Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-25
War News Fifty Years Ago
oErom Tue Richmond Dlspa,eh. March 20. 1859

| William @. Ryan. who claims to he n member
! OF Company T., sixth United States Cavalry. was
arrested yesterday and committed to Castle
| Thunder on suspicion OF being Yankee spy.
of aars horse arery ba
! arrested a few days ago In Powhatan County, he
ever. he dressed In Confederate uniform. and
| is believed to have been making his way to the
High Bridge on tho Southsidc Railroad with tho
intention of burning or otherwise destroying it,
Ryan will probably be shot.
General a. r. Hill General Gordon and General
Malone have been placed in the front to watch
Grants movements from l!atchcr's Run HITS
men are expected I" meet any rush that Grants
| men may make, and Gordon and Malone stand
ready with tried and trained veterans to stand
by any movement that flill shall make. and
General Ice Is keeping an eye on the whole
that comes from Petersburg. and it comes direct
to the Dispatch
The war Department refuses to give out any
information concerning the movements Mt Pc
tcrsourg. and so far as can be learned from
that supposed OF information. there is
nothing doing on that front but this paper and
all the other papers and everybody else know
better. There is fighting going on at Peters
burg. and it lis of the kind that is decisive. We
believe that General Lee Is holding his own and
that I'm Il few days. possibly within few hours.
he may make an Official report that when made
public by the War Department will be glorious
news indeed
The sad story Of many desertions from tho
Confederate army continues to be told On
the Richmond front day before Yesterday. &C
cording to reports received yesterday and last
night, as many as zoo men failed to answer TO
roll call. There explanation and
was necessary. It was very well understood.
The election yesterday--and what could
do without clection--resUltcd, so far
able to gather the returns. In sending to the
state Senate from Richmond. Colonel Thomas
r. August. The successful candidates for the
House l.. Scott. David J. Saunders
and D. l. Burr. Joseph ]. English. according
to the latest returns, won out In icnrico County
y large body OF woods tho Confederate
lines below Richmond fire yesterday
and It is said that a great deal Of cordwood was
consumed. Whether this wanton destruction Of
| wood due accident by military
order remains to be seen.
There quiet all along the Richmond lines
yesterday. And the same may be said OF the
doings on the Petersburg line This quiet can
not continue very many days longer Either
Grant Lee Will have to do something very
soon. The men the front In much OF
tension. They going to fight they arc
going TO quit.
Northern papers tell us that the Confederate
cruiser Tallahassee off Bermuda tho
18th instant, and that after leaving that region
she sailed under name. The name is not
given, but II is understood TINT the Tallahassee
under whatever name she may have for pru-
Dental reasons or otherwise, is still Con
fcderate ship and flies the Confederate colors
The quiet Of the armies In front Of Peters
burg is very remarkable. With the exception
| of some unmportant skirmishcs there has been
real battle for ten days That tho
armies getting ready for something bigger
| than that there be but little doubt
combatants mostly interested ill., VIII
| military gentleman in high authority vouchsafe
answer? This paper VIII guarantee him
against harm If he will just speak