prisoners were captured, when the enemy rallied in force, and Gen. Custer fell back toward Ravenna River. Finding that the force of the enemy was considerable, the original intention of destroying the railway bridge and stores at Charlottesville was abandoned, and after burning three mills and a saddle factory the Ravenna was crossed, and the bridge burned. It now began to rain and freeze, and the night became exceedingly dark. Gen. Steadman's brigade being in advance, reached Madison Court House soon after daylight in the morning. Gen. Custer, however, was delayed by the difficulty of crossing streams with his artillery in the extreme darkness. Thus the enemy intercepted him near Stannardsville. By means of his artillery Gen. Custer held them in check until he could fall back upon a by-road, and thus avoid them. Madison Court House was reached at dusk on the 29th, with a number of horses and prisoners captured, and without the loss of a man.

In the meanwhile Gen. Kilpatrick resumed his advance on the next morning, to Frederick's Hall, on the Virginia Central Railroad. Here the track was torn up for some distance, and several officers of the enemy captured, and the carriages of several pieces of artillery destroyed. Col. Dahlgren was here detached with a portion of the force, and moved toward the James River Canal, and Gen. Kilpatrick advanced tow ard Ashland, on the railroad, twenty miles above Richmond. Here he rested on Monday night, and tore up a portion of the railroad track. Early the next morning he moved towards Richmond, on the Brooks' turnpike, and reached within six miles of that city. There he was met by a portion of the engineer troops and a few sections of light artillery, by which his advance was checked. A contest with artillery ensued for two hours, when Gen. Kilpatrick withdrew in the direction of Mechanics ville, burning the trestle work of the railroad accross the Chickahominy on his route.

The detachment under Col. Dahlgren penetrated as far as the farm of James A. Seddon, Confederate Secretary of War, and burned his barn and stables, and the flour and saw mills in the vicinity. On the canal a number of freight and other boats were destroyed, and a lock cut. A large number of horses were also seized. The ignorance or evil intention of their negro guide had misled the command, so that it was unable to join Gen. Kilpatrick at Ashland, and aid in the attack on Richmond, where it was supposed the enemy had few troops. It was afternoon, however, before he reached the vicinity of Richmond, advancing by the Westham or river road. As he approached nearer he was confronted on every road by superior numbers, and obliged to fall back.

He then attempted to reach the Peninsula through King's and Queen's county, where he encountered on the next day the 9th Virginia, Lieut.-Col. Pollard, and a sharp skirmish ensued. Ool. Dahlgren was killed, and about

sixty of his men captured. The remainder of the command, and the force of Gen. Kilpatrick, who had been obliged to move during the night by the pressure of the enemy, met a cavalry force sent out by Gen. Butler, from Williamsburg, near Tunstell's station on the York River railroad, and retired down the Peninsula. Their loss was about one hundred and fifty men killed and wounded, besides Col. Dahlgren. A number of prisoners were captured. The newspaper press at Richmond subsequently published the following address and orders, and asserted that they were found in the pocket of Col. Dahlgren. His connection with them has been denied, in the most positive manner, by the friends of Col. Dahlgren:

HEADQUARTERS, THIRD DIVISION.
CAVALRY CORPS, 1864.

gades and regiments as a picked command to attempt a desperate undertaking-an undertaking which, if successful, will write your names on the hearts of your countrymen in letters that can never be erased, and which will cause the prayers of our fellow soldiers now confined in loathsome prisons to follow you and yours wherever you may go. We hope to release the prisoners from Belle Isle first, and, having seen them fairly started, we will cross the James River into Richmond, destroy the bridges after us, burn the hateful city, will not allow the rebel leader and, exhorting the released prisoners to destroy and Davis and his traitorous crew to escape. The prisners must render great assistance, as you cannot leave your ranks too far, or become too much scattered, or you will be lost. Do not allow any personal gain to minious death at the hands of citizens. Keep well lead you off, which would only bring you to an ignotogether and obey orders strictly, and all will be well; but on no account scatter too far, for in union there is strength. With strict obedience to orders and fearlessness in their execution you will be sure to succeed. We will join the main force on the other side of the city, or perhaps meet them inside. Many of you may fall; but if there is any man here not willing to sacrifice his life in such a great and glorious undertaking, or who does not feel capable will follow, let him step out, and he may go hence to of meeting the enemy in such a desperate fight as the arms of his sweetheart, and read of the braves who swept through the city of Richmond. We want no man who cannot feel sure of success in such a stand up to it when it does come, and all will be well. holy cause. We will have a desperate fight; but

Officers and Men-You have been selected from bri

enemy. Ask the blessing of the Almighty, and do not fear the U. DAHLGREN, Colonel Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS AND INSTRUCTIONS.

Guides and pioneers, with oakum, turpentine, and torpedoes, signal officer, quartermasters, commissaries, scouts and pickets, and men in rebel uniforms these will remain on the north bank and move down with the force on the south bank, not get ahead of them, and if the communication can be kept up without giving an alarm, it must be done; but every thing depends upon a surprise, and no one must be allowed to pass ahead of the column. Information must be gathered in regard to the crossings of the side, we will know where to recross at the nearest river, so that, should we be repulsed on the south point.

