Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 2 (of 2)

In the month of February, 1865, before any important movement of the armies operating against Richmond had taken place, General Grant deemed it essential that all railroad communication with the city north of James river should be cut off. At that time the enemy had withdrawn the bulk of his troops from the Shenandoah valley, to strengthen the forces then in opposition to Sherman. The cavalry force of that commander was then far inferior to that of Johnson; and in order to assist Sherman as well as to destroy the lines of communication and supplies of Lee’s army, General Sheridan, then at Winchester, was instructed to undertake an expedition, for the double purpose contemplated. On the 20th of February General Grant telegraphed to him as follows:

“General: As soon as it is possible to travel I think you will have no difficulty about reaching Lynchburg with a cavalry force alone. From there you could destroy the railroad and canal in every direction, so as to be of no further use to the rebellion. Sufficient cavalry should be left behind to look after Mosby’s gang. From Lynchburg, if information you might get there would justify it, you could strike south, heading the streams in Virginia to the westward of Danville, and push on and join General Sherman. This additional raid, with one about starting from East Tennessee under Stoneman, numbering four or five thousand cavalry, one from Vicksburg, numbering about seven or eight thousand cavalry, one from Eastport, Mississippi, ten thousand cavalry, Canby from Mobile bay with about thirty-eight thousand mixed troops, these three latter pushing for Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery, and Sherman with a large army eating out the vitals of South Carolina, is all that will be wanted to leave nothing for the rebellion to stand upon. I would advise you to overcome great obstacles to accomplish this. Charleston was evacuated on Tuesday last.

General Sheridan moved from Winchester on the 27th of February with two divisions of cavalry numbering about five thousand each. On the 1st 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 stopping to make a reconnoissance, an immediate attack was made, the position was carried, and sixteen hundred prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery, with horses and caissons complete, two hundred and ninety wagons and teams loaded with subsistence, and seventeen battle flags, were captured. The prisoners, under an escort of fifteen hundred men, were sent back to Winchester. Thence he marched on Charlottesville, destroying effectually the railroad and bridges as he went, which place he reached on the 3d. Here he remained two days, destroying the railroad toward Richmond, and Lynchburg, 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 morning of the 6th, dividing his forces into two columns, he sent one to Scottsville, whence it marched up the James river canal to New Market, destroying every lock, and in many places the banks of the canal. From here a force was pushed out from this column to Duiguldsville, to obtain possession of the bridge across the James river at that place, but failed. The enemy burned it as the Union troops approached. The rebels also burned the bridge across the river at Hardwicksville. The other column moved down the railroad toward Lynchburg, destroying 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, Sheridan’s pontoons would not reach across it; and the enemy having destroyed the bridge by which he had hoped to cross the river and get on the South Side railroad about Farmville, and destroy it to Appomattox Court House, the only thing left for him was to return to Winchester or strike a base at the White House. Fortunately he chose 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 practicable, to a point eight miles east of Goochland, concentrating the whole force at Columbia on the 10th. Here he rested one day, and sent through by scouts information of his whereabouts and purposes, and a request for supplies to meet him at White House, which communication reached General Grant on the night of the 12th. An infantry force was immediately sent to get possession of White House, and supplies were forwarded. Moving from Columbia in a direction to threaten Richmond to near Ashland station, he crossed the Annas, and after having destroyed all the bridges and many miles of the railroad, he proceeded down the north bank of the Pamunkey to White House, which place he reached on the 19th.