hundred. Grant
set out to seize the Southside railroad.
In this he failed but he took Hatchcr's
run. Whether this position turns out
to be of any value to him the future
must disclose.
On the 23d ultimo, a detachment of
Captain Shadburne's scouts tapped the
Yankee telegraph wire in about one mile
Of Cabin Point. The Yankees soon
discovered the disconncction, and sent
out an operator and an ambulance con-
tanning material for repairs, guarded by
an escort Of thirty five negro cavalry, to
discover and re~cstablish the break
When the party came in sight our scouts
charged them, killing eleven of the me-
groes, capturing twcnty-four horses, the
ambulance and material, the operator
and driver, and put the balance of the
negroes to flight. The captures were
safely brought off. The only loss among
the scouts in this affair was one killed
a man named Morris, formerly in the
Yankee service, but who, since he had
Joined our scouts, has behaved on many
occasions in the braycst and most &C.
ceptablc manner. Since their operations
in Grants rear, Captain Shadburne's
scouts have turned over to the Govern
mcnt one hundred and twenty horses,
eighty mules, and some valuable mate
rial.
REPORTS ABOUT THOMAS.
1t was reported yesterday, by persons
from Fredericksburg, that Thomas, with
a portion Of his army, had landed some
where on the Potomac, with intent to
march on Richmond, The story is not
confrmcdby any intelligence received in
official circles. Thomas seems to be the
bugbear Of the day, and we may expect
to hear of him in many different dircc-
| tons.
FROM WILMINGTON,
We have no news from Wilmington
through Confederate sources. The latest
Northern papers say that General Terry
is about to resume active operations, and
expects to take Wilmington without diff
| Guilty. We shall see.
FROM SOUTH -sHERNAN'S
MOVEMENTS.
We had plenty Of rumors from the
South yesterday; none of which have
been confirmed by official intelligence. 1t
was said that Charleston had been eva
cuatcd by our troops. This report, we
have reason to believe, is premature,
though that the cxigency of the situa-
ton in South Carolina may. at some
future time, demand it's evacuation, is
among the possibilities.
A report, believed to be authentic,
reached here Saturday night that the
enemy's infantry had succeeded in cross
ing the Elisto river above Branchville,
and had struck the Columbia branch
railroad eight miles south of Orange :
burg-a point twenty miles above
Branchyillc. If this be true, our troops
have already abandoned Branchville and
fallen back to Columbia, or, at least,
behind the Santce river. The Santee
will form a very strong and easily de-
Tended line, havinga swampy margin
and its passage being very difficult
Columbia is situated on-tho right bank
of this river, about one hYndred and
twenty miles from its mouth. From
Columbia, the Santec flows in south
east direction, and empties into tho At
lantic some finy-cdd miles north Of
| Charleston.