Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-03-13

WAN DEPARTMENT,
WASHIEoToS, d. C., March -, 1885,
Major General Dir, Eew York
The following report Of Gen. sheridan's
recent operations has been received by this
Department.
EDWIN NJ. sTLNToN, sec'y of War.
"CTTY PoINT, VA, y. ne, March 70, 1865.
Hon Edtcin NJ Santos, Secreta,yCf va:
The following dispatch just received:
U. 8. GRANT, Lieut.. Gen.
HEADQUARTERS MIDDLE MILITARY De-
PARTMEST, COLUMBIA, VA, Friday, March
10, 1SG5.-Liem. Gen. U. S. Grant, Com
u,anding Armies United StateS-GENERAL;
In my last dispatch, dated Wsyneeboro', ]
gave q brief account Of the defeat OF Early
by Custer's division. Tie same night this
division was pushed across the Blue Ridge,
and entered Charlottesville al 2p. IN. the
next day. The Mayor of the city and the
principal inhabitants came ont and deliv-
cred up the keys Of the public bulldings.
[ had TO remain at Charlottesville two
days.
This time was consumed In bringing
over from Waynesboro' our ammunition
and pontoon trains. The weather was hor
rible beyond description, and the rain In
cessant. The two divisions were during
this time occupied in destroying the two
large iron bridges, one over the Rlvanns
river, the other over 'MnrsC's creek, near
ottesvllle, and the railroad for a dis
lance OF eight miles, In tho direction OF
Lynchbqrg. On the 9th OF March | sent
the frat division, Gen Devens command
ing, to scottsville, on the James river,
with directions TO send out light parties
through the country and destroy all mer-
chandlsc, mills, factories, bridges, etc, on
the RiVanna river. These parties TO join
the division at scottsvlllo.
The division then proceeded along the
canal 10 Duguldsville, fifteen miles from
Lynchburg, destroying every lock and In
many places the bank Of the canal. AT
Duguldsvllo we hoped to secure the bridge
to let us cross the river as our pontooDs
were useless on account of the high water.
In this, however, we were fOiled, as both
this bridge aud the bridge at IIardwlcks-
vile were burned by the enemy upon our
approach. Merit accompanied this d.
vision.
The Third Division started at the same
time from Charlottesville, and proceeded
down the Lynchburg railroad to Amherst
c. H., destroying every bridge on the road,
aud In many places miles OF the track.
The bridges on this road are numerous, and
some of them 500 feet in length. Wehave
found great abundance in this country for
our men and animals; In fact, the canal
had been the great feeder of Richmond.
At the Rockllsh 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 the James river let into
the canal, carrying away the banks, and
washing out tho bottom of the canal. The
dam across the James at this point was
also partially destroyed.
have had no opposition. Everybody IL
bewldered by our movements. have had
no news of any kind since | left. ThC
latest Richmond papers were Of the 4th
but contained nothing. | omitted to men
ton that the bridges on the railroad frou
Swoop's Depot on the other side of Staun
ton to Charlottesville were utterly dc
stroyed. Also, all the bridges for a dis
tance of ten miles on the Gordonsville rail
road. The weather has been very ba,
indeed, raining hard every day, with tn
exception of four days, since we started
: Ny wagons have, from the state of tn
. roads, detained me. Up TO this presen
time we have captured fourteen pieces O
artillery-eleven al Waynesboro and thre
at Charlottesville.
The party that sent back to Waynes
!. boro' started with six pieces, but the
. were obliged to destroy two of the six fc
. want of animals. The remaining eigl
were thoroughly destroyed. We have caI
tured up to the present time, twelve cam
boats, laden with supplies, ammunition
rations, medical stores, &c.
' / cannot speak in too high terms
Generals Merritt, Custar and Devens, an
the officers and men of their command
They have waded through mud and watt
during this continuous rain and are all
fine spirits and health. Commander Ho
70 Inns, of the rebel navy, was shot near Go
dOusville while attempting to make h
escape from our advance In that directio
y Very respectfully, your ob't Bcrv't,
s. (Signed) L. Il. sHERIpAN,
d Major General Commanding