Lottesville, having marched twenty-six miles. The train was halted at various points along the route, the terrible state of the roads rendering it utterly impossible to close it up and park it at any one point. After crossing the mountain the Second Brigade destroyed a large tannery with a lot of leather, hides, wagons, & c.

March 4, the trains having closed up at 1 p. m. the First and Second Brigades moved to Charlottesville and encamped. The Reserve Brigade encamped at Ivy Station, covering the rear of the train.

March 5, the First Brigade and three regiments of Second Brigade, all under command of Colonel Stagg, were detached to destroy the Virginia Central Railroad south of Charlottesville. Three miles of the road were thoroughly destroyed by burning the ties and heating, bending, and twisting the rails. Two bridges, fifty feet in length, were also destroyed. The Second Brigade also destroyed at Charlottesville 2,000 pounds of tobacco, 15 wagon loads of corn, wheat, & c., and a tannery containing 1,000 hides. On this day the Reserve Brigade joined the division, having destroyed the depot at Ivy Station, with water-tanks, and warehouses containing tobacco and commissary stores. On this day rations were issued to the command, tents burned, wagons lightened, and the pack train cleaned out to furnish fresh animals in exchange for the jaded ones in the train.

March 6, the division marched to Scottsville, on the James River Canal (twenty miles), arriving at 3 p. m. At this point three canal boats were captured, one loaded with shell (9,600) and two with Government commissary stores and tobacco. These were totally destroyed and burned, together with a large cloth mill, a five story flouring mill, candle factory, machine-shop, and tobacco warehouse. Each of these buildings was crammed with the products of its manufacture to a surprising extent, and all were totally destroyed. The Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry was sent east on the towpath to destroy the aqueduct over Hardware River, and a detachment of Second Massachusetts Cavalry was sent west on the towpath to the aqueduct over Tooler's Creek, with the same instructions. Those structures w ere destroyed to as great an extent as the solid masonry of which they were constructed would admit with the limited means at our command. Before starting from Charlottesville, the First Michigan, of the First Brigade, Colonel Maxwell commanding, had been detached to the left to strike the Rivanna River near Palmyra Court-House, to destroy all public property in that vicinity, and proceed thence to Scottsville. Colonel Maxwell executed efficiently the duty intrusted to him, destroying the Rivanna bridge at Palmyra, together with one cotton mill, one flouring mill, and immense amounts of wheat, flour, cotton, and wool, marching the same night to Scottsville. At 5 p. m. the First and Second Brigades were ordered to march to Howardsville, on the canal, twelve miles distant. Brigadier-General Gibbs, with the Reserve Brigade, was ordered to remain at Scottsville and complete the destruction of public works in that vicinity, and then, with the parties that had been detached, rejoin the division. The Second Brigade and division headquarters marched direct to Howardsville, by the Back road, arriving at 10 p. m. The First Brigade struck the towpath at Warren, and marched to Howardsville by that route. The Ninth New York Cavalry, of Second Brigade, accompanied by Captain Cooley, of corps staff, marched by the towpath to Howardsville, destroying five locks, and two tobacco warehouses containing 200 hogsheads of tobacco. The First and Second Brigades encamped at Howardsville.