The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-23 00:00:00

AMERICA.

Our advices from New York are to the 10th inst.
According to Richmond papers of the 7th, Sherman
had rested his army fourdays in the vicinity ef Louis-
ville, 30 miles north of Millen, which is 80 miles
north of Savannah. The region where Sherman
stopped is one of the richest in Georgia. Richmond,
G:assccck, and Jefferson counties abound in provi-
sions and forage, and the Richmond papers siy that
Sherman was busily engaged in gathering a full
supply. On the 2d inst. he had passed Millen, and
at the rate he had been moving he would be before
Savannah by the 9th or sooner. From the tone of
the Confederate reports it is thought they have no
positive faith in their ability to hold the city against
Sherman's army.
The following are the latest accounts of Sherman's
progress, as furnished by the Confederate press

(From the Richmond Enquirer, Dec. 7.)

The military situation is culminating—is beoom•
ing intensely, and to this part of the Confederacy
vitally, interesting. The advance of Sherman's army
since he crossed the Oconee has been slow and
cautious, his intention evidently being to mystify
our military authorities, but the delay and slow
movement has been to gather in suppliesi of forage,
contracted as his territory is becoming from the
movements of Wheeler's cavalry. Sherman has not
fora moment hesitated, in our humble judgment, as
to the point to be attacked, or the road to take. If
our readers will take the map, and notice the posi-
tions, they will find it very interest. From Fen's
Bridge, on the main branch of the Ogachee River,
where Sherman crossed to Louisville, where the
main body of his army is now supposed to rest, is
15 miles; and from Louisville to Millen it is 30
miles. Now we make up this campaign for him
as the most reasonable, the most feasible if he hopes
to accomplish anything, and the most natural
one. When his forage and provision trains ate
full, he will mass his entire force at Millen, throwing
his cavalry to the rear. With his waggon-train
between the wings of his army, he will move
in compact columns, steadily but cautiously, on the
city of S ivannah, with no fear of an attack on either
flank. The Ogeeehee and its few crossings and
terrible swamps on its right,and the Savannah and
its equally swampy banks on its left, both flanks
will be most securely covered, a grand desideratum
in army movements. And thus situated he has a
march of something over 80 miles to Savannah.
Sherman left Atlanta on the 12th of November and
reaching Millen on the 2d of December, he has tra-
velled 165 miles in 20 days—an average of eight
miles pea day. Travelling at the same rate, he
would reach Savannah on the 9th inst., or if he goes
to Darien, may be expected there about the 15th,
provided he meets with no delays by the way.

(From he Richmond Examiner, Dec. 7.)

The military drama in Georgia is drawing rapidly
to its denouement. General Sherman is at last ap-
proaching the coast, whither he has been travelling
23 days. Whether he will complete the journey or
not depends very much upon certain events which
will occur this week. There are troops in his front
who will resolutely dispute his further advance to-
ward Savannah or Darien, after he passes a certain
point. It is reported that his advance was skit.•
wishing yesterday with oar outposts. We do not
know what Sherman will do when he finds a for-
midable force in his front, but we are disposed to
believe that he will discard strategy and attempt to
break through the lines of his opposers. Let him
do what he will, he will certainly feel that never
was general in a more critical situation.

(From 11e Richnond Whi 9, Dec. 7.)

The Augusta Constituizonalist of the 3d inst. says
that just before going to press it was informed that
the enemy's main body had passed Millen, en route
for the coast or destruction. In a previous para•
graph it says—" Sherman, from all reliable sources,
seems to have halted recently in order to grind
corn. As he tended towards the blrren countries
of the south it became necessary to make the pro-

per provision. His foraging parties are constantly
driven in by our cavalry. and compelled to hug the
main body. His forage is reported to be short."

