, 1865-03-24
Eastern News.
News of March 18th,


New York March l2.-The Herald prints a
letter from Sherman to Wade Hampton, stating
that in consequence of foraging parties having
been murdered by the rebels after being captured
and labels attached to them with the words
'death to all foreigners, j" he had ordered sim
liar number of prisoners in our hands, to be dis
posed ofin like manner. Sherman says that he
holds l 900 rebel prisoners, and can stand it as
long as Hampton
The rebel general responds that he knows moth
ing of such murders, and that for every soldier
executed by Sherman he will execute a Federal
picking the officers as the first victims. He
makes a long story about barbarities alleged to
have been committed by Sherman's army, and
concludes by stating that he shall hold ffty-six
prisoners as hostages for those ordered to be ex-
ecuted by Sherman.
New York, March IA rebel dispatch dated
Mobile, Feb. goth, says: twenty-five steamers
and six Mississippi river transports are in the
lower bay, and large number Of troops are on
Daspine Island and at Pensacola, indicating an
an early attack on that city.
A New Orleans letter of the 22d announces
the arrival there of 1000 exchanged prisoners
from Texas, including number of officers be-
longing to the Navy.
New York, March l2.-The rebel papers have
articles on the passage of the new enlistment
negro act, saying that it is a measure ofnecessity
and not of choice.
Wigfall, during the debate, denounced the Leg
islature of Virginia, and demanded the resigna-
ton of jeff Davis.
News of March 18th.
Headquarters. Nr'ad1a ''''i4~r-,U-8 '---,-
bia March e,---s-->.-4I-- my 'ro IUed
at Waynesboro, gave you brief account of
the defeat of Early by Custar's division. The
same night this division was pushed across the
Blue Ridge, and entered Charlottesville at 2
o'clock in the afternoon of the next day.
had to remain at Charlottesville two days
The time was consumed in bringing over from
WaynesbOro our ammunition and pOntoon trains
The weather is miserable and it rains incessant-
ly. Two divisions were during this time occu-
pied in destroying the large iron bridges, one
over Rivanna river, and the other over Morse's
creek, near Charlottesville and the railroad, for
the distance of eight miles in the direction Of
Lynchburg. On the 9Th of March | sent the lst
division Gen. DeVens commanding, to Scotts-
Vile, on the James river, with directions to send
out parties through the country to destroy all
merchandise, mills and factories, and the bridges
on the Rivanna River, the parties to join the di-
vision atScottsville. The division then proceeded
along the canal to Duquidsyille, IA miles from
Lvnchburg destroying every lock and in many
places the banks of the canal. At Duquidsyile
we pressed to secure the bridge to cross the liver
as our pontons were useless account of the
high water In this we we're foiled, as both
bridges at this place were burned by the enemy
upon our approach. Merit accompanied this
division
The third division started at the same time
from Charlottesville and proceeded down the
Lynchburg Railroad to Amherst Court House,
destroying every bridge on the road and in many
places not on the road. The bridges on this road
are numerous, some of them 800 feet in length.
We found great abundance in this country for
T. a I,.,-.I
the great feeder of Richmond. At ROckfsh riY-
er the banks fthe canal were cut and at New
Canton where the dam was across the James, the
guard lock was destroyed and the James flowed
into the canal, carrying away the bank and wash
ing out the bottom of the canal. The dam aero SIS
the James at this point partially destroyed.
| have had no opposition. Everybody is bewil-
dered by our movements. have had no news
of any kind since I left. The bridges on the
railroad from Swoops river, on the other side of
Staunton to Charlottesville, were utterly des-
troyed also the bridges for ten miles on the Cor
donsyille Railroad.
The weather has been very ol bad IRaiffeed 1T If
--~ - o4 i"Iuiii5 'Siy Hot u SNSly uayi Win Tue
exception of four days, since we started. Ny
wagons have, from the state of the roads, de-
tanned me up to the presenttime. We have cap
tured IA pieces of artillery-ll at WaynesbOro
and at Charlottesville. The party sent back
from Waynesboro started with six pieces, but
were obliged to destroy two of the six for want
Of animals. The remaining pieces were thor
oughly destroyed. We have also captured l2
canal boats laden with supplies, ammunition, ra-
tions, medical stores, etc. Commodore Hollins,
of the rebel navy, was shot near Gordonsville
while attempting to make his escape from our
advance in that direction.
(Signed) SHERIDAN.
New York, March l3.-Gen. Emory, of the 10th
Corps, has succeeded Gen. Hancock as cOmman-
der of the Middle Military Division, comprising
the lower part of the Shenandoah valley and 9TH
er territory in that region, dnring the continua-
ton of Gen. Sheridan S more active field opera
tions.
The greater part of the rebel troops in the
Shenandoah valley have been concentrated in
the vicinity of Lynchburg, which place. someac-
counts represent, they were still busily engaged
in strengthening, at very recent date, probably
with design of afording Lee another good
point to fall back to when Richmond and Peters
burg become untenable.
Large supplies of food for needy residents, fun
nshed by the Shenandoah Relief Association
have arrived in the Shenandoah valley.
New York March l3.-The Herald's New Or
leans letter says: Juarez is reported to be advan-
cling on Matamoras with 3, 900 men. Mejia has
900 and he is afraid he will be compelled to
surrender. He sent out Cortinas with a regiment
to check the progress of Juarez; but COrtinas
surrendered his whole force OF MeXlcanS to Jua-
rez. The reason given for this is that Maximil-
ian agreed to give Cortinas half million of dol
lars, provided he turned over his command to
the Imperial Government, but after ne had CON
sented the Emperor refused to pay him. The
Imperialists are becoming alarmed at the in
creasng force of the Liberals and the treacbery
of the Mexican commanders and their troops in
the service of Macmillan.
News of March 18th.
New York, March l3.-The Times Shenan-
doah correspondent says; Among the payers
found in Earlys baggage was a letter from Jeff.
Davis in reply to the petition of soldiers to have
the war brought to close. They had fought
four years and accomplished nothing. Davis
reply is characteristic. He simply expressed
that it did represent the feeling of majority of
his troops
The pirate Moffat had dinner given him at
Havana.
Louisville March l3.-An expedition of fifty
men of the Both Wisconsin, sent from here on
Saturday, surrounded yesterday morning a barn
in Webster Mead county, capturing Sue Nun
day, Magruder, and Henry Metcalf, after some
resistance in which of our men slightly, and
the fourth mortally wounded.
West Fork, N. c., March lO.-To Grant The
enemy made a heavy attack on our center and
left to-day, but was decidedly repulsed with
heavy loss. His dead and wounded were taken
from the field. We also took several hundred