The New York Herald Newspaper, March 14, 1865, Page 1

“THE NEW YORK HERALD. ~ WHOLE NO. 10,424. SCHOFIELD. The Battles and Victory Be- fore Kinston, N. C, Full Details of Operations on the 8th Instant. The Fifteenth Connecticut, Twenty- seventh Massachusetts and a Por- tion of the Twelfth New » York Cavalry Captured. REDEL LOSS FULLY TWO THOUSAND. The Fight Resumed on the 9th, and Our Forces Advanced. Tho Rebels Repulsed with Heavy Loss on the 10th. Their Dead and Wounded Left on the Field. Junction of Couch’s Army with Schofield’s Forces. Johnston Hastening to the Relief of Bragg. IMPORTANT REPORT FROM SALISBURY, A Union Force Releases Our Pris- Oners at That Point, ke, ae, &e, THE OFFICIAL REPORT. Secretary Stanton to Major General Dix. ‘ Wasmneron, March 13—9:45 P, M. ‘Major General Jonw A. Dix, New York:— ‘The following despatch has been received by this De- partment. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. eral Schofield’s Report. Crrx Ponrr, Va., March 13, 1865. Hon. Eowm M. Stanton, Secretary of War:— ‘Tho following hag just beon received :— i ‘Wisr’s Fox, March 10, 1865, ‘To Licutenant General Gaant:— The enemy made a heavy attack upon our centre and Ieft to-day, but was decisively repulsed, with heavy loss. ‘Bis dead and badly wounded were left upon the field. ‘We also took several hundred Prisoners, Our lossis emall. General Couch is only twelve miles from here to-night, and will be up early in the morning. ‘We took prisoners from Lee’s and Stuart's corps. . Shey say that two corps are here, and the rest of Jobns. ton’s army. is coming. J. M. SCHOFIELD, Major General. U. 8. GRANT, Lieutenant General, THE HERALD REPORTS. Oar Newbern Correspondence. . Newsxen, N. C., March 9—10 A. M. ‘THE ENGAGEMENT BEFORE KINSTON. General Schofield returned from the front early this Yesterday afternoon there was a little skirm- ‘with theenemy, and a few of our skirmishers, from the Fifteenth Connecticut and Twenty-seveath Massachusetts, were unfortunately fanked and taken Prinoners. I do not learn as yet, howevor, that there was ‘ny partioular loas of life, although there are wild stories @float that the entire regiments wore taken prisoners. i ‘Debora, who was in command of the Fiftoenth was wounded and taken prisoner. ‘The army is very hard pushed for transportation, and fm consequance they have to wait for the railroad to bo @onstructed as they advance. As fast as this is oom- Pleted, and sufficient supplies aré received over it, tho forces will continue to advance, depend upon it, and if Kinston stands in the way it will be brushed aside. It is ‘epdoubted!} true, however, that the rebele have been re- Grforced at Kinston, and it is thought that Bragg i in @ommand, Lee's corps, from Jood's army, is reported te be there; but I think it is Major General D. H. Hill’s Corps from Augusta, ‘THE EYEMY AT KINSTON. BR is understood that since the movement began from here the cnemy have introduced quite a force into Kin- @ton. The ram Neuse is also there, and, it !# claimed, @annot get away, carrying too much water to get up or down the river. - RELEASE OF UMON PRIBONERS AT SALISHORY. A gentleman named Lofton, of this city, has just re- @sived « letter from a brother of his, who has been a prisoner at Salisbury, N. C., for two years past, and who ‘writes that he has been released by Union forves. ‘Whethor it was dono by Sherman, or by a raid from the ‘Western part of the State, he did not say. Oar Army Correspondence. Iu Front or Kineton, March 11—A. M. A number of skirmishes and engagements have taken Place hore since Tuesday, the 7th instant, which, for Pertinacity of fighting and the results that foNowed, ‘would bear respectable comparison with many of the Battles that figure largely in history. Time will permit me to give you only the general features and events, whilo the details, and list of killed, wounded and prison @va, must be presented hereafter. I have already advised you of the general movement, which stared from Newbern and vicinity on the 6th and 7th, under com- mand of Major Genoral Cox. Since then Major General Schofield has established his headquarters at Newborn, and hos spent the most of his time im the field in front ef Kinston. PRELIMINARIES