The New York Times of the 10th thus comments
on the news of Sherman's advance :

" We have ne Ars of Sherman's army from Rich-
mond papers of as late a date as Wednesday. It
clnfirtne the accounts we had yesterday of the
march of Sherman towards Savannah, along the
narrow strip of country that lies between the Ogee-
chee and Savannah rivers. The formation of this
stretch cf land is peculiar—thereteiLlg exteniye

PR1CE...... ...4d
STAMPED ....sd.

n d continuous marshes along the banks of both
rivers, with an elevated ridge of land running about
quidist3nt between them. Thus, while our troop,
march along the ridge, both their ihnlis are pro-

tected by the merzshe. It was given out, last Satur-
day. that Lieut.-Gen. Grant calculated Shermat,
would reach the seaboard by that chy, and now thy
Richmond editors calculate that he will reach SY.

vannah to• day. Grant'e calculation was not far from
accurate, or at least would not have been, bAI Sher
man marched without stoppage, but it seems b)
rebel accounts that he halted his army for four dap-
at Louisville, a little place about 110 miles from the
seaboard, in order to gather in such forage and sup-
plies es he required. The rebels still proclaim he
will have a fight before he gets to Savannah. We•
suppose it likely that when they found he had
passed by Augusta without assailing it, they re-
moved the troops which had been hastily gathered
there under General Bragg, Wade, Hampton, and
the local militia generals, and hastened them for-
ward by the railroad to Charleston and thence to
Savannah, to confront Sherman. Besides the offi-
cers we have mentioned, there are at Savannah
Messrs Hardee, ack Taylor, and Gustavus W.
Smith. It is not unlikely that the troops under
Cobb, whom Sherman found at Macon, have been
running a race to reach Savabnala before our forces.
They could take railroad from "Macon as far as
Loyola, and thence march to the Southern Georgia
road, which would carry them to Savannah. In the
meantime we have not heard a word lately of Beau-
regard, who announced to the people of Georgia, 22
days ego, that he was hastening to their relief. We
should think that with Beauregard, Cobb, Bragg,
llardee, Swith, Taylor, Hampton, Wayne, Wheeler,
and the score of other great Confederate generals
who are gathered together to stop Sherman's march,
they would make some strenuous efforts to prevent
his getting into Savannah. We hope they will
soon let us know what success they meet with.
The Ile? ald of the 9;h says :

By the arrival here yesterday of the Government steam-
transport Trade Wind, from Hilton Head, S. C., on the sth
inst., we are furnished by our correspondents with full and
interesting details of the battle of Honey Hill, S. C., three
miles from Grahamsville, on the Charleston and Savannah
Railroad, on the 30th ult., between some of Gen. Foster's
troops and a rebel force under Gen. Gustavus Smith. We
have already given some rebel newspaper accounts of this
engagement, Our own despatches show it to have been a
stubbornly contested affair, The Union force left Hilton
Head early on the morning of the 20th ult., on transp rts,
and proceeded up Broad River to Boyd's Point, where
they were landed. A naval force accAnpanied them, and
both Admiral Dahlgren and Gen. Foster were with the ex-
pedition. After landing the troops were pushed out for
several miles in various directions, driving the enemy be-
fore them at every point. The day was thus consumed in
reconnoitring and skirmishing. Early on the morning of
the 50th they were attacked by a body of rebels who moved
out from their earthworks at Honey Hill. These were iin
mediately driven in, and determined and severe fighting
commenced between our men on the open ground and the
enemy in his intrennhinents, and lasted for several hours.
Three gallant charges were made on the rebel works by
the Union soldiers, but finding them too strong t) be easily
taken, and not of sufficient importance to compensate for
the losses which their capture would involve, Gen. Foster
withdrew his command to a strong and important posi-
tion on the Savannah-road, where his troops remained
during that night and the following day. No accounts of
his later movements have reached us.

The New York herald of the 10th gives the fol.
lowing as the latest news from the army of the
Potomac:—

