The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-08-26

/
ly, to start for Staunton, and 60 on and destroy
the Virginia Central Railroad and canal.
Time advanced. until he set the 2Sth o.
February for starting / informed Thomas
| and directed him TO change the course OF Stone
man toward Lynchburg. to destroy the road in
Virginia up near to that place as possible
Not hearing from Thomas. telegraphed to him
about the 12th 10 know if Stoneman was yet
off He replied not but that he t1homas'
would start that day for Knoxville, TO get him
off as soon as possible.
Sheridan has made his raid, and with splen.
did success. so far as heard. / am looking foi
him at white House" to-day. Since about
the Goth of last month the Richmond papers
have been prohibited from publishing accounts
| of army movements We are left TO our own
resources, therefore, for information. You
| will see from the papers what Sheridan has
| done; if You do not, the officer who bears this
will tell you ali.
Lee has depleted his army but very little re-
Gently, and learn of none going south. Some
regiments may have been detached, but think
no division or brigade Thedeterminatsoa seems
to be to hold Richmond as loag As possible. !
have force fficient 10 leave enough 30 hold oar
lines (all that is necessary OF them), and move
out with plenty to whip has whole army. But the
| roads are entirely impossible. Unui they i'm.
prove, / shall content myself with watching
| Lee, and I've prepared TO pitch inte him If he
attempts to evacaate the place. may bring
Sheridan over-thins | willard break up
| the Danville and Soaths6e Railroads. These
are the last avenues left to the enemy.
Recruits have come ia 50 rapidly at the West
| that Thomas has now about as much force as
he had when be attacked Hood. have stopped
all who under previous ofsiers, would go to MIN,
except those from Illinois.
Fearing the possibility Of the enemy falling
back to Lynch burg, and afteTwafd attempting
| to 60 into East Tennessee or kehtaeky y,
| / have ordered Thomas TO move the Fourth
Corps to Bulls GAP, and to Fofttfs there, and
to hold out 10 the Virginia line, If he can. he
has accumulated a large amount Of supplies in
| Knoxville, and has been ordered not 30 destroy
| any of the railroad west of the Virginia line.
i told him to get ready for campaign toward
| Lynchburg. if it became necessary. lie never
can make one there or elsewhere but the steps
| taken wiz prepare FOR anyone else TO take his
I troops and come east or go toward Rome. which,
ever may be necessary. do not believe either
| will.
When hear that scu and schoiaea are to-
gether, with your back upon the coast, shall
! feel that you are entirely safe against anything
| the enemy cah do Lee may evaceate Rich-
mond, bat he cannet get there with fSree
enough 10 touch you. His army is now de-
moralized and desefting very fast, both to Us
and to their homes. A retfogfade movement
would cost him thousands OF men, even il we
| did not follow.
Five thousand men. belonging TO the corps
with you, are new on their way TO join YOU.
! If more feinforeements are necessary | will
! send them. My notion is that you should get
| Raleigh as soon as pessibie and hold the rail.
road from there back. This may take more
force than yeu now have.
From that point ali North Carolina reads can
be made useless TO the enemy, without keep.
ing up communications with the rear.
IN hpar nj
the forces from Wilmington and NewberD, |
remain, very respectfully, your obedient sery-
ant, L. S. GRANT Lieutenant-General.
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF
THE MISSISSIPPI, IN THE FIELD, CoX's
BRIDGE, NEUsE RIVER, NORTH CARO-
LIMA, March 22, 1865.
Lieut.-Gen. U. S. GRANT, Commander in Chief,
City Point Va.
GENERAL: / wrote you from Fayetteville,
n. C., on Tuesday. the l4th instant. that was
all ready to start for Goidsboro'. to which point
/ had also ordered Gen. schofieid. from New
bern, and Gen. Terry, from Wilmington. knew
that Gen. Jos. Johnston was supreme in COM
mand against me, and that he would have
time to concentrate respectable army to
oppose the last stage of this march. Accord
ingly, Gen. Slocum was ordered TO send
his main supply-traD, under escort of two
divisions straight for Bentonviiie, while he,
with his other four divisions, disencuDbered
OF all unnecessary wagons, should march to-
ward Raleigh, by way of threat, as far as
Averysboro. Gen. Howard in like manner.
sent his trains with the Seventeenth Corps,
well to the right. and, with the four divisions
OF the Fifteenth Corps, took roads which would
enable him to come promptly to the exposed left
flank. We started on the 18th, but again the
rains set in, and the roads, already bad enough,
became horrible.
On Tuesday, the 18th, Gen. Slocum found
Hardee's army, from Charleston, which had re-
treated before US from Cheraw, in position
across the narrow, swampy neck between Cape
Fear and North Rivers where the road branches
off 10 Goldsboro. There pretty severe fgnt
occurred, in which Gen. Slocums troops
red handsomely the advanced line, held by
South Carolina brigade, commanded by Col.
Butler. Its commander Col. Rbett. o. Fort
Sumter notoriety, with Of his staff, had
the night before been captured, by kiipatrick's
scouts, from his very skirmish-line. The next
morning nardee was found gone, and was pur-
sued through and beyond Averysboro' Gen.
Siocum bnried l0S dead rebels, aud captured
and destroyed three guns Some so wounded
rebels were left in our hands and. after dress
ing their wounds we left them in house, at
tended by a Confederate officer and four pri
Yates, detailed out of our prisoners and paro!ed
for the purpose.
! was with the left wing until / supposed all
danger had passed but when Gen. Slocum's
head Of column was within four miles of Ben
tonyille, after skirmisbing usual with
airy, he became aware that there was In nfantry
in his front He deployed couple OF brigades,
which on advancing sustained partial re-
pulse but soon rallied, when he formed line
of the two leading divisions (Morgan's and Car
Inns of JEFF {. Davis's Corps. The enemy at
tackled these with violence, bnt was repused.
This was in the forenoon Of Sunday, the l9th
Gen. Slocum brought forward the two divis-
ions Of the Twentieth Corps, hastily disposed
of them for defense, and Gen. Fitzpatrick
massed his cavalry on the left.
Gen. Jos. Johnston had the night before
marched his whole army bragg, Cheat ham
s. ID. Lee, Hardee, and al! the troops he had
| drawn from every quarter), determined. as he
| told his men, to crush one of our corps and then
defeat US in detail. he attacked Gen. Slocum
ia position from p. N. the 10Th till dark,
| but was everywhere repulsed, and lost heavily
| At the time j was with the Fifteenth Corps.
marching a road more to the right. but on
hearing of Gen. Slocum's danger directed that
corps toward Cox's Bridge, in the night brought
BaPs Corps over, and on the goth marched
rapidly on JOhnston's tank and rear.
We struck him about noon, forced him to as-
sumo the defensive and to fortify. Yesterday
we pushed him hard, and came very near
crushing him, the right division of the Seven
teenth Corps (Nowers) having broken in to
within hundred yards OF where Johnston
| himself was at the bridge across Mill Creek.
| Last night he retreated, leaving US in posses