The Soldiers' journal., September 28, 1864, Image 7

About The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
Washington, Sept. 20, 1804.
Major General Dix, New York:
The following dispatch has just been received j
from General Sheridan's department:
Harper's Ferry, Sept. 20, 7:30 A. M.
Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War:
Just heard from the front. Sheridan has de
feated the enemy heavily, killing and wound
ing five thousand, capturing twenty-five hun
dred prisoners, five pieces of artillery, and five
battle flags. j
The rebel Generals Gordon and Rhodes were
killed, and York wounded.
Our loss is about two thousand. j
General Russell, of the oth corps, was killed.
I 'eneral Mcintosh lost a leg.
The enemy escaped tip the valley, under cover
Sheridan is in Winchester.
J. D. Stevenson, Brigadier General.
Major General Sheridan transmits to General
Grant the following official report, just received
by the department:
Lieutenant General U. S. Grant:
I have the honor to report that I attacked the
forces of General Early over the Berry ville pike,
at the crossing of Opequan Creek, and, after a
most stubborn and sanguinary engagement,
Which lasted from early in the morning unti
five o'clock in the evening, completely defeatec
him, driving him through Winchester, and cap
turing about twenty-five hundred prisoners, five
pieces of artillery, nine army flags, and most of
their Avounded.
The rebel General Rhodes and Gordon were
killed, and three other general officers wounded.
Most of the enemy's wounded, and all their
killed fell into our hands.
Our losses are severe; among them General
D. A. Russell, commanding a division in the Gth
corps, who was killed by a cannon ball. Generals
Upton, Mcintosh and Chapman Avere Avounded.
I cannot yet tell our losses.
The conduct of the officers and men was most
supurb ; they charged and carried every posi
t ion taken by the rebels from Opequan creek to
Winchester. The rebels were strong in num
bers, and very obstinate in their fighting.
I desire to mention to the Lieutenant General
commanding the army the gallant conduct of
Generals Wright, Crook, Emory, Torbet, and
the officers and men under their command; to
them the country is indebted for this handsome
victory.
A more detailed report will bo forwarded.
P. H. Sheridan,
Major General commanding.
Full details of casualities will be given when
received by the department.
Edwin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
SECOND OFFICIAL BULLETIN.
Washington, Sept. 20, 9 P. M.
Major General Dix, New York :
The following is tho latest intelligence received
from General Sheridan:
" Harper's Ferry, Va., Sept. 20, 8 P. M.
Hon! Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War ;
The body of General Russell has arrived ; as
soon as embalmed it will bo forwarded to NeAV
General Mcintosh, with a leg amputated, has
just come in. He is in gopd spirits. Several of
ficers from tho front report the number of pris
oners in excess of three thousand. Tho number j
of battle-flags captured was fifteen instead of I
at Kearnstown.
I sent forward, this morning, ample medical
I supplies, and full subsistence for the entire army
goes forward. If you do not hear from me often
it will be because of the distance Aye are from
the scene of action, and because I send you only
such information as I esteem reliable.
John D. Stevenson, Brigadier General."
The President has appointed General Sheridan
a brigadier in the regular army, and assigned
him to the permanent command of the Middle
Military Division. General Grant has ordered
the armies under his command to fire a salute o
one hundred guns at 7 o'clock to-morrow morn
ing, in honor of Sheridan's great victory.
A despatch just received from General Sher
man at Atlanta says: " Everything continues
well with us."
The reports of to-day slioav that the draft is
proceeding quietly in all the States. In most o
the districts vigorous efforts are continued to fil
the quota by volunteers before the drafted men
are mustered in.
Edwin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
War Department,
Washington, Sept. 21, 10:15 A. M.
Major General Dix, New York :
This department has just receiA-ed tho follow
ing telegram, announcing the continued pursuit
Of the rebels by General Sheridan. Cedar Creek,
Avhero Sheridan was crossing at three o'clock
3-esterday afternoon, is a short distance this sido
of Strasburg. He had pursued the rebels over
thirty miles from the point where he attacked
them at daylight on Monday :
" Harper's Ferry, Sept. 21.
Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War:
Reliable news from the front. Our army was
crossing Cedar Creek yesterday at three P. M.—
No fighting. The folloAving list of rebel generals
killed and wounded is correct: Generals Rhodes,
Ramseur, Gordon, Terry, Goodwin, Bradley
Johnson, and Fitz. Lee. From all I can learn,
the prisoners will approximate five thousand.—
The indications are that the rebels Avill not make
a stand short of Staunton. They are evidently
too much demoralized to make another light.
John D. Stevenson, Brigadier General."
General Grant transmits the folloAving extract
from the Richmond Senti7iel of yesterday :
" A slight ripple of excitement was produced
here yesterday, by the report that a Yankee
raiding party was advancing on Gordonsville,
and Avas within a feAV miles of that place. The I
result of all our inquiries on this head is, that
this report originated in the fact, that early yes
terday morning a party of Yankee raiders, whose
number is not known, visited liapidan bridge,
and, after destroying it, proceeded to Liberty
Mills, five or six miles above, Avhieh they also
destroyed. From this latter place they are be
lie\ed to have gone back to Culpepper."
The operation alluded to by tho Richmond
Sentinel was by a force sent out previous to the
battle of Monday. Edavin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War. .
Headquarters M. M. Division,
Six Miles from Woodstock,
Sept, 22,11:30 P. M.
Lieutenant General IT. S. Grant:
I havo the honor to report that I achieved a J
most signal victory over the army of General I
Early at Fisher's Hill to-day.
North Mountain, and occupying a position Avhieh
appeared almost impregnable.
After a groat deal of manoeuvring during the
day, General Crook's command was transferred
to the extreme right of the line, on North.
Mountain, and he furiously attacked the left ol
tho enemy's line, carrying everything before
While Crook was driving the enemy in the
greatest confusion, and sAveeping doAvn behind
their breastworks, the 6th and 19th army corps
attacked the rebel works in the front, and the
whole rebel army appeared to be broken up.—
They fled in the utmost confusion.
Sixteen pieces of artillery were captured ; also,
a great many caissons, artillery horses, <fco.
lam to-night pushing on down the valley. I
cannot say how many prisoners I have captured,
nor do I know my OAvn or the enemy's casuali-
Only darkness has saved the whole of Early's
army from total destruction.
My attack could not be made until four o'clock
in the evening, AAdiich left but little day-light to
I operate in.
The Ist and 3d cavalry divisions went doAvn
the Luray Valley to-day, and if they push on
vigorously in the main valley, the result of this
day's engagement will be still more signal.
The victory is very complete.
A more detailed report will be made as soon
as I can obtain the necessary data.
P. H. Sheridan,
Major General Commmanding.
It will be remembered that Early's command
embraced the Stonewall Brigade and troops con
stituting Stonewall Jackson's corps, and Avas tho
elite of the rebel army.
Edwin M. Stanton,
Secretary of War.
Profitable Business.—A gentleman at a
ladies' fair lately, being solicited to buy some
thing by a young creature who kept a table,
said ho wanted Avhat was not for sale—a lock of
her hair. She promptly cut off tho coveted curl,
and received the sum asked for it, one hundred
dollars. The purchaser was showing his trophy
to a friend. "She rather had you," said tho
friend; "to my certain knowledge she only
paid three dollars for the Avhole wig."
•i» _ , _
Increased Pensions.—The act of July 4,
1801, increases the invalid pensions of those Avho
have lost both hands or both eyes to tAventy
five dollars per month, and those who have lost
both feet to twenty dollars per month. It also
provides for disabled unenlisted men, or those
temporarily servmg with tho regularly organ
ized military or naval force, as well as for their
AvidoAA'sand other dependent relatives; and for
cases Avhere there is no evidence of muster-in.
Michael Angelo must have been a Avicked
Avag, not overburdened with tho spirit of true
faith. It is said, that Avhen told that he had, in
one of his paintings, given too florid a complex
ion to the Apostle Peter and Paul, he replied
that he had notportrayed them as they appeared
upon the earth, but as they were likely to look
in heaven, where they blushed for tho lives of
I their successors.
i ♦ i
—Two hundred and forty-three deserters from
the rebel army took tho oath of amnesty at,