TO THE FIGHT ON THER OTT IWET. The first action of any consequence was on Wednes- day, the 8th, although there was some inferior skirmish- fing on the 7th betwoen « smail body of Colonel Clavsen's Command andthe enemy's skirmishers, which resulted ini the latter being driven to their works at Jackson's Mills, about four and @ half miles east of Kinston. There SHERIDAN’S taken prisoners, they having been completely out- flanked by the rebels, who pressed in upon them from the rear and the sides, and gobbled them up nearly en masse. Tho Twenty-seventh Massa- chusetts numbered not far from two hundred, Licutenant Colonel Bartholomew being in command. He was cap- tured with bis regimeat. It is his second misfortune of the kind. He was once before captured, when in Heck- man’s brigade, at Drury’s Bluf@. He is a most worthy Officer, and bis command fought like heroes before sur- rendering; Dut it was against far too great odds, Tho Fifteenth Conuccticut numbered twelve or thirteen hun- dred, including a few fragments of other regiments that were with them, aad a largo proportion of them were captured. Major Osborne, who was in command, was wounded and taken prisoner. Just previous to this the enemy had advanced with similar impetuogity in front of the First and Second di- vistons, and captured portions of three or four companics of the Twelfth New York cavalry. Many of these three commands made good their es- cape in the confusion that occurred and afterwards, and some have straggled in from time to time even up to the present moment. The left of the line was held by the Second division, General 8, P. Carter in command, and some of the most desperate fighting occurred in their front. The Twenty- seventh Massachusetts, when they found thomseives being surrounded, fought like Trojane, resorting to the bayonet when their ammunition became exhausted. They deserved a more glorious fate thau they met. Those of the Fifteenth Connecticut who were captured dis- played equal valor. : Previous tothe capture of these regiments General Carter visited the skirmish lino, and was particularly ex- posed to the fire of the euemy. Afterwards, on the after- noon of the 8th, he had his horse shot under bim, and the rest of the day he performed the most of his @Aties on foot, His coolness was well illustrated in the fact that he bore off in his arms, from the line of skir- mishers, a soldier who was wounded. Such instances of courage, magnanimity and devotion to bis troops, make him an object of idolatry with the latter, and they uni- versally speak of him with love and admiration. He isa man of few worde, but of iron will and sturdy action, and @ true soldier at all times. . To partially compensate for the loes of the regiments above named, Colonel Savage, of the Twelfth New York cavalry, afverwards made a detour towards the roar of the enemy with a portion of his command, capturing between fifty and one hundred rebels, a few wagous and a eur- geon. The same afternoon, also, un attack was made upon our right, occupied by the First division, com- manded by General Innes N. Palmer, bat it was repulsed without difficalty and without any serious loss of life. Our line at this time (aftersoon of the Sth) was in front of Jackson's creck, at one point on which (Jackson's Mills, previously mentioned) the rebels had their strong- est position. In the early part of the afternoon Colonel Malloy, of the Seventeenth Wisconsin, but now in com mand of we First brigade, Second division, was win- ning Janrele by the gallant and successful opposition ho was presenting to any further advances upon our lef, It must be confessed, however, that it was po trifling was gubsequently more or lees artillery firimg till night | task, inasmuch as many of his troops wero AME OP, ailonded With Invignifieant resalie small, fragmentary portions of a large number THN DATILE OF THE Sti MRT, of regitnents from different Slates, many of Wodnesday forenoon, the Sth, the enemy gave avi | them betug without officers of their own, some of them dence of & determination to attempt to turn onr left | bethgy convalescents, others new recruits, and oll of flank, where the Fifteenth Connecticut and the Twenty. | them