The Express.
London, England, 1865-01-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 2, ten ;

which was generally taken of the ssposted captive
of Savannah proves cornet ; the sity We/
not takenon the 14th of Deosmbes. It was, homilibr,
closely invested, and so utterly without hope 4 re-
lief, that even at Richmond its fall was regarded as
inevitable. AU the citizens were in arms, but
with SHERMAN on the land side and Darzonss on
the river, they were sompletely cut off from com-
munication with the remainder of the Confederacy.
In a position of so much extremity we trust that
humane counsels will prevail in the council of
General HARM; ant that au assault may be ren-1
dared unnecessary. From Tennessee General
Thomas reports further successes over a retreating
foe. The battle of Deo. 16, which the previous
aooo.ints left in progress, resulted in HOOD'S being
driven from his remaining entrenchments with the
loss of 30 cannon and 3,000 prisons's. The
pursuit appears to have been carried on with
vigour on the 17th, but more languidly on the
18th, on sooount of the rains. General Thomas
states that on receiving fuller information he
finds that his earlier successes were under-stated,
and that the entire division of Major-General
EDWARD JOHNSON had been raptured, with all
its brigade commanders. The losses of the three
days' fighting must have seriously diminished
HOOD'S army. The brief campaign of this
brave but headstrong General is a striking
commentary on the wanton assertion so
often repeated that Boon compelled SHIRMAN
to retreat further into Georgia. Bat those
who failed to sae that it was only by re-
nouncing the duty performed successively by Ge-
nerals BRAGG and JOHSISTONR—Shat of resisting

the progress of the Federal' southwards and esei.l
wade--that HooD was able to move against Bass-
man's lines, will probably continue to believe that
he was stronger than Snxichus and TuoitAs Qom-
bined, although one of them has defeated him
singl►haadsd, while the other has accomplished a
triumphal march of 350 miles through the richest
and until lately the securest State of the
Confederacy.

6.6.1

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lIITELTAGENCIL
AMERICA.
(aamst's TILDOZAK.) 4
THE 'FEDERAL FLEET OFF WILMINGTON.
ARRIVAL 07 THE CANADA.
(rid Boehm Polet.)

NEW YOIUL, Dna 23, Arrnigeos.

General Bragg reports from Fort Fisher, near
Wilmington, on Wedneaday, that Admiral Porter's
entire fleet was in sight. Bragg adds that he can
hold Wilmington.
Hood has erected pontoons on the Tennessee
river above the reach of the Federal gunboats.
Mr. Fessenden will offer a loan of one hundred
millions of dollars in 10.40 Bonds.

Sherman's operations, and have no doubt that he
will enter Savannah without very merlons losses, if
he has not done ao already. The Confetieratse have
put under arms, for the defence of the city, every
man and boy they could seize.
THE DEFEAT AND PURSUIT OF GENERAL

ROOD.

The following report has been received from
Major-Geneval Thomas

Head.quartere, user Springfield, Dec. 18,1864.
The many baa bees vigorously mussed today, but hes
studiously avoided any &MA by my troops. I have sue.
ended is taking a few edemas—some 200 or 900—bat

om captures are light is computers with the soccomes of
the pest three days. The pursnit will be motioned in the
morning at u early an hour u the troops can much. I
have found the railroad thus fez but little disturbed, sad
my Mins will he up by railroad in a day or two at farthest.
The telepaph is up to me now. I nod oe resolving more
°onset reporte of the operation' of the 1134 h, that Major.
Gegen' Edward Johnson's entire divide°. with ell the
brimide °Pomander% was captured In the works, which wire
canted by aloud% besides destroying a brimAs of the
the many's cavalry, and motoring its earomands%
peller-General Rooker. Among the septum to-day me
the rebel Brigadier-General Quarles and a number of rebels,
also wounded, lying in the honors by the Nada% amble to

• away. . -
Goo. H,. Teoaus.
The department at Washington had received the
following unofficial report :
•

-
Noshedlle, Dec. 19.
This forenoon the rains have been so hem that little
proper bee been made. Oar cavalry skirmished with the
saemy a short &team seatisrd Springlisid. Audis( Forrest
is command.

