Litchfield enquirer., 1865-03-16
Ne1us of the fl)eek.
The War News.

NORTH CARoLINA.-A brisk engagement tool
 place near Kinston, N. G., on the 9th, betweel
 the rebels under Gen. Bragg, and the nation
 als under Gen. Cox. The fighting commenced
 in skirmishing on the evening of the 7th inst
 and continued on different portions of tn,
 lines, with occasional interruptions, night ane
 day, up to the evening of the 10th, being a
 times of the most stubborn character. Gen
 Cox's men were intrenched, and several des
 perate bat unsuccessful attempts were made
 by the rebels to drive them from their works
 which they still held, within three miles o1
 Kinston. on the morning of the l1th. In $
 charge made by the rebels on the 10th they
 weresrepulsed with severe loss, and compelled
 to leave their killed and wounded on the field
 Gen. Couch's division of Uaion troops joined Gen. Cox on the morning of.the llth irstaat
 and it was thought that another battle mig Il take place onsthat day, though there were in
 dications that Bragg would fall back to ths
 north side 1.-the Mouse river. During the en
 agreements -ofsthe Sth, 9th and 10th instan,
 nearly two thousand rebels were made prison.
 CTS The entire Union losses were estimated
 at not. over that number. The 18th Connecti
 cut were reported captured. It wss said thai
 two of Gen. Johnston's corps had united with aBraggs force, and that the remainder of his troops would soon join him. 'aa aaai a.aa -a SHERIDAN Official dispatches have been
 received from Gen. Sheridan, dated at Colum
 bia, Va., March 10th. This place is on the
 north side of the James River, about fifty miles
 west of Richmond. aud very nearly midway
 between that city and Lynchbnrgh . The de
 struction by Sharidan's men has been wide
 spread and important. While at Charlotte
 vile they destroyed two large iron bridges,
 <,,,o s<>,,nr- <ho D;xa,o R;ror h6 nkh,u
 Morse's Creek, and also the railroad for eight miles southwest, in the direction of Lynch bnrgh. On Monday, 9th inst, Gen. Devins
 was sent to the James River, at Scottsvlle and worked along the river aud canal to Dug
 urdsyille, Is miles east of Lynchburgh. des' troyiug as he marched all the bridges, culyerts and locks of the canal, and the tracks of the railroads in the way. He intended to cross the James at Dugurdsville, doubtless to strike the Southside Railroad, but the rebels destroy. ed the bridges. In the meantime, another di- vision moved down the direct railroad from Charlottesville toward LYnchburgh as far as Amherst, running the road as far as they went, burning and breaking down agfeat many large bridges. The sweep of these two divisions spread over a triangle ofthirty or forty miles on side, and within that space the destruc- tion of railroads and, other public property is compete The James River Canal which tsays Sheridan) had been the great feeder of Richmond, was cut at Rock6sh River, and at New Canton, where the dam is across the James. the guard lock was destroyed, and the river let in, carrying away the banks and wash ing out the bottom of the canal. Gen, Sheridan says that the weather has been very bad, but he has. nevertheless, done ex- cellent work. He reports the capture of fourteen guns and g few prisoners, Commo- dore Rollins, of the rebel navy, was shot near Gordonsville while attempting to make his escape from our advance. s55aal4o
 IT A Wilmington letter of the 9th states that a scout from Sherman's army had reached Gen. Terrys lleadauarters, who left our forces in oc. cnpation of Gheraw, s. 0. Cheraw is the ter. minus of the Cheraw and Darlington railroad, and but very few miles from North Carolinas Nothing but cavalry skirmishes had taken place The army had rested some days, and found very fair subsistence along the route.- Their advance into North Carolina was cer- taihty. This scout started for Newborn on the ist. but learping of the occupation of Will reached that place much sooner than he could have gone to Newbern. \ Aietter from sherman to Wade Hampton,s the rebel cavalry leader, is published, in which Sherman states that in consequence of the reh- els having murdered foraging parties after cap. turing them, and having attached to their bod ies labels, adeath to all foragersn he has order s,i simiiar number of prisoners in our hands to be {iisposed of in like manner. He says he holds loco rebel prisoners and can stand it as
 ong as Hampton can g,sz
 2 The febsI general responds that he knows ,oothinr of such murders, and that for every ,oIiisrs executed by Sherman he will execute 'Wo federais, picking out oficcrs as the first ,ictir1s. He makes along story abont batbari.
 ies allseed to be practiced by Sherman's army, ] md concludes by stating that he shall hold : ;fty-six prisoners as hostages for those ordered Q Be executed by Sherman. s.... .,.g .s5.
 Kinston was evacuated by the rebels oa thej a and our cayalry advanced immediately oc-i ..upied the place. Our whole force was push .,e ly that way as fapidIy as the bad roads wo1ld
 ,ernlIt, and the rebels had fallen back to GQlda ,oro, where Beaufegard vas fighting. A citi- len arrived 1t Newhern on the sth, direct from 5oldshoro, says he did not meet a single rebel l oldier on the road. The people in the interior rd thas Anonfcdavan na nlauad mt \