Litchfield enquirer., 1866-02-15
WHOLE NO. 211S... 7.

With one now about starting from East Ten.
 nessee under steneman, numbering four or
 hVe thousand cavalry, one from Vicksbure,
 numbering seven or eight thousand cavalry,
 one from Passport, Mississippi, ten thousand
 cavalry Canby from Mobile bay with about
 tnlry-eght thousand mixed troops, these
 tnfee latter pushing for Tuscaloosa, Selma,
 ana Montgomery, and Sherman with large
 army eating out the vitals of South Carolina.
 IS all that will be wantAd fn l..-- --...-,
 tue rebellion to stand upon. would advise
 you to overcome great obstacles to accomplish this. Charleston was evacuated on Tuesday last.
 U. s. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
 Major General P. H. SHERIDAN.
 On the 25th I received a dispatch from General Sheridan, inquiring where Sherman was aiming for, and if could give him definite information as to the points he might be ex- pected to move on this side of Charlotte, North Carolina In answer the following tel- egram was sent him:
 "CITY Po1NT, VA, February 25, lS65. l GENERAL Shermans movements will de- pend on the amount of opposition he meets with from the enemy. If strongly opposed, he may possibly have to fall back to George town, S. C., and fit out for a new start. I think however, all danger for the necessity of going to that point has passed. believe he | has passed Charlotte. He may take Fayette- vile on his way to Goldsbero'. If you reach Lynchburg, you will have to be guided in your after movements by the information you obtain. Before you could possibly reach Sherman, I think you would find him moving from Colds. boro towards Raleigh, or engaging the enemy strongly posted at one or the other of these places, with railroad communications opened from his army to Wilmington or Newborn. "U. s. GRANT, Lieutenant General. Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN"
 General Sheridan moved from Winchester on the 27th of February, with two divisions of cavalry numbering about 5000 each. On the lst of March he secured the bridge, which the enemy attempted to destroy across the middle fork of the Shenandoah, at Mount Crawford, and entered Staunton on the 2d, the enemy having retreated on Waynesboro'. Thence he pushed on to Waynesboro', where he found the enemy in force in an intrenched position, under General Early. Without stop ! ping to make a reconnaissance, an immediate attack was made the position was carried, and ! I l oP | horses and caissons complete, 290 wagons and teams loaded with subsistence, and 17 battle flags, were captured. The prisoners, under an escort of 1900 men, were sent back to Win chester. Thence he marched on Charlottes- vile, destroying efectually the railroad and bridges as he went, which place he reached on the 3d. Here he remained two days. destroy. ing the railroad toward Richmond and Lynch burg, including the large iron bridges over the north and south forks of the Rivanna river, and awaiting the arrival of his trains. This necessary delay caused him to abandon the idea of capturing Lynchburg. On the morn- ing of the 6tb, dividing his force into two col umns, he sent one to Scottsvlle, whence it marched up the James River canal to New Market, destroying every lock, and in many places the bank of the canal. From here a force was pushed out from this column to Dui- guidsville, to obtain possession of the bridge | across the James river at that place. but failed. The enemy burned it on our approach. The enemy also burned the bridge across the river at Hardwicksville The other column moved down the railroad toward Lynchburg, destroy ing it as far as Amherst Court House, sixteen miles from Lynchburg thence across the country, uniting with the column at New Market. The river being very high, his pom toons would not reach across it and the enc. my having destroyed the bridges by which he had hoped to cross the river and get on the South Side railroad about Farmville, and de- stroY it to Appomattox Court House, the only thing left him was to return to Winchester or strike base at the White House. Fortunate ly he choose the latter. From New Market he took up his line of march, following the canal towards Richmond destroying every lock upon it and cutting the banks wherever prac- ticable, to point eight miles east of Geoch- land, concentrating the whole force ct Colum- bia on the 10th. Here he rested one day, and sent through by scouts information of his whereabouts and purposes, and request for supplies to meet him at White House, which reached me on the night of the l2th. An infantry force was immediately sent to get possession of White House, and supplies were forwarded. Moving from Columbia in iirec- tion to threaten Richmond to near Ashland Station, he crossed the Annas, and after hay ing destroyed all the bridges and many miles of the railroad, proceeded down the north bank of the Pamunkey to White House, which place he reached on the 18th.
 Previous to this the following commpn;co. tlon was sent to General Thomas:
 " C1TY Po1NT, VA, March [, ls65-eaO.y
 "GENERAL: I think it will be adv;sah,. DO" for you to repair the railroad in East Tennessee, and throw good force up to Bulls aap and fortify there. Supplies at Knoxyill. l