Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-03-28
9ailg Gmpire,
sherIdaH,s RAID.

The following from ,"Druid," the World q
Washington correspondent, shows the exact
value Of sheridsn'S last raid, and how easily
its object was thwarted.
The failure Of Sheridan TO aeeomp plish the
object OF its recent expedition, aud the con
sequence Of that failure, constitute one Of the
main features Of the situation, as seen in the
above light That Sheridan's object whs the
capture OF Lynehburg is q fact too evident 10
require demonstration, The fact was plainly
admitted by General Grant, in his dispatch 70
the War Department of March g. That OBJ
| ject was defeated by the early intelligence
which General Lee had Of the design, and by
the prompt measures which be took TO frus
trate it, in the rapid dispatch Of troops to
Lynehburg by the Lynchburg Railroad II
the design had succeeded, il Lyuehburg had
been captured, or even II the Lynchburg Rail.
road, at any point between Burkesville and
Lynchburg, had been seriously damaged by
Sheridan, a heavy blow would have been
struck at the safety Of Richmond Lynch.
burg is the greatest depot Of stores 10 all Yir.
ginia. There IRE immense store-houses there
crammed full Of grain aud provisions All the
produce raised in that part of the Shenan-
doah Valley south Of lIArrisonburg, and ell
that raised IN all parts Of the State west Of
Lynehburg, is brought 70 the latter place and
stored an ! shipped to Richmond as re-
quired.
Bat not only did Sheridan avoid Lynchburg
and it's rich stores, but he also avoided the
railroad without which they could not reach
kichmond-the very road on which the troops
we're transported that saved Lynchburg from
falling into his hAnds Has he done anything
In, lha a.. -
railroad between Charlottesville and the
mouth Of the South Anna River that has not
been done quite as we'll once or twice before
Who does not remember what q flourish OF
trumpets was made at the time that the Sec.
retary Of War Rnnounced--in 1868 or a.
that the whole Of the Virginia Central Rail.
road, from Trevallians to the South Anna,
had been BADLY destroyed" and how Rich.
mond was doomed to starvation at the same
time, because this same canal had been dam.
sgedf These lines Of transportation are by
no means essential to the supply Of Rich. |
mond. When they are needed, they can
readily be placed in working order again. AZ
for the Lynchburg Railroad it is protected,
BY it's situation, from raids Of that character.
1t lies at a considerable distance south Of the |
James River. 1t is well guarded; and the
means efe at hand for transporting, at q mol
menfs warning. from Burkesvilie and Hyoch.
burg, as we'll as from Richmond, considers.
BILE body OF troops TO any point upon il that
may be threatened From Richmond to
BnrkeHVille, or from Lynehburg to Burkes-
vile, troops can bo transported in three
hours.
VALUE OF THE DAEVILLE RAILROAD As
MEANs OF SUPPLY.
The consequences of the failure of Sheri-
dan's expedition will be, therefore, that Rich.
mond will continue to be supplied, ss hereto
fore, from Lynchburg But even Lynchburg
is not the chief source of supplies for the
Confederate capital. All that part Of North
Carolina west Of Raleigh and Fayetteville,
and oil that part Of South Carolina which
lies northwest Of ShermAns line OF march
through that State--a vast region OF great
fertility-hAs hitherto furnished large por-
ton Of the supplies for Richmond, by means
Of the Danville Railroad, which extends from
BurkesviIle to Charlotte, and its southern
connections. The failure of Sherman to
reach these roads at Charlotte will enable
General Lee to use them during this cam
paign in drawing his supplies from the Caro-.
linas. That part Of General Grants plan,
then, which consisted In the cutting of Of
the supplies Of Richmond BY the destruction
Of the DanVille and Lynchburg Railroads,
and the capture ofLynehburg, has failed,
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