Today in History:

605 Series I Volume XLVI-II Serial 96 - Appomattox Campaign Part II

Page 605 Chapter LVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

FEBRUARY 20, 1865-12 M.

Lieutenant General U. S. GRANT,

City Point:

Forty-two deserters have come in since yesterday morning.

JNO. W. TURNER,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

FEBRUARY 20, 1865-1.35 P. M.

Major-General WEITZEL,

Twenty-fifth Army Corps:

General Ord being temporally absent, he directs that you take command of this army.

JNO. W. TURNER,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

FEBRUARY 20, 1865-5. 20. p. m.

Brigadier-General GARDEN,

Norfolk:

In answer to Brigadier-General Vogdes' communications of 15th and 16th instant, the major-general commanding states that he can spare no more troops for Norfold, and, moreover, that he will visit the post himself to-morrow or next day.

JNO. W. TURNER,

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

WINCHESTER, VA., February 20, 1865.

(Received 12 m.)

Lieutenant-General GRANT:

Scouts which I had up the Valley have returned and report that Wickham's cavalry brigade, four regiments, left for Greenville, N. C., last Saturday week, and that it is probable that Payne's brigade would also go. It is the common talk the Richmond will be evacuates, Lee falling back to Danville. During January and February my scouting parties have had little brushes with guerrillas, capturing over 150 officers and men. These affairs have all been small and were not reported in detail. On the 18th instant one of my parties captured 40 of Mosby's men and about 100 horses, but in getting off with their plunder they were attack and nearly all the prisoners recaptured, and some of our own men were also taken. We never can tell how many, as they make their escape and come in. The snow is still on the ground here nearly a foot deep, and the weather has continued bad up to the present time.

P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major-General.

CITY POINT, VA., February 20, 1865-1 p. m.

Major-General SHERIDAN,

Winchester, Va.:

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


Page 605 Chapter LVIII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.