The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-03-22
OffitiaI at'M alew5,
Gea. SherilaU's Account OF his
Operations tn the shenandoah
valley.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, March Is. J

,
Kaj Gen. Die, Ncto FORK:
The following report Of Shcridan's oper-
s;ioas has been received BY this department.
[Signed e. NJ STANTON.
HEADou RS MIDDLE MILITARY DIV,
CoLUMBIA, Va, March 10. !
Lieutenant Geaeral Grdat:.
GGNERAL-In my last, dated Waynes-
bor5, [ gave YOU brief account Of the de-
feat of Early by Clusters division. The
same night this division was pushed across
the Blue Ridge and entered Charlottesville
st . o clock ?. NJ, next day. The Mayor
and principal inhabitants came and deliver
up the keys of the public buildings. had
10 remain at Charlottesville two day. Time
was consumed in bringing over from
Waynesboro our ammunition and pontoon
trains The weather was horribe-rain in
cessant. The two divisions were during this
time occupied in destroying two large iron
. bridges, one over the Rlvanna river the
other over Morse creek, near Charlottcs-
vile, and the railroad over distance Of
eight miles in the direction Of Lynchb1rg.
On thu 9th Of March sent the first dlvi-
sion, Gen. Devin commanding, to Scottsvllle,
on the James river, with directions to send
cut light parties through the country aud
destroy all merchandise, mills, factories and
bridges on the Rivanna, the parties to join
the division at Scottsville. The division
then proceeded along the canal to Duquids-
vile, fifteen miles from Lynchburg, destroy
ing every lock, and in many places the bank
of the canal AT Duquidsvile we hoped to
secure the bridge to cross the rlver as our
pontoons were useless on account Of the
high water In this we were Ioiled, as both
this bridge and the bridge at Hardw!ck.-
vile were burned by the enemy upon our
approach Merritt accompanied this dlyi-
sion. ....... .a
The Sd division started at the same time
from charlottesville, and proceeded down
tna Lynah5Grgh railroad to AGherst Z. H.,
destroying every bridge on the road. The
bridges on this road are numerous, and
some of them 500 feet in length. ....-...
We have found great abundance IN this
c,3ntry for our men and animals ln fact
the canal hal been the great feeder Of Rich
nond. ...
1t the Rockfsh river the bank Of the
canal was cut, and at New Canton, where
the dam is across the james, the guard lock
was destroyed anl james river let into the
canal, carrying away the banks and washing
out the bottom Of the canal. The dam
across the james at this point was also par,
tally destroyed .,. s--.
! have no opposition. Everybody is be
wildered by our movements ! have had no
news Of any kind since left. The latest
Richmond papers were of the 4th. but con
tained nothing, ag.l.E ..s..
| omitted to mention that the bridges on
the railroad from Swoop' depot, on the 9th.
erside Of Stanton, to charlottesville, were
utterly destroyed also all bridges for o dis
tance Of ten miles on the GordonsYille rail-
road. a... -+.-. ...-,
The weather has been very bad, inde.4
raining hard every day. with the exception
Of fons days, since We started Ny wagons
have, from the state Of the roads, detained
me. Up TO the present time VIC have cap
tured | 4 pieces of artillery, IL at Waynes
boro and 3 at Charlottesville. The party
that / sent back from Waynesboro started
with pieces but they were obliged to de
stroy :. of the for want Of animals. The
rcnlaiiniiing pieces were thoroughly destroy
cd. We have also captured II canal boatS
laden with supplies, ammunition. ratipns
medical Stores, &c. gao .|,.4-.
cannot speak in too high terms Of Gen
erals Merritt, Custer and Devins, and the
off GERS and men of their commands They
haze Gaded through mud and water during
this continuous rain, and are all in Gne
spirits and heallh Commodore Hallngs,
OF the rebel navy, was shot near Gordons-
vile while attempting to make his escape
from our advance in that direction.
tSigncdl T. II. SHERIDAN.
ts.,. Major-G Geueral.
Dispatch from Gen. SchOfieid---
F-Ggsat betyeen wade Hampton
aEad ASlipatriCkr- r-- Rebel Ac-
counts. a MS
WASHINGTON, March l3--945 P. NJ.
Naloy General John A. Dir: is-r.
The following dispatches have been re-
ceiyed by this department.
fSigned.l IL N. STANTON, i