Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-17


On the 18th inst, at 7 p. M, Gen. Grant CON-
muncated to the Secretary OF War, at Washington,
the following report 81 just received" from General
Sheridan. The latter was probably written on the
sth inst: -.
HEADQ'Rs MIDDLE MILITARY Div. D.
Z COLUMBIA, Va, Friday.
Lieut. General q. S. Grant.
Com'dg Armiss United States:
Genefal-In my last despatch, dated Waynesbo.
boroi, gave brief account OF the defeat of Early
by Clusters Division. The same night this division
was pushed across the Blue Ridge, aud entered
Charlottesville al z, N. the next day. The Mayor
n the city and the principal inhabitants came ont
and delivered up the Keys OF the public buildings
1 had to remain in Charlottesville TWO days. This
time was consumed IN bringing over from Waynes
bOTo' our pontoon trains. The weather was horri-
BILE beyond description, and the rain incessant--
The two divisions were, during the time, occupied
in destroying the TWO large iron bridges, one over
the Rivanna river, and the other Morses Creek
near Charlottesville and the railroad for distance
of eight miles in the direction OF Lynchburg
On the 9th of March sent the First Division.
General Devin commanding, 10 Scottsville ON the
James river, with directions to send out light par
ties through the country and destroy all merchant
mills, canal locks and bridges the Rivanna river
these parties to join the Division at Scottsville-
The division then proceeded along the canal 10 Du-
guidsville.
We hoped TO secure tho bridge TO let lis across
the river, our pOntOons were useless on account
of the high water. In this however, We were foil
ed both this bridge and the bridge at Hardyicks
Vile were burned by the enemy on our approach.
Gen. Merritt accompanied this division. The Third
Division started at the time from Charlottes-
vile, aud proceeded down the Lyncbburg Railroad
To Amherst Courthouse, destroying every bridge
the road, aud in many places miles of the track
The bridges on this road numerous, and some
OF them 5O7 feet in length. We have found great
abundance in this country for our men and ami
mails. In fact the canal had been the great feeder
of Richmond.
AT 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 and tie
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
partially destroyed
have had no opposition Everybody is be,ciidered
6u our movements.
] had of any kind since left The
latest Richmond papers were of the 4th, but con
tanned nothing.
omitted to mention that the bridges on the rail
road from Swoop's Depot, on the other side Of
StauntOn, to Charlottesville were utterly DESTROY
ed. Also all the bridges for a distance Of ten miles
on the Gordonsyille Railroad.
The weather has been very bad indeed, raining
hard every day, with the exception Of four DAYS
since We started. My wagons have, from the state
of the roads, detained me.
Up to the present time we have captured four
teen PieceS.0f artillery, eleven at Waynesboro' and
three at Charlottesville. The party that | sent
back from Waynesboro' started with six pieces
but they obliged 10 destroy two of the six for
want of animals. The remaining eight pieces we're
thoroughly destroyed
We have captured, up to the present time twelve
canal boats laden with supplies of ammunition, ra-
tons, medical stores, sc.
| cannot speak in too high terms of Generals
Merritt, Custer and Devin, AMI the officers and
men of their commands. They have waded through
mud and water during this continuous rain and
are all In fine spirits and health.
Commodore Hollins, Of the rebel navy, was shot
near Gordonsvlle, while attempting TO make his
escape from our advance in that direction,
Very respectfully, your ob't Sery't,
(Signe1 +, II. SHERIDAN,
"a Major General Commanding
CAPTURE or SIX HUNDRED DEsERTERs AND swINp
LERs IN NEW YORK-A 'oLEvER" OPERATION
The Yankee Government has in its special SER
vice one Colonel Baker, who is evidently one ofthe
shrewdest 60 detectives" of the age. He was sent
to the city of New York to break up the gpan.
tic SYSTEM of " bounty jumping" as it is called.
and appears TO have been quite successful, not
withstanding the magnitude OF the undert aking.-
The New York Times of the 18th has a full account
OF his plans anu tuS OI tnelr execution.
from which we condense the following:
Colonel Baker had been here hut a short time he
fore he found Himself in the midst of the creates,
and most audacious band of robbers fntDdeTsys md
feloi.S generally, that ever disgraced civilized
community. lie found nearly thousand bounty
brokers distributed throughout New York and
Brooklyn, with agencies throughout the country
and extending his investigations he became
aware Of the presence in this city of more than te,,
thousand dsSerterS, nearly every one of whom was
tool OF the bounty-brokers. These persons were
the offscourings OF the city's slunis, old prison
birds, graduates from the city institutions on Black
wells Island aud TOmbs 'repeaters."
These fellows he resolved to capture and TO do
this he resOtred to stratagem. He leased Odd Eel
lows Hall building, in Hoboken, and opened a re-
cruiting office in the basement thereof EMPLOYING
two officers of the regular army and others, to as
sist him. Trusty men were sent abroad among the
dens in Houston street, IN the Fourth and Sixth
Wards in Mackerelyie, indeed, everywhere with
instructions to advertise among the bounty jump
ers the opening in Hoboken, Of what deserters call
a "perfeet gut '-or a bounty brokers' recruiting
office, where heavy bounties aid Ind the guards
are understood to be corrupt aud ready to accent
any trivial bride, The bait was swallowed, and
number of recruits presented themselves, were
duly accepted, mustered into tie service and paid
aud then quietly slipped out at back door by the
guard, to make their way TO New York and spread
the news which Col. Baker wished them to circu-
late.
Before the close of the first weeks operations.
the office was beseged aud almost overrun by
bounty jumpers from New York and elsewhere,
who, having seen their, fellows go out in the morn
ing pennilcSs, and return to their haunts in the city
at night with greet rolls of Treasury notes, were
eager to try their luck. Having sufficiently adyer
tisCd this model bounty -iuhperage, Colonel Baker
ordered his subordinateAto go TO work in earnest
and early on Monday morning last the recruiting
office in Odd Fellows Hall commenced legitimate
business The recruits did not pass out of the back
door, but were ushered into large hall, the cur
taiHs Of WHICH were drawn, and every window and
door Of which was guarded by soldiers who were
armed to the teeth. No man saw or suspected the
Not even the meagre guard on the street dreamed
that hundred and fifty veterans were in the great
hall on Friday morning-for the soldiers had been
taken to lloboken in the small hours of the night
and nasSed i'm nv the pnard In Disguise.