Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-03-16

SHERIDAN'S VICTORY.
Capture of Charlottesville
ADVANCE ON .,NCHBURC.
Raid on the James River
Canal.
Fourteen Guns Taken---BridgeS
and Railroads Destroyed,
&C., &c., &c.
official.
official.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsHNGToN, !
March 1910 A. NJ,

OITY POINT, MdTCn IL T.. NJ
To Ham, Ed,cm H. Stantos, Secretary Of
H'ar;
The following dispatch has Just been
received.
(Signedl L. s, GRANT, Lieut., Gen.
HEADQRs MIDDLE MILITARY Division, !
Columbia, Va, March TO-
To Lieut. Gen. U. s. Grant
In my last dispatch dated Waynesbo-
ro | gave you brief account of the de
feat of Early by Custar's division. The
same night this division pushed across
the Blue Ridge and entered Charlottes-
willie at P. NJ next day The Mayor of
the city and the principal inhabitants
came out and delivered the keys of the
public buildings, l had to remain at
! Charlottesville two days. This time was
consumed in bringing over from Waynes
bOrO our ammunition and pOntOon
trains.
The weather was horrible beyond de-
scription, and the rain inCessant. The
two divisions were, during this time,
occupied in destroying the two large
/ iron bridges-One over Rivanna River,
/ and the other MorSe's Greek, near Char
/ lottesvile-and the railroad for a dis
| lance of eight miles towards Lynch
burg. On the Gth Of March, | sent the
first division Gen. Dwin) to Scottsville,
| on the James River with directions to
send out light parties through the
| country, to destroy all merchandise,
| mills factories, bridges, &c, on the Ri
/ wanna River, the parties to Join the d.
| vision at ScOttsvile. The division then
| proceeded along the canal to Duguids-
| vile, fifteen miles from Lynchhurg, de
| strOying every lock and in many places
| the bank Of the canal. At Duguidsville,
| we hoped to secure the bridge to let US
! cross the river, as our pontoOns were
useless on account of the high water.
| In this, however, we were foiled, as
both this bridge and the bridge at
| Hardwicksville were burned by the enc
my upon our approach. Merritt ac-
! companied this division.
! The first division started at the same
time from Charlottesville, and proceeded
| down the Lynchburg Railroad to Am
| herst Court House, destroying every
| bridge on the road, and in very many
places miles of the road. The bridges
on this road are numerous-some of
them five hundred feet long. We have
AOuih SlIdb dbuDuduCG vi lbOtl III LulS
country for our men and animals. In
fact, the cannal had been the great
feeder of Richmond. At the Rockfresh
River, the bank of the canal was cut.
and at New Canton, where the dam is
across the James the guard lock was des-
troyed and the River let into the ca
nal, carrying away the banks and wash
ing the bottom of the canal The canal
across the James at this point was also
destroyed have had no opposition
Everybody is bewildered by our move
ments. | have had no news of any
kind since left. The latest Richmond
papers was of the 4th but contained
nothing.
Iomitted to mention that the bridges
on the railroad from Swoops depot, on
the other side of Staunton, to Char
lottesville, were utterly destroyed, also
all bridges for a distance of ten miles on
the GOrdonsville 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, de-
tanned me. Up to the present time, we
have captured fourteen pieces of artil-
lery-eleven at Waynesboro and three
at Charlottesville. The party that I
sent back from WaynesbOro, started
with six but they were Obliged to de-
stroy two of the six, for want of ami
mails. The remaining eight pieces were
thoroughly destroyed. We have cap
tured up to the present time twelve ca
nal boats, laden with supplies, ammu-
milton, medical stores, &C. I cannot
speak in too high terms of Gen. Merrill.
Custer and Devin, and the officers and
men of their command. They have
waded through mud and water during
the continuous rain and all are in fine
spirits and health, Commodore Hol-
Inns, of the rebel navy, was shot near
Gordonsville, while attempting to make
his escape from our advance in that d.
rectlon. Very respectfully your obedient
servant, P. FL. SHERIDAN, Mai, Gen,
WASHINGTON, March 13-9.45 Pm.
To Mg-Gea. Die q. -r.
The following dispatch was received
by this department:
CITY POINT, Va, March 10.
Hon. 3. H. Stanton Sec of Var.
The following dispatch has just been
received:
NEUsE Fork, March TO-
To Lieut.. Gen. Grant.
g The enemy made heavy attack upon
our centre and left, to-day, but was de-
clsiyely repulsed with heavy loss. His
oead and badly wounded were left upon
the neid. We also took several hun-
orea prisoners. Our loss is small.
zen. Couch is only II miles from here.
ana VIII be up early in the morning.
we took several prisoners from Lees
and Stewards corps. They saw that
two corps are here, and the rest oS
Johnston's army is coming.
Cry PoNT, Va, March 10.
10 Hon. Z. II. Stanton -
The following items were taken from
to,day's Richmond papers.