The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-03-16
Official War Bulletin.
WAR DEPARTMENT, !
WASHINGTON, March, l3. (

| OftsCial War Bulletin.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WAsnISGToN, March, 10.
To Maj. Gen. Dix:
The following report of Sheridan's opera.
tons has beer received by the Department.
(Sgned) e. NJ. STANTON.
Headquarters Middle MIL Div.,l
Columbia, Va, March 10.
1t. Gen. Grant:
GENERAL-Tn my last dated at Waynes.
boro, gave you brief account of the de
feat OF Early by Custar's Division. We
pushed across the Blue Ridge and entered
Oh ,rlotteville at p. m. the next day. The
Mayor and principal inhaitarts came and
delivered up the keys of public buildings.
| had to remain at Charlotteville Two
days time was consumed in bringing over
from Waynesboro our ammunition and pom.
toon wagons. The weather was horrible and
rain lncessant. The two divisions were dur.
ing this time occupied in destroying the two
large iron bridges ever the Rowan river, the
other over Morsc's Greek, near Charlotte
vile, and the Railroad for distance of
eight miles in the direction of Lynchburg.
On the 9th of March sent the LIST divi.
sion, Gen. Devon commanding, to Scotch.
vile, on James River, with directions to
send out light parties through the country
and destroy all merchandise, mills, factories
and bridges on the Rivarma river, the par.
ties to join the division at Scotchvie. The
division then proceeded along the canal to
Dugardesville, 10 miles from. Lynchburg,
destroying every lock and in many places
the bank of the canal. At Dugardesvlle
we hoped to secure the bridge to cross the
river, as our pontoons were useless on &C
count of the high water. In this we were
foiled as both this bridge and the bridge at
charlottesville were burned down by the
enemy upon our appearance. Merit ac-
companied the division The 3rf division
started at the same time from Charlottesville
and proceeded down the Lynchburg Rail
road to Amherst Court House, destroyed
every bridge on the road, and in many
places miles of road. The bridges on the
road are numerous, and some OF them five
hundred feet in length. We have found
great abundance in the country for our men
and animals. In fact the canal had been
the great feeder of Richmond. Atthe Rock.
fish river the banks Of the canal was cut
and at Northampton. where the dam is
across e James, tie guard lock was de-
stroyed and the James River let into the
canal, carry ing awav the banks and wash
ing out the bottom of the canal. Tie dam
across the James at this poin. was also par
tally destroyed. I have haf no oppos ito1;
everybody is bewildered by our movements.
[ have had no news''of any kind.
] omitted to mention that the bridges on
the railroad from Swoop's Depot, on the
other side of Staunton, to Charlottesville,
were utterly destroyed also, all bridges for
distance of ten miles on the Gordonsville
Railroad.
The weather has been very bad indeed
raining hard every day with the exception
of four days. since we started. NV wagons
have from the state of the roads detained
me up to the present time. We have cap
tured IA pieces Of artillery, IL at Waynes
boro, and 8 at Charlottesville. The party
that sent from Waynssboro started with 8
pieces, but they were obliged to destroy 2 of
the six for want Of animals The remaining
s pieces were thoroughly destroyed. Have
also captured two canal boats laden with
supplies. &c.
I cannot speak in too high terms of Gen.
erals Mer,itts, Custaryand Devon, and the
officers and men of their commands. They
waded through mud and water during the
continuous rain, and arc all in fine spirits
and health.
Commodore Killings, of the Confederate
navy, was shot near Cord nSville while at
tempting to make his escape from our ad-
vance in that direction.
(Signed P, III SHERIDAN,
Major General