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ng the streams in Virginia to the westward of Danville, and push on and join General Sherman. This and would at least, by the destruction of the Danville road, retard the concentration of the two armched line, you may cut loose and push for the Danville road. If you find it practicable, I would li much detention, however, until you reach the Danville road, which I would like you to strike as neaim. On the fourth General Sheridan struck the Danville road near Jettersville, where he learned thatations now are that Lee will attempt to reach Danville with the remnant of his force. Sheridan, whoon to Burkesville, and, if a stand is made at Danville, will in a very few days go there. If you car you to strike for Greensboroa, or nearer to Danville, you will be better able to judge when you real Lee was moving west of Jetersville, toward Danville. General Sheridan moved with his cavalry (thk that road and destroyed the bridges between Danville and Greensboroa, and between Greensboroa and [2 more...]
useless waste of life, the enemy, from his reinforcements, undoubtedly numbering two, if not three, to our one. Besides, too, if rumor could be credited, a strong force of cavalry was endeavoring to find and intercept us. Leaving, then, the Danville road, the column was turned in the direction of the Southside railroad, striking it the same day just before sunset at Wellville and Black's and White's Stations. This road, with station-houses, cars, &c., was also effectually destroyed for sevhe jail, and found confined in it three persons who had been imprisoned for refusing to take up arms against the United States Government. Releasing these, the command pushed rapidly on to Coalfield pits, within twelve miles of Richmond, on the Danville road. Here the work of destroying the track was commenced, the depot burned, and the mails captured. Bivouacking about four miles beyond, about daylight next morning started for Powhatan station, where they arrived at half-past 8 A. M., drivin
rom the North of General Grant's progress, induced us to hope that the plan of an extensive and damaging campaign, discussed at the outset, might now be successfully carried out. It was determined, therefore, to move on Lynchburg by way of Lexington and Buchanan, crossing the Blue Ridge at the Peaks of Otter. From Lynchburg we could operate against the Southside and Danville railroads with our cavalry, cutting off the enemy's only means of supply, liberating the Union prisoners confined at Danville, and rendering necessary the speedy evacuation of the rebel capital. If General Lee was forced to detach a considerable force to oppose us, and prevent the execution of these designs, an equally desirable and important object would be accomplished; the main army of the rebellion would be weakened; General Grant would be relieved to that extent, while we had always safe lines of retreat open to the westward, through the passes of the mountains. In addition to these considerations, the
successfully with the rebels directly in front, General Kautz, with his cavalry, had executed a grand raid round to the south of Petersburg, playing the mischief with the railroads leading from that place to Suffolk and Weldon. Nor did our success stop there. On the morning of Thursday the twelfth, the army, after a rest of twenty-four hours, began another advance in full force ; General Kautz setting forth about the same time on another raid, to break up the railroad between Richmond and Danville. This advance of the army was crowded with still more important success. General Smith, with the Eighteenth corps, held our right, toward the river, and General Gillmore, with two divisions of the Tenth corps, Terry's and Turner's, held our left; his third division, under General Ames, being left in the rear of the main body, to act as a corps of observation against any approaches of the enemy from Petersburg. Slowly and steadily the army fought its way onward toward Richmond, though n
four miles of Lynchburg, destroying as they advanced. A railroad was never more thoroughly dismantled than was the East Tennesse and Virginia railroad, from Wytheville to near Lynchburg. Concentrating his command, General Stoneman returned to North Carolina, via Jacksonville and Taylorsville, and went to Germantown, whence Palmer's brigade was sent to Salem, North Carolina, to destroy the large cotton factories located there, and burn the bridges on the railroad betwen Greensboroa and Danville, and between Greensboroa and the Yadkin river, which was most thoroughly accomplished, after some fighting, by which we captured about four hundred prisoners. At Salem, seven thousand bales of cotton were burned by our forces. From Germantown the main body moved south to Salisbury, where they found about three thousand of the enemy defending the place, and drawn up in line of battle behind Grant's creek, to await Stoneman's attack. Without hesitation, a general charge was made by our
to Keysville and there bivouacked. The work of destruction was resumed early on the twenty-fifth and by three P. M. we had reached the vicinity of Staunton bridge, on the Staunton river, having completely destroyed every foot of railroad to that point. The distance from Burksville, measured on the map, is about thirty-five miles, and adding to this portions of Southside road which were destroyed the aggregate would not be less than fifty miles and probably more than that distance. The Danville road was constructed in a fashion known to some extent in the extreme West, but now little used; instead of ordinary T rail, solid beams of wood, technically called stringers, are placed upon the ties, and along their inner edges are firmly fastened long strips of iron, known as strap rails. The stringers were of yellow pine, and being perfectly dry, it was only necessary here and there to place a few rails from an adjoining fence, ignite them, and set the entire structure in a blaze. Mil
, ties, and hopelessly bent and twisted rails. In Liberty were five or six rebel hospitals, in which were a large number of sick and wounded from Lee's army. We learn here that the rebels are rapidly moving all their stores from Lynchburg to Danville, anticipating the at least possible capture of the former place. Early on the morning of the seventeenth, having heard from Averell that the enemy were drawn up in good number in front of him at New London, we marched Crook's division in advashort, easy marches, entered Lexington on the evening of the eleventh, and rested here until Tuesday morning, the fourteenth. By this time belief in the rebel mind had become certainty, and we heard that they were taking the Lynchburg stores to Danville, and making preparations to resist us at Lynchburg. Lexington is only forty-one miles distant from Lynchburg by the direct route. General Crook here implored permission to march his own gallant Kanawha division by this road, and surprise and t
nant-General Grant, and cut off Johnston's retreat. He knew at the time he penned that despatch and made those orders, that Johnston was not retreating, but was halted under a forty-eight hours truce with me, and was laboring to surrender his command and prevent its dispersion into guerrilla bands, and that I had on the spot a magnificent army at my command, amply sufficient for all purposes required by the occasion. The plan of cutting off a retreat from the direction of Burksville and Danville is hardly worthy one of his military education and genius. When he contemplated an act so questionable as the violation of a truce made by competent authority within his sphere of command, he should have gone himself and not have sent subordinates, for he knew I was bound in honor to defend and maintain my own truce and pledge of faith, even at the cost of many lives. When an officer pledges the faith of his government, he is bound to defend it, and he is no soldier who would violate it
itself, which might have been done had General Lee promptly attacked and driven back the comparatively small force opposed to him and pursued his march to Burksville Junction. A despatch from General Lee's chief commissary to the commissary at Danville and Lynchburg, requiring two hundred thousand rations to be sent to meet the Army at Burksville, was here intercepted. So soon as I found that the entire army of the enemy was concentrated at Amelia Court-house, I forwarded promptly all the infnth instant the pursuit was continued early in the morning by the cavalry, General Crook in the advance. It was discovered that the enemy had not been cut off by the Army of the James, and under the belief that he would attempt to escape on the Danville road through Prince Edward Court-house, General Merritt was ordered to move his two divisions to that point, passing around the left of the Army of the James. General Crook continued the direct pursuit, encountering the main body of the enemy at