The Cincinnati Gazette publishes the following
description of the defeat of General Hood by

General Thomas on the 16th :

The day opened cloudy with indications of rain. Time
was a deem fog at se early hour, but this soon cleared
away, sad at 8 o'clock we were able to determine the
enemy's position. During the night of the 15th Hood with-
drew both his whip from the river, contracting hie lines
everywhere, and was holding a 'Wog position slag ()foa-
my White Hills, with his matte protected by two lime of
entrenchments. Our own troops were disposed in she fol-
lowing order :—Wilson's cavalry was at first held In sonnue,
hull before the main battle opseed it took apositiOSll• the WI
of the cavalry, thus forming our right of she intuit"' tine
•. J. Smith's 16th Corps came next oa the lend lisheilkedk
en the left of Smith the Mk Corps, G. L Z. Weeds 11001•
111181164. sad was formed in aloes order of battle ; Stead-
man's division was partially mused with Craft's, sad two
brigade* of coloured troop held the extreme left
Our plea of tattle was the continuance of the 15th in
pressing the advantage pined es the enemy's left. At half
past 8 o'clock oar batteries opened from IC3 pieties of or-
Whey simultaneously along the Um. The rebel artillery
replied feebly.
Gomel Schofield, marehlag down the Grand White
Pike, carefully concealing his strength, placed his corm
directly upon the esemy's lett flank. Gemmel Steadman at
the more time worked his force forward, the army in the
meantime strengthening his advauce line. It was deter-
mined to carry this line without delay. General Kimball's
first division moved forward to charge, firing volley after
volley, but steadily pressed forward natal within half pistol-
shot of the Hoe, when the enemy's fire beams so deadly that
our men in order to return it more allettually came to •
halt. They remained here, perhaps, longer than any troops
ever remained in sub a position. They stood and fired fast
and furious at the enemy, but they could not remain and
live. A few gave way sad fled in disorder, and the whole
line staggered, and bad the rebels done nothing more their
kept up their deadly fire, we should have been
driers beak ; but they made • movement to shift their
artillery, which our men received as indicatioes that
they were about to abandon their lines and retire.
Raising a loud shout, the divisios, with fixed bayonets,
rushed impetuously forward, and swarming over the works
they captured snob rebels as had sot fled. They had time
to pt two guns away, but the Mai fell into our hands. As
soon as this preliminary success wee achieved Omani
Thomas, who was seen during the day in the very front
the line of battle, ordered • charge along the satire lice.
General Schofield moved upon the left flank of the seamy,
and before his veterans the rebels gave way like frost
work. The assailed flank crumbled to places as Gemara
Schofield advanced, and rolled back upon that portion of the
line which eve just being attacked by J. Smith's troops,
with the might sad mere that nothing mould withstand.
General li'Millan's brigade was foremost in the battle,
as on the previous day, and remind up to the teeth of
three powerful rebel batteries and carried them at the point
of the layout —the sanest point of the enemy's work.
In a few moments their works were everywhere over-
whelmed, their forces utterly routed, their soldiers captured
by thoussods, and sway piece of artillery was in oar hands.
Such as escaped death or capture fled towards the Franklin
Pike to take refuge behind A. D. Lee's corps, which held
the Gap in the bills. Generals Wood aed Steadman had
now united on the left, and had to soma the rebel right,
which was still unbroken. Under cover of • tremendous
fire from our gane Colonel Post's brigade moved forward,
and General Straight's brigade of Benthy'a division formed
on his right in support, immediately on Pmt's left.
Thomas's coloured brigades drew up, and Morgan's coloured
brigade next on the left. The enemy reversed his fire until
Post's brigade commenced climbing the hill, whoa a perfect'
hurricane of shot, shells, end (meter tore through his ranks.
Oath, fall of this fire our men steadily sdvanoed,the coloured
troop vied with the white in the persistency with which
they forced their.way up the hill. Thousands of the men
—is eodeavonring to pass around to the left—meta terrible
flank fire, which coot teed their ranks. The troops on the right,
who were torn in pieces by the fire, paused an instant, and
at this juncture the brave Col. Post was mortally wounded.
In a moment all order was lost, and our men rushed beck,
confused and bleeding, to the line from which they started.
Gamed Wood soon reformed his broken bedfellow, and
issued orders for the renewal of the tumult. Poet's veterans
again assaulted the bill directly, and Thomas's Africans
moved on the rebel eight. Elliott's sad divisions
were hurled like a thunderbolt avaind the rebel left, and
General Wood himself, accompanied by all his staff, followed
and directed the charge. The rebels blazed forth anew,
and our soldiers without hesitation or panic carried the
entire works with all the gnus, and drove the rebels in
dismay from the bill.
This was the last stead the rebel, nude, sod their whole
army was now fleeing in rout and panic. Had not night
intervened the enemy would bays been destroyed. The
appearance of the battle-Bald was horrible in the extreme.
The correspondent says:—" I pushed forward to the
southward slope of the hill It was about dark, the rain
was pouring steadily down, end, standiog there amid the
dead and dying, I caught the lest glimpse of our lines of
battle, and heard the last triumphant shout of our men as,
even through the darkness, they pushed on after the flying
foe. The result of the battle was 5,003 prisoners, 30 pine,
lied 7,000 small arms."
There was great rejoicing throughout the North
ou the 17th, over the achievements of General
Thomas, and particularly in Washington and Cin-
cinnati, where salutes were fired.
President Lincoln will send into the Senate for
confirmation the promotion of General Thomas to
a major-generalship in the regular army.
Secretary Stanton states that on the 13th inst.
General Bnrbridge routed the Confederate brigade
under Colonel Basil Duke, formerly commanded by
John Morgan, at Kingsport., East Tennessee, inflict-
ing on them a loss of 150 in killed, wounded, and
prisoners, and capturing their train. Dick Morgan,
a brother of John, is one of the Prisoners. Gen•
Burbridge, since the commencement of the present
advance, has captured many prisoners and horses,
and done a great deal of damage.