but litte diveiplined under their new orvanizatton seventh Massachnsetis were oceupying the advance ykiy | Thoy were a part of the provisional dividion whieh M@ivh line, The tebel force that made this nitexpects! | General Meagher was 10 have comn ad, bit whiet ent i supposed to have been Hoke’s division They | now largely entered into the make up of Hever! Carter's @a09 pon us furiously, and the conenquence wos that a | divicion, mud partially tats that of General t r fargo portion of theswo regiments momtioned above wore Niranigely, 100, no C@paretion exittod ub bile Huw be NEW YORK, TUESDAY, MARCH 14, 1865. S IMPORTANT OPERATIONS. Where Sheridan Went and What He and supplies. tween the First and Stoond divisions, there being an interval of undefended territory between them. Briga- djer General Ruger, of the First division, Twenty-third corps, but mow in command of the Third division of this army, bad his headquarters and dtvision four or five miles back, and General Cox's headquarters were in tie same vicinity, The latter, however, was present at the division headquarters im front, and in the course of the afternoon General Schoileki came up, although the sole direction of movements was left with General Cox. General Schofield exhibited the utmost nonchalance during the operations of the after- noon while he was present, and doubtless looked upon it all ag @ very slim affair compared with some of the many ugly ordeals he had previously passed through. In view of the adverse circumstances which existed, and the splendid conduct of our troops sinos, it is no detriment to the cause, nor discredit to the gallant general in com- mand, to confess that we were surprised at Grst, aad hardly supposed the enemy to have the force which they proved to have, But the fragmentary masses redeemed themselves, and the Western States, from which the most of them came, may continue to be proud of their chil- dren. General Cox has issued an order praising them for | their gallantry; and when thore is a fighting opportunity hercafter wo to the enemy that stands in their path. Between three and four o’clock on the afternoon of the 8th, General Ruger came up and filled the interstice between the First and Second divisione. This gave a new life to the entire line, and Colonel Malloy made a charge upon the rebel rifle pits, partially regaining the ground he had formerly occupied. At this night came on and the action ceased. Captain Fish, of the Twelfth New York cavairy, had lost two small howitzers, and Captain Kelsey, of the Third New York artillery, had loat a Napoleon gun. We had taken, perhaps, two hun- dred prisouers during the day. ‘TUE ADVANCE ON THR OTH INSTANT. Thureday morning, the 9th, Malloy folly regained bis original position and continued to hold it. The enemy charged upon him three times in the forenoon, and were each time easily repulsed, with some toss of life anda small lose of prisoners to them. The afternoon was mostly occupied with light skirmishing along the whole line, About two hundred prisoners were taken by ue duriig the day. We still held our original live, ample breastworks having been erected, and stout hearts occu- pying both them and the skirmish pits. All through tho evening of the 9th, and the night and moraing of the 9th aud 10th, rebel fury again bolched forth. They had evidently learned of something that urged them to unusual desperation; and we afterwards learned that it must have been the reception of intelli- gence by them that Couch was coming up overland to join Cox. This, of course, necessitated a furious and epoody onset uyon Cox, in order to angjhilate bin before Couch should come up and prove a couch of thorns to them, All night long they ebarged again and again, making six or seven different charyos, amid a roar of musketry and cannon that was deafening and terrible as it swept and surged through the night air, They had driver back our skirrmieh line from their rife pits wo the breastworks, and they seomed determined to pour their hordes over into these. But the wave was sent bounding back time after time, and finally, on the toruing of the 10th, as they attempted another flank movement upon our left, Mt is said that we took from