All mills must be burned and the canal destroyed, and also every thing which can be used by the rebels Should a ferry boat be seized which can be worked, must be destroyed, including the boats on the river. have it moved down. Keep the force on the south side posted of any important movement of the enemy,

By direction of the President of the United States the number of army corps comprising the army of the Potomac will be reduced to three, viz., the 2d, 5th, and 6th corps; and the troops of the other two corps, viz., the 1st and 3d, will be temporarily reorganized and distributed among the 2d, 5th and 6th by the commanding general, who will determine what existing organizations will retain their corps badges and other distinctive marks. The staff and officers of the 2d corps, which are temporarily broken up, will be assigned to vacancies in the other corps, so far as such vacancies may exist. Those for whom there are no vacancies will cease to be considered as officers of the general staff of army corps.

2. Maj.-Gen. G. K. Warren is assigned by the President to the command of the 5th corps.

3. The following general officers are detached from the Army of the Potomac, and will report for orders to the Adjutant General of the army, viz.: Maj.-Gen. George Sykes, U. S. V.; Maj.-Gen. W. H. French, U. S. V.; Maj.-Gen. John Newton, U. S. V.; Brig.-Gen. J. R. Kenly, U. S. V.; Brig.-Gen. F. Spinola, U.S. V., and Brig.-Gen. Solomon Meredith, U. S. V. By order of the Secretary of War.

E. D. TOWNSEND, Ass't Adj't Gen. The following arrangements are made to carry out the provisions of the foregoing order:

The 2d, 5th, and 6th army corps will each be consolidated into two divisions. The 1st and 2d divisions of the 3d corps are transferred to the 2d corps, preserving their badges and distinctive marks. The

3d division of the 3d corps is transferred permanently to the 6th corps. The three divisions now forming the 1st corps are transferred to the 5th corps, preserv ing their badges and distinctive marks, and on forming the 5th corps they will be consolidated into two

divisions.

The commanders of divisions transferred to the 2d, 5th, and 6th corps will at once report to the commanders of those corps for instructions. Brig.-Gen. J. B. Carr will report to Maj.-Gen. Hancock, commanding 2d corps, and Brig.-Gen. H. Prince to Maj.-Gen. Sedgwick, commanding 6th corps. The chief of artillery will assign eight batteries each to the 2d, 5th, and 6th corps; the batteries to be taken from those now with the corps and with the 1st and 3d corps. The batteries with the several corps in excess of the above allowance will join the artillery reserve.

The consolidation of divisions called for in this order will be made by the corps commanders concerned, who are authorized to rearrange the brigades of their respective commands in such manner as they may think best for the service. The reassignment of officers of the staff departments consequent upon the reorganization of the army, will be made upon the nomination of chiefs of the staff departments at these headquarters.

Special instructions will be given hereafter with re

spect to staff officers of the 2d corps, temporarily

broken up.

The Major-General Commanding avails himself

of the occasion to say that, in view of the reduced strength of nearly all the regiments serving in this army, the temporary reduction of the army corps to three is a measure imperatively demanded by the best interests of the service, and that the reasons for attaching the 1st and 3d corps for the time being to other corps, were in no respect founded on any supthe army. All the corps have equally proved their posed inferiority of those corps to the other corps of valor in many fields, and all have equal claims to the confidence of the Government and the country. The 1st and 3d corps will retain their badges and distinctive marks, and the Major-General Commanding indulges the hope that the ranks of the army will be filled at an early day, so that those corps can again be reorganized.

By command of

S. WILLIAMS, Ass't Adj't Gen.

Maj.-Gen. MEADE.

A concentration of troops was now commenced in preparation for a campaign against Richmond, in Virginia, by the Army of the Potomac, under Gen. Meade, and a campaign against Atlanta, in Georgia, by the Army of Tennessee, under Gen. Sherman. Gen. Grant continued to be present with the Army of the Potomac during the year. Gen. Meade was as truly the commander of that army as Gen. W. T. Sherman of the army operating in Georgia, and both these officers were equally under the command of Gen. Grant. His presence with the Army of the Potomac naturally led to his assuming a more direct and personal supervision of affairs in Virginia than he was able to do of the cooperative movement of Gen. Sherman in Georgia. The orders of Gen. Grant to Gen. Meade were of the most general character. The manner of executing them was left to the judgment and skill of the latter. It was now nine months since the Army of the Potomac had fought a general battle, and seven months since the Western army marched into Chattanooga-the last battle for the possession of which was fought in November.

The month of April passed in reorganizing both armies, and in making preparations for the campaign against Richmond and Atlanta.