imosport. The obstruetions removed from Owe Feu
River, the feet will psu up to Wilmiagtea sad MIA
amend Butler in the mature of that place. If swum is
as laved, Wilmington will undoubtedly be nude die ben
far tidies opsealions.

MS NEWEL

A eall and draft for 300,000 troops, to make up
the deficiency occasioned by credits on the last
=.ll, has been ordered by President Linooln.
Generally, affairs had remained comparatively
quiet in the armies of the Potomac and the James
for some days. Changes in the location of particu-
lar bodies of troops had taken pia" but no
movement indicative of an early assault on the
rebel position had been made.
A large meeting, presided over by General Jobn
G. Wool, had been held at Trey, New York, at which
resolutions were adopted condemning the action of
the Canadian authorities, and appointing a com-
mittee to confer with the national, state, and local
authorities in reference to the recent bowler raids.
In the United States Senate on the 19th a lengthy
debate took plain upon the resolutions authorising
the President to expend ten or twenty millions of
dollars to build fortifications and floating batteries,
for the protection of the frontiers against acts of
piracy and hostile expeditions organised in the Bri-
tish provinces. The subject was finally referred to
the committee on foreign relations.

Congress was to adjourn on the 22nd December
for the holidays.
A Washington telegram says :—" Official orders
will be issued, directing that exoept they be immi-
grant passengers directly entering American ports
by sea, no traveller shall hereafter be allowed to
enter the United States from a foreign country
without a passport. This regulation is intended to
apply especially to persons preparing to come to
the United States from the neighbouring British
provinces."