them an entire rey ment of Alabamiane, From this time their ardor began to diwinieh, and yesterday afternoon when I loft the im medicte scone of action there wae every prospect that 1d soon Pepan the sleirms we we hy pits and win a hand some vietury over Lhe piaddaned (oe Tm Lote 6 let of Killed ad wounded frei the operation bt berare yortenday wad th Wil be quite be both sides, though much more so with them than with us, from the fact that we fought from behind our works, while they indulged in some most foolhardy charges. ‘We have probably taken, from the commencement up to last evening, not far from two thousand prisoners. Our entire loss from the commencement, in killed, wounded and prisoners, cannot be over two thousand. Captain Bassett, Fifteenth Connecticut, ts thought to have been mortay wounded, and at last accounts was in the hands of the enemy, Gaptain Myers, Twelfth New York cavalry, was captured. Lieatenant Pittman, Twelfth New York cavalry, is supposed to have been killed. Captain Hufty, Ninth New Jersey, is reported to have been mortally wounded. Captain Hubbard, Twelfth New York cavalry, was captured. Lieutenant Haring, Acting Adjutant of the One Hundred and Thirty-second New York, was badly wounded in the face. The colonel of the One Hundred and Mightieth Obio was severely wounded in the leg. Captain Forbes, Twenty-fifth Massachusetts, was badly wounded. ‘THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THR COUNTRY ; where most of the Oghting occurred presents a dead level, and the flelds and roads were muddy beyond description. Tho soil is a mixture of sand and clay, aod those who were with Sherman through Tennessee and Goorgia affirm that they never saw the mud worse in any of those marches than hore. There being no eminences, also, the artillery eould ut be worked £0 advantagoously as otherwise. The prisoners we took were mostly Georgians and South and North Carolinians. The most of the prisoners were well dressed, and had with them duplicates of Jackets, shirts, shoes, and personal outfit generally, including good knupsacks, canteens, &c. They were generally robust young men, of eighteen or twenty —= of ago. The revel cavairy force seems to have asmall. The prisoners generally affirm that Bragg is-in chief command, and that they have a force of from fifteen thousand to twenty-five thousand, among whom |s A. P. Hill's division, from Lee's army. Thore is n0 doubt of Hoke’s proseace with them, and they have grea corti. denoe in him, At the capture of Newbern ho was merely an orderly oe in @ regiment of which Governor Vance was colo Yome.of the prisouers fooliahly Prove another Petersburg to us, it, Should we approach nearer to the town they hope to do wonders by the aid of the ram at Kinston, The Press Despatch. Nawnenn, N. 0., March 11—9 A. M. The enemy, elated with the capture of two or three small gans anda line of skirmishers in our front, made several charges yesterday of the most reckless character, in which they were repulsed each time with heavy loes. Our forees wero well intrenched, and are now within three miles of Kinston, to which point the railroad is now com- pleted. General Couch’s division from Wilmington communt- cated with Major General Cox last night from Beaver Dam—a point he had just reached—which is ight miles from General Cox's headquarters. General Couch joins General Cox's forces this morning, which indi a battle to-day. The enomy show signs of weakness, and will doubtlees fall back to the other side of the Neuse river, and make a stand in Kinston, ‘The enemy are reported to nutnber from fifteen thousand to twenty-flve thousand The rebel ram is stationed at Kinston to protect the crows the Nease, which is quite an extensive structre. It fs reported hy deserters that General Rabert K. Lee and Major General Breckinridge, from Richmond, visited ‘ ad gave Mmatructions jor General fehofield romaine in the field with Major General Cox, giving every movement his pore h alarmed a Wit Wo expect tot Vordere ner ch they ha ine eat ' tM head with A lorwe , | whieb he i# wang to deliver vy way oF New wera FLOVANNA COURT HOUSH SHERMAN. IMPORTANT REBEL REPORTS. Kilpateick Driven from His Camp by Hampton’s Troops. Guns, Wagons and Prisoners Captured, &e., &e Secretary Stanton to Major General Dix. Wasmoros, March 18—9:46 P. M. Major General Jouw A. Dix, New York :— The following despatch has been received by this De- partment KB. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. GENERAL GRANT'S DESPATCH. Crry Porn, Va., March 18, 1865. Hoa. Eowm M. Stanton, Secretary of War:— ‘The following items are taken from to-day’s Richmond papers:— We have tome good news this morning—news of a victory in South Carolina. It is announced in the fol- lowing official despatch from General Lee. Though the despatch {is rather scant in its particulars, enough te givon to show that Kilpatrick was badly worsted. THE REBEL GENERAL LeE’s DESPATCH. Hrapguartens, &c., March 10, 1965. Hon. Joan C, Baecxinipox, Secretary of War:— Goneral Hampton attacked General Kilpatrick at day Hgbt thie morning, and drove him from the camp, taking bis guns, wagons, many horses, several hundred prisoners, and relieving great number of our men who had been captured. The guns and wagons could not be brought off for want of horses, Many of the onemy were killed aud wounded. Our loss i@ not heavy. Lieutenant Colonel J. S. King was killed. Brigadior Geveral Hume, Colonels Kagan and Morrison, and Majors Davis and Ferguson, and othors, were wounded. R. B. LEE, General COMMENTS OF THE RICHMOND PATER. It will be observed that the locality of the fight ls not named im the despatoh. This ie for prudential reasons. Sherman has no communication with the North, and it would be imprudent to publish where he was, as it would be giving news to Grant of his progress, Matters are beginning to look decidedly better for us fa tho South. In the last three days we havo bad nows of two victories—one in North Carolina and one in South Carolina. ni &o, NEWS PROM GEORGIA. Ciomtérere, Mareh 8, 1866, The Sovthorn Express Compauy’s inessenger from it does not concur in the recommendation of Governor nconvention by a vote of 10 yeas agninat § nays. enaive firer had oeenrred int Augusta, apposed i eRichmomt | | boa + , " v lading Gen rale Kelley agri Crook recently capty red GRAN), Lieutenamt General , Ga, brings advices to the Jd instant. No news ent had transpired went of the Savannah river: | gia Renate had passed & resolution declaring that | and captured typ ong On the peiegst the 7th PRICE FOUR CENTS. | SHERIDAH. ds Official Despatches Concerning General Accomplished---Immense Destruction of Rebel Roa Sheridan’s Rald Up the She- ngndoah Valley. THE ENEMY TAKEN UNAWARES. Waynesboro, Staunton, Charlottesville, Scottsville, New Canton, Duguids- ville, Hardwicksville and Am- horst Court House Occupied. Fourteen Piecesof Artillery and Twelve Canal Boats Laden with Supplies Captured. Immense Destruction of Railroads, Bridges, Canals, Mills, &c. Commander Hollins, of the Redel Navy, Shot, &e., &e. &., Secretary Stanton to Major Generai Dix. Wasmnxctoy, March 13—10 A. M. Major General Dix, New York :— ‘The following report of General Sheridan's operations has been received by thia department :— EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of Wer. General Sheridan's Keport. Balt g Crry Por, Va, March 12—7 P. Hon. Eowm M. Stayton, Secretary of War:;— The following despatch is just received :— U. S&. GRANT, Lieutenant General, Hgavgcartexs, Miooue Musrrary Divison, CoLummia, Va, March 10, 1865, Adeutenant General U. S. Grayt, commanding armies United States :— Grvgrat—In my last despatch, dated Waynesboro, I gave yous brief account of the defeat of Early by Cus ter’s division. The same night this division wag pushed across the Blue Ridge and entered Charlottesville at two P, M. the noxt day, The Mayor of the city and Yhe principal in- habitants came out and delivered up the keys of the pub- Mo bulldings, I bad to remain at Charlottesville two days. This time ‘was consumed in bringing over from Waynosboro oar ammunition and pontoon trains. The weather was horrible beyond description and the rain incessant. The two divisions were during this time occupied in destroying the two large tron bridges—one over the Ri- vanna river, the other over Morse’s creek, moar, Char- Jottesville—and the railroad for # distance of eight miles in the direction