Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-03-12
From, the Savannah pernblican
Letter from Van Dorn's Expedition.
HIGIlLY INPORTANr-ROs EORANZ REIN
2 FORCED BY SIEGEL.
CoLUMBIA, Tenn, Feb % h.


FORCED BY SIEGEL.
CoLUa BIA, Tenn, Feb Is h.
Events of the highest importance to the central cam
raign inspiring We have NEST positive and
reliable Information that ory-fve transports, convey
ing troops Nashville have, within the past week,
passed up the Cumberland river. The force is General
Franz eges entire corps, numbering 10000 men, re-
Gently transported by rail from Virginia to the Ohio
river and The in Transports Nashville for the
purpose Of reinforcing General Rosencranz at Murtrees
boro. The entire corps has now reached Nashville,
and the ger portion of it have been thrown cut
the line of The Central Southern Railroad to kim
the direction of this place. and before stated mid
way between he two latter POINTS. bus it will be
seen that by rapid aud secret movement 20 900 10
forcemeIt have been ekfuy placed at the disposal OF
Rosercra' so that he may hnrI his large army urou
Bragg and crush him out, AID, if Successful in doing
this cross lar fankng army through the country
via Corinth or Columbus, Mississippi upon the rear OF
Vicksburg.
This movement is one OF the highest importance and
without it be properly uet, may result most disastrous
ly to The note of warning is barely IN time
for by this day week, there is every probability that
Siegel will fave formed junction with Rosencralz
and give him the baarc2 of power to weld against the
army under command OF Braxton Bragg. There sre
but Two WAYS TO meet this Yankee move ment success
fully The frs ia fer Bragg to strike RIOS Ecrsnz al
once and before Seigei to his ad thereby de-
pTvng him OF the great advan age he is dtsrous ct
obtaining. Without this be done, end done SPEEDILY
there will! 10 all probability be repetition OF Shiloh );
Segel arriving to aid Rosencrarz as Buell. did TO aid
Grant ind thong, expe' siVe victory b. achieved
to arms it Will prove Incomplete ny the 'einf"rce
ment of The defeated army BY which il will be able TO
hold its ground
The Other means OF meeting this overwl dining as
sault is by reinforcing Brags's army from Virginia.
Ii Hotk.r can spare Siesei, LIE can dispense With
LongstIee:, and lis army may De able 10 reach ula
honla in time participate the great Struggle for
the Central sou hcrn States ard the connection OF the
East and West I'D OF the Confedtracy. he as ect
IT this moncn IS rot vey favorable, but We trust 10
the oTts ght Of Johnston and Bragg to meet ire ext
e. nces vi the Central campaign Ia the meantime
greater portion OF Van :rn'3 cavalry have crossed
Deck River, and il a few days the whole body Will BE-
over, st liking at Siegal rom every direc on. L.
possIbt hen t. pade bis roads destroy Dis ira ms,
of !s de achBents and # ri such annoyance and
harass him severely that his juncti will bs tfi
fling matter II is uud, raocd tfat divi5o1s OF
Seget's advance Fra kin, % miles distant and
that that p!.ce is defhGed by thirty ,dd pieces
Of artillery. Were it not for The misfortune OF twA-
thirds Of Van DOrp's nmuGit0l having been destroy
ed by The heavy rains through which TIE maCd
recently f'rc ed 10 march, be would b.. upon the
enemy, testing lis strength ard valoT but it will nece
sariy take several Gais to replace The d3Lagfd Old
nance stores ard place The commend ready tor action
When these arrangements ore competed, have EtI!t
d, ubt hat OC month to Will be = pea eCly
and constantly engaged with the Toe at c.1sa quar-
ters.
For what purpose this is intended / cannot conioc
dtioual Bird e the Cumberland at Nashville. Ii
is pOss be TOO, that it is intended FIR to- passage
Duck this Joint. IF the latter s;rnse prov,
correct, it is tvdeu1y the my s iufeDtOn throw
this tprce upon left ha at She!byvile where Gen
eral Polk is believed to command il this prove 20 be-
the programme lie must row be waiting at Franklu
Tor the arrival OF his tontCons 4 Every few days Will
d. ope his pars, and the length Of time viii pre-
cipitate Van D1n Vince Ter and Forrest upcn him -
As even's transpre | will report sae.n.
o. account OF Sieges be ing foreigner and Dutch
man, may are not wiling 10 c)ncede that be has any
military auly. This is error, for bis move
ments both while NJ issouri aud Vrgini3 especially
the finer Stat, have proved beyond oubt TINT
be OF tic very best Of the enemy Generals aUd only
second to kosecrdIz, by ali thei: successful
Sir c is pertcuiariy good UPON the retrea,, y4
this does not interfere with Ills sighting qualities. Ha6
been fr bis obstinate resistance We would have
gained and heid the battle FIELD Of EkhOrn for he held
cut Curtis, the Gent raj II ccmusaCd hgd edvsad
reno and had te>n ur his slilu manage
nett OF the Iereatng Columns OF the enemy alter their
defeat Sarc0xia aid Oak HILLS, theic armies would
have fallen prisoners to Siegei is wary,
,tchfu, careful aud calculating >low and must be
closely watched. Cli;z.ts from the Cumberland re-
port thai tie ENEMY bringing pontoon bdge from
Cincinnati with them.
You viii have learned before this of FIVE Yankee gun
boats having asceCded the Tennessee nearly hjgh up
Florence aud having destroyed this town of Chiffon
just heow and capturing about forty of Forress mt n
anu their horses These boa.E from their humber were
evidently upon an Important reconnaissance where
sna! body of thu enemy would have baen unable t.
have made such successful ecouc. From the fact o.
Van Dorm bav:rg crossed the river day two be-
lore their arrival 1t is p0ss BILE that they there
prevent his passage and ascertain his wherea bouts
Had thty arrived lew days earlier they would have
caused him much troabe aud annoyance. 1t is posi-
BILE, too they scouting country through which il
was intended to pass troops through from Corinth 10
Eiiher OF these suppositlons alike
plausible for it is that number OF boat
not at this particular time be detached from the
Yankee set aud sent lar inIaGd merely for the pur
pose of ravagng and devastating. A considerable |
force left at FlLrence and Iu5cumba by Van Don
Tor the protection OF tue railroad running Huntsville
and Decatur, aud to guard the cotton factory at Flo
renee, and tuis force has since been augmented
NlMPORHE.
Hen. Simon Cameron has resigned the post of Amer
lean MinistI at the Court ST Petersburg Ia his
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