The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-03-10

era Early in force The distance 70 the objective
point was thirteen miles.
Leaving Stanton, the route was on . common dirt
road This sofened by constant rains 30 that The
mud was nearly two feet deep. The march was nscss
sarly slow but the troops In excellent spits and
only too eager TO meet the enemy
When General Custer reached Baskerville, Hve miles
from Wsynesboro he upon the rebel vidstses bus
these he sent flying 70 their camps in quick time On
reaching point waynesboro the column halted,
and detachment sent forward reconnotre This party
soon discovered the enemy, posted on range Of hills
near waynssboro and South river The rebels had I'VE
pieces OF artillery in position commanding the front on
which Custer was approaching General Custer imms
datey dismouned and deployed two regiments Skin
mshers In the rear Of them and either side II the
road were solid regiments The movement the enc
my's works was the work OF q moment Our sktrmish-
ers advanced with rapdty firing at the enemy and then
the whole line moved the enemy's position. The
rebels fired volley and then like nock Of sheep
Their attempt TO escape fruitless, Custer
closed his lines them, and surrounded nearly ths
entire force Of the enemy, capturing eighty seven COM
missoned officers eleven hundred and sixty enlisted
men, thirteen State and battle flags cannon,
hundred wagons, ambuances and other vehicles Among
the rebel officers captured General Earys entire
Colonel Orr, chief Of artillery, and Colonel vos-
burg, commanding brigade
General Early did not attempt 70 rally encourage his
men, but fed when he saw Custer and his troops
neuvering for position He rode or feet horse ~
tended by orderly and proceeded through the Blue
Ridge, via Rocknsh Gap, and towards Charlottesville.
1t SEEMS that General Early despared Of making any
successful defence against Sheridan and the morning
OF the day Custar attacked him he caused all surplus
stores and six pieces Of artillery 70 be placed rail-
road train for transportation elsewhere This train
ala Inv All he
spoils including large quantity of artillery ammuni-
ton The artillery all destroyed, burst spiked,
and the gun carriages destroyed account Of the muddy
condition Of the roads.
The victory almost bloodess one, only lost
ten or twelve in killed and wounded.
All the rebel wagons captured from the enemy were
destroyed for the above stated.
General Custer remained at waynesboro until General
Sheridan with the main column up and then
pushed through Rockhsh Gap 70 Greenwood, At
which the force mentioned at the commencement Of this
report detached the rebel prisoners 10 this
point
At last direct from Sheridan General Custer
was within few miles of Charlottesville important
station the Virginia Central Railroad General Sher-
dan animated to his officers that he had the game In his
hands, and would take strong card OF the enemy
TO beat him. The capture OF Earys remnant OF his once
splendid army frees the valley Of any regular force.
The detachment detailed escort the rebel prisoners
to this point left waynesboro Friday, tho I'd inst
They marched eight miles and encamped at Fishers
VILE Colonel Thompson, commanding the brigade,
finding his supply Of food inadequate 70 meet
the requirements his and the prisoners sent for
ward detachment TO several Of the towns through
which they were to pess notifying the inhabitants 70
bring to roadside food FOR the rebel prisoners
otherwise they would starve the road On reaching
staunton Colonel Thompson found only feeble response
TO his request and learning that tho rebels had
stored large quantities OF supplies in the Lupattc
Asylum, requisition wins made on that
institution, and troops and the rebel
prisoners partially supplied with -four and bacon
Colonel Thompson discharged this duty agreeable
manner and with much humanity Ms the necessity Of
the would permit
The troops moested their return trip util
they reached the north fork Of the Shenandoah
Mount Jackson, where they met by small but de-
termined rebel cavalry force, under General Rosser II
appears he followed troops from Stanton, and
watched opportunity to the rebel prisoners
He waited until the 9th inst, when troops about
crossing the Shenandoah. He boldly charged ON the
rear guard--he Fifth New York cavalry Major Force
who suddenly changed direction faced the rebels and
with sabrcs In hand and cheer and dash, he drove
Rosscr and his In up the pike towards Saun
toh, capturing twenty rebels and killing nftcen
others. kosxer 30 tnaS
he did not trouble troops again.
When our troops reached waynesboro General Sheri-
dan sent four courers each with copy OF order TO
Of cavalry meet the prisoners At NJ jackson
Two Of the courers killed. and captured
Hence the order did not reach its destination.
Tho prisoners ali arrived in town to-day, footsore and
weary. They were tocrably we'll clad, but IL was re.
markabie to notice The disparity in the agcs Of the troops
They ranged from fifteen sixty years u age some Of
them conscrpls aud insist upon IL that they
would have gone into the rebel army wcrc they NOT
forced. From their statements IL Is aid that large
force Of Union cavalry coming down the Virginia
and Central Railroad from Tennessee, and uat had
r,oci,d point ue'y near Lyn'hberg
The prisoners at once forwarded TO Harper's
Ferry and from thence they will be sent TO Point Look
out, Nd.
Lieutenant " Truss, QuartcrmasIcr, and Captain 3.
W. wheeler Of tho Twenty NTH New York cavalry,
capturad near staunton.
Captain otis C. Wyatt Company y, Of First New Hamp-
shire cavalry, wounded in tho left arm.
Sergeant John Rehoe 81 the Eighth New York cavalry
was wounded In the left forearm.
Twenty men OF the Twenty nth New York were cap
turcd vii lie foragIng near Stanton.
The EXP dition is great success and exhibits what
our troops can and accomplish when under
such leaders a. shcrdan tnstcr Mertt ana 0tncrs oI
the right dash and spirit.
Our Special Washington Despatch.
WAS HsGroy, March o. 1895.
The latest from the shenandoah confirms the
idea held In this correspondence, that Shcrdani
battle with Early must have taken place flew milc'
from stsuntou and not at Charlottesville Eary's head
quarters we're known TO have been established ri tina
point whereas Charlottesville and Gordonsvnc poinu
OF FOR supplies for Lees army, were knowr
10 be well defended They also points the Orange
| and Alexandra route 10 Lynchburg, and importan