The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-04-12

] SuuCU Gudb Cc1"0U' y "'Ntt " CO SOOeN'' "
ated and that Grant was pushing for
ward to cut off the the retreatlng rebe
army. Close upon the heels of this cheer
ing news came tldiugs of the capture 0,
Richmond.
Gen. Weitzel learned at 3 o'clock in
the morning of Monday that Rlchuond
was being evacuated, aud at daylight
moved forward, first taking care to give
his men breakfast in the expectation that
they might have to fight. He met nc
opposition, and on entering the city was
greeted with hearty welcome FROM the
mass of the people.
The Mayor went out to meet him and
to surrender the city, but missed him on
the road. Gen. Weitzel finds much suf-
fering and poverty among the population.
The rich as we'll as the poor are destitute
OF food. He is about to Issue supplies to
all who take the oath. The inhabitants
now number about 10000, half Of them
of African descent.
1t is not true that JEFF. Davis sold his
furniture before leaving. 1t Is all in his
house He left at p N. by the Dan.
vile Railroad. All the members of Con.
gress escaped. Hunter has gone home.
Carson Smith (?) went with the army.
Judge Campbell remains here.
Gen. Weitzel took here one thousand
prisoners, besides the wounded. These
number 5000 in niDe hospitals. He
captured cannon to the number of at least
FIVE hundred pieces. Five thousand mus
kets have been taken in one lot Thirty
locomotives and three hundred cars are
found here.
The Petersburg Railroad bridge is
totally destroyed, that of the Danville
road. partially so, so that connection with
Petersburg cannot easily be made. All
the Rebel vessels are destroyed except an
unfinished ram, which has her machinery
IN her perfect. The Tredgar Works are
unharmed, aud the machinery here today
under Gen. Weitzel's orders.
Libby Prison and Castle Thunder nave
also escaped the fire, and are filled with
Rebel prisoners of war. Most of the ed.
itors have fed-especially John Mitchell.
The Wing appeared yesterday as Union
paper, with the name Of the former pro-
pretor at the head.
The theatre opens here tonight Gen.
Weitzel describes the reception of the
President yesterday as enthusiastic in the
extreme.
THE GREAT MOVEMENT.
Gen. Grant was at Sutherland Station,
ten miles beyond Petersburg, on the
Southside road yesterday morning. Gen.
Sheridan was in advance, pressing close
on to the rear of Lees retreating columns
wherever that NAV be. We have as
yet no definite accounts of the line which
the Rebel army took, but it is of course
on the road to BurkesvIlle. If yesterdays
dispatch from Washington can be credit
ed, about one half of Lees forces have
been captured or are struggling through
the country waiting to be picked up
Lee has an army still, and keeps it on
hand as he falls back, but it is an army
so reduced 10 numbers and spirit that if
it can be brought to staud still and fore,
ed into line of battle it must speedily
dissolve before the onset of Grants victo,
rious and eager soldiers.
Details ofthe weeks work are still lack.
iuc, but the general plan Of the campaign
is clear. 1t is clear also that Gen. Sher-
idan has taken the brunt of the work on
him, and that he has added a fresher
wreath to the laurels be won aud wore
in the Shenandoah Valley. The task
assigned him was nothing less than to
turn the right flank of'Lee's army. With
that end in view, Sheridan set out last
Wednesday for Dinwiddle Court House
a point far enough to the south and west
to insure him liberty to mauuever.-
Through that place passes the Boydton
Plank road. Beyond it to the northwest
is the White Oak Road and on the Boyd
ton Road just north of Gravelly Run are
the famous Five Forks, hereafter memo
riable as the scene of one of the decisive
battles of the Rebellion. At this point
the Rebels had constructed an elaborate
series of works extending three miles. and
commanding by the different roads there
centering the approaches from the south
west to the Southside Road The posi-
ton was the key to Petersburg and SO o.
! Richmond.
From Dinwiddie Court House, Sheri
dan made several Intellectual attempts t.
move up the Boydton Road to reach th'
White Oak Road-in other words to ge
10 the rear of Lee and roll him up. HI
tried it a little on Thursday, with 20 sue
cess. He tried it again on Friday will
Warren's Corps to help,and Jared no bet
ter than before. In fact the result o
) FRIDAYS hattie was a serious check. an,