It was the middle of March when Gen. Grant turned over the military division of the Mississippi, comprising the departments of the Cumberland, the Tennessee, and the Ohio, to Major-General W. T. Sherman, who had previously commanded the department of the Tennessee, to which Major-General McPherson was soon after assigned. In the succeeding month the general plan of the summer campaign, which contemplated a simultaneous advance upon Richmond by the army of the Potomac, and upon Atlanta from Chattanooga, by the several western armies, was matured, and Gen. Sherman at once bent every energy to the perfecting and enlargement of the communications between Nashville and Chattanooga, his primary and secondary bases, and to the accumulation in the latter place of a sufficient quantity of provisions and military stores. These went forward with great rapidity, and by the end of April the depots in Chattanooga were reported abundantly supplied for all immediate purposes.

At this time the headquarters of the armies of the Tennessee, the Cumberland, and the Ohio, were respectively at Huntsville, Chattanooga, and Knoxville; and on the 27th, Gen. Sherman having been notified by Gen. Grant that the Army of the Potomac would march from Culpepper on or about May 5th, and that he wished the movement from Chattanooga to commence at the same time, put his troops in motion toward the latter place. The total force under his command for offensive purposes, was as follows:

Army of the Cumberland, Major-Gen. Thomas Com

Infantry.. Artillery. Cavalry..

Total..

Guns..

manding.

......54,568

. 2,877 ..8,828

60,778

180

ing country extending from the mountainous region to a line passing in a northeasterly direction through Columbus, Macon, and Augusta; and 3. A level country extending to the seaboard, for the most part sandy and thickly covered with pine woods, and along the coast bordered by extensive swamps. The northwestern portion of the State, as far south as Atlanta, is almost exclusively a grain and grassbearing region; the middle and eastern divisions being devoted chiefly to the cultivation of cotton. But its mineral wealth, particularly in iron ores, which abound among the mountains, has, since the commencement of the war, rendered the possession of this first-mentioned division a matter of prime importance to the Confederates. At Etowah, Rome, and Atlanta were large iron works in the employ of the

manding.

22,437 .1,404 624

.24,465

96

making a grand aggregate of 88,188 infantry, 4,460 artillery, and 6,149 cavalry, or 98,797 men and 254 guns. The Army of the Cumberland comprised the 4th corps, Gen. Howard; the 14th corps, Gen. Palmer, and the 20th corps, Gen. Hooker; the Army of the Tennessee, the 15th corps, Gen. Logan; the 16th corps, Gen. Dodge; and later in the campaign, the 17th corps, Gen. Blair; and the Army of the Ohio, the 23d corps, Gen. Schofield. These armies were grouped on the morning of May 6th as follows: That of the Cumberland at Ringgold, on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, 23 miles southeast of Chattanooga; that of the Tennessee at Gordon's Mill, on the Chickamauga, eight miles west of Ringgold; and that of the Ohio, near Red Clay, on the Georgia line, about ten miles northeast of Ringgold. The enemy, comprising Gens. Hardee's, Hood's, and Polk's corps of infantry and artillery, and Wheeler's division of cavalry, the whole commanded by Lieut.-General Joseph E. Johnston, of the Confederate Army, lay in and about Dalton, fifteen miles south of Ringgold, on the railroad, the advance being at Tunnel Hill, a station about midway between the two places. Their cavalry were estimated by Gen. Sherman at 10,000 men, and the infantry and artillery at from 45,000 to 50,000, of whom much the greater part were veteran troops.

Topographically considered, the State of Georgia admits of three distinct divisions: 1. A mountainous region, embracing the northwest corner of the State, and which terminates at the Kenesaw Mountain, near Marietta, 120 miles from Chattanooga; 2. A gently undulat

occupation of which by a Union force would be likely to cause much embarrassment, not to speak of cotton and woollen mills at Roswell, Rome, and elsewhere, which turned out large quantities of fabrics for the use of the rebel troops.

Atlanta, lying near the boundary between the northwestern and middle divisions had, previous to the war, become an important centre of railroad communication and trade between the western and Atlantic and Gulf States, and one of the chief manufacturing towns of the South. It is laid out in a circle, two miles in diameter, in the centre of which was the passenger depot (since destroyed) of railroads radiating to Chattanooga, Augusta, Macon, and Montgomery; and the business portion of the town contained many fine blocks of warehouses for storing goods consigned from the north and northwest to the cotton regions of the South. Here also were established the machine shops of the principal railroads, the most extensive rolling mill in the South, foundries, pistol, and tent factories, and numerous works under the direction of the Confederate Government for casting shot and shell, and the manufacture of gun-carriages, cartridges, caps, shoes, clothing, and other military supplies. The population, numbering in 1860 about 15,000, had, subsequent to the commencement of the war, been increased by the arrival of refugees and government officials and employés to fully 20,000. In any event the capture of the place, with its vast stores and costly machinery, would so cripple the rebel resources, that the simple suggestion of such a contingency sent a thrill of alarm through the entire Confederacy. In the opinion of many its importance was not second even to that of Richmond. Strenuous efforts were accordingly put forth for its defence, and the line of approach along the Western and Atlantic Railroad, which is crossed by the Oostanaula and Etowah, branches of the Coosa River, which in turn is a branch of the Alabama, and by the Chattahoochee, and is girt as far as Marietta by ranges of rugged hills, was rendered as difficult for Sherman as the abundant