of Lynchburg. On the 6th of March I sent the first division, General Devin commanding, to Scottaville, on the James river, with directions to gend out light parties through the country and dostroy all merchandise, mills, factories, bridges, &c., on the Rivanaa river, the parties to join the division at Scottsville, The division then proceeded along the canal to Duguidsville, dficen miles from Lynchbarg, destroying every lock, and in many places the bank of the canal. At Duguidsville we hoped to secure the bridge to let us cross the river, us our pontoons were useless, On account of the high water in this, however, we were foiled, a6 both this bridge and the bridge at Hard- wiekgille were burned by the enemy upon our approach. Merritt accompanied this division. The Third division started at the same time from Char lotteaville, and proceeded down the Lynchburg Railroad to ‘Amherst Court House, destroying every bridge on the road, and in many places miles of the road. The bridges on this. road are mnmerous and some of them five bundred‘feet in length We have found great abundance in this country for our men and animals. In fact the eanal had beon the great feeder of Richmond. At the Rockfish rivor the bank of the canal ‘was out, and at New Cantan, where the dam is across the James, the guard lock was destroyed and the James river let into the canal, carrying away the banks and washing out the bottom of the canal, ‘The dam across the James at this point was also par- tally destroyed. Ihave had no opposition. Everybody is bewildered by our movements. Ihave had no news of any kind since I left. ‘The latest Richmond paper was of the 4th, but con- tained nothing. 1 omitted to montion that the bridges @m the railroad from Swoop’s depot, on the other side of Staanton, to Charlottesville, were utterly destroyed; also all bridges for a distance of ten mileson the Gordonsvill road. The weather has been very bad indeed, raining hard every day, with the oxception of four days, since wo started, My wagons have, from the state % the roads, detained me. Up to the present time we have captured fourteen pieces of artiliery—elevén at Waynesboro and three at Charlottesville. ‘The party that I sent back from Waynesboro started with six pieces, but they were obliged to destroy two of the six for waot of animals, The remaining eight pieces were thoroughly destroyed. We have captured up to the present time twelve canal boats Iaden with supplies, ammunition, rations, medical stores, Ao. I cannot speak in too high terms of General@ Merritt, Custer and Devin and the officers and men of thoir com- mands, They have waded through mud and water during this continuous rain, and are ail in fine spirits and health. Commodore Holling, of the rebel navy, was shot near Gordonsville, while attempting to make bis e*eape from our advance in that direction. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, P. H. SHERIDAN, Major General Commanding. REBEL ACCOUNTS. Rosser’s Attempt to Recapture Prisoners. SECRETARY BTANTON TO MAJOR GENERAL U Wasuiwaton March 18—0:45 P. M. Major General Joun A. Dix, New York: ‘The foltowing despatch has been received by this De- partment, EDWID M. STANTON, Secretary of War. OUNERAL GRANT'S REFORT, Hon. Fowrn M. Staxtox, Secretary of War:— ‘The following from to-day’s Richmond papers has just been received :— sina We alluded (n our last isene toa movemer wes being fade for the purpose of mécaptoring our prisoners who were taken from Early in recent Oght near Waynesboro, and who were being conducted . to Winchester, The fvllowing oficial despatch tel a Mareh 9, 1865. Hrangval on. J.C Bascrasmpar, Secretary of a? noral Rosser reports that on the 6th, with » fow of bia men, be attacked the enemy near iwonburg, ‘bo were guarding the prisoners taken at Waynosboro, te seed he again tanked them near Reid's Hills, loyin Lined them for a day and a night at the ti thom to retire in haste, ahanddning th tllery Shey bad, apd their, ambalaicer them a good deal, aud ouabled a good mony of “pe RB. Lek, Ge Th ampere claim to have capt red thousand prisoners in tne tight with Early, and report Noethorr that rost of tiie aumber had reached Winchester, & GRANT. Lieqtenant General,