A despatch from City Point, James River, states that the
second and fift'a corps, army of the Potomac, were massed
in the vicinity of the Jerusalem plank road on last Tuesday
night, and on the next morning commenced their march
towards Stony Creek station, on the Weldon Railroad. The
detachment of these corps from the main army in front of
Petersburg does not materially weaken it, as it has lately
been consideiably reinforced. Our despatches give an ac-
count of an important acquisition of ground made by a small
detachment of cur troops on Wednesday last, The enemy's
continual firing on the working parties in the Dutch Gap
canal interfering considerab'y with its completion, portions
of three regiments of coloured in'antry and a section of Mar-
tin's Fifth regular artillery, under the direction of General
B. C. Ludlow, were crossed over from the south side of
James River to the north side, under the protection of the
Union cannons in that vicinity; drove back the rebels, and
effected a lodgment at the upper terminus of the canal, where
they intrenthed themselves, thus securing the labourers in
that important military work from further molestation. The
enemy's batteries subsequently opened on General Ludlow's
position, tut did not do any harm. A number of new as-
signments of general officers have been made in the army of
the James. An order has been issued directing the discon-
tinuance of the practice on the part of commissioned officers
of borrowing money from privates, under the penalty of dis-
missal from the service. S ,me brevet promotions of gene-
ral officers in the army of the Potomac have recently been
made. The Richmond poople are disappointed by Grant
not having made a grand attack on the rebel lines on the
6th inst. That was the day they had fixed upon for it,
The Richmond papers says the. the sixth and eighth corps,
from the Shenandoah Valley, have recently reinforced the
armies before the rebel capital.

The follvring is the order above referred to :
Headquartert-, Department of Virginia and North Carolina,
Army of the James, in the Field, Va., Dec, 5, 18G1.

It bas come to the knowledge of the commanding general,
by frequent complaints of private so.diers, that officers
borrow money of the enlisted men of their commands. Nu
practice could be more demoralising to both officer and men•
Enlisted men do not feel themselves at liberty to refuse to
lend to their officers. Men, if they loan money to their offi-
cers, expect favours in return—and there is an end to die •
cipline and an incentive to favouritism. Officers borrowing
money of their men do not regulate their expenditure within
their income, and find themselves unable to repay it. This
practice must be stopped. Hereafter it will be held cause to
recommend for dismissal any officer who shall borrow money
or incur debt to an enlisted man. After the next payment,
any officer who shall be indebted to an enlisted man, and
has not paid him, will be recommended for dismissal, upon
complaint of his creditor. This order will be read in the
presence of every company in the command, at two separate
parades.—By command of

Major. General LUTLER.
ED. W. SMITH, A4stant Adjutant-General.
Official—lSßAEL It. SEALY. Assistant Adj L-General •

"The rumours a few days ego (nays the Herald
of the 10th) that Hood end Forrest had crossed their
forces to the north side of the Cumberland River
seem to have had no foundation NS hatever. Equally
groundless are all the stories about Union disasters
on that stream. Up to yesterday there had been
no material chnuge in the positions of the two op•
posing armies before Nashville. There has been
considerable skirmishing between the Fourth corps
under General Wood, and the enemy, resulting in
but few casualties on our side, the rebels being
driven back. One of the Union batteries fired on
the rebels for sometime on Thursday morning with-
out being replied to. The rebels have made no de-
monstration on the Cumberland River below Clarke"
ville, 160 miles above its mouth. From there to
Nashville, 69 miles further up, our transports have
to be convoyed by gunboats, as there are seve-
ral rebel batteries along the banks be.
tween those two places. Yesterday our gun-
boats went down from Nashville, attacked
one of these batteries, silenced it, and
drove the rebels away. A rebel brigade has gone
from in front of Nashville in the direction of Mur-
freesboro', but whether for the purpose of attacking
that town is not known. On Thursday afternoon
the guerilla loader Gentry took possession of La-
grange, Tennessee."
In the Lower House of the South Carolina Le-
gislature, on the 28th ult., Mr Trescott introduced
the following resolutions respecting the employ
ment of negroes, which were ordered for considera-
tion and were ordered to be printed—
Resolved, that it is the duty, ns it has been the effort of
the State of South Carolina to contribute to the utmost of
its ability in men, money, and material, fir the prosecution
of a war in which its safety, independence, and its honour
are all involved. Resolved, that if, in the opinion of those
authorised and competent to decide, the employment of
slaves in the army for special service, as teamsters, &c.,
will contribute to the m;litary efficiency of the Confederate
forces, the State will cheerfully and promptly furn'sh the
quota which may be required—provided that in the dis-
charge of such service the servile status of the negro be
maintained. Resolved, that this State cannot consent to
the proposition by which slaves so employed shall be pur-
chased and declared free by the Confederate Government
upon the expiration of their term of service, because the
creation of such a class would involve the most delicate and
dangE-roue questions as to the rights cf the general govern'