The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-10-04
FROM GEORGIA.

| day. He was received by the with great APP
plause, and made them speech. Gen. Hood also
made speech saying that he would, in few days,
lead the army to battle and to victory.
The Yankees are very uneasy about the opera
tons of Forrest They say he has $4,000 men.
Two divisions of the fourth corps have been dis
patched from Atlanta and sent beyond the Tennes-
see to fight him. His name is perfect terror to
them all They seem to have no hope of keeping
their communications open, and but little of whip
ping him. They have no cavalry able to do any
thing with him. -...
Capture Of Ahens-Brilliant erplon of Gen.
-.. Forrest
The following official dispatch was received at
the War Department in Richmond:
ATHENS, ALA, September "A, 1864.
Hon. Secretary Of Har:
My forces captured this place this morning with
one thousand three hundred officers and men, fifty
wagons and ambulances, five hundred horses, and
two trains of cars loaded with quartermaster and
arms and two pieces of artillery. My troops are
in fine spirits. My loss is FIVE killed and twenty
five wounded ..
~ b. FORREST, Major General
Athens is the county seat of Limestone county,
Alabama, one hundred and fifty-four miles north
by east from Tuscaloosa, and about twenty nGth-,
west from Huntsville. Limestone county borders
on the Tennessee liue and is therefore in the rear
Of Sherman army.
Athens is considered by Sherman most impor-
tant position, and hence the strong garrison sta
toned there. The Central Southern r,ilroad.
which unites Nashville with the Memphis and
Charleston railroad, passes through the place. and
its occupation by our forces therefore sewers one
of Sherman's lines of communication: 49,.
Another Victory Gained by Gen. Forrest
SIR Ar milo of
Athens, Sept. 25th.-The invncible and nncon-
querable Forrest has achieved another victory.
The garrison here, consisting Of two block houses,
considered the strongest on the road from Decatur
to Nashville, has been stormed and captured after
severe fight Of three hours. Eight hundred
prisoners have been captured incudicg ole lieu
tenant colonel two maj ors ten captains, ard TWEEN
ty.two lieutenants; also 800 horses, pieces Of ar
tilery, and large amount of stores of every de-
scrption. Our loss in killed and wounded about
35; that of the enemy nearly 200, including the
colonel commanding the garrison. The country
may expect to hear of other victories 10 few days.
GEN. HOODS ARMY.
A correspondent of the Columbia Carolinian
writes from Griffin, Ga as follows
I wrote you in my last letter that our army was
moving on the right flank Of Sherman, and that it
would make Blue Mountain base upon which to
set down conjecture, for such it was. No one
knows the destination and it is we'll enough that
such IS the case.
The supposition is that Gen. Hoods destination
is Middle Tennessee, and that after his arrival
there ho will be co-operated with by other columns
of infantry and cavalry convcrging to a certain
point. 1t is we'll known, both to US and to the
enemy, that Gen. Forrest formed a junction with
Wheeler in North Alabama, and moved directly,
wit tha b, of, bo
Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. That he
will crush and annihlate all the force sent to op-
pose him, scarcely admits Of doubt. The enemy
have cavalry, cavalry leader in this depart
ment able to oppose him. We must thank the
authorities at Richmond for at least making that
disposition Of all cavalry, which the reason and
Judgment of every practical man would dictate; for
it is utterly impossible for Sherman to subsst his
vast army of men and animals at Atlanta if our re-
sources are applied to the cutting Of his two hun
dred miles of railroad which ali his subsistence
must be drawn E.-
The present movement Of Gen. Hood reminds
us very much of several epochs in the life Of
Charles Kill That the enemy were totally taken
by surprise, We may well imagine. He was ma
king those vast preparatioDs-ere series of
the most formidable works-and bringing up sup
plies OF the material Of war, SO as to leave no doubt
that he expected to remain in Atlanta almost un-
and alleys of the city swept Clean and kept
as tidy, as the walks in the garden Of one of your
finest palaces in Columbia. Sherman remarked to
citizen the other day, that it was true Wheeler
was giving him little trouble in the rear, but he
expected 20 annihate him in few days. in such
style that no one else would have the temerity to
disturb his communications. He is about as good
an officer as Lincoln has, but he has in hin. all the
buster and brag characteristic Of the Yankee race
assure you that our army marched out of its
camp at Lovejoy's and Jonesboro, with its face
turned Northward, with light tread and merry
heart The wonder is not that the spirit of the
soldiers was low up to that time but that democrat
lzatlon was not universally for it is impossible to
keep patriotism burning brightly in the bosoms of
men while constantly On the retreat
How TO RECRUIT THE ARMY.-A soldier
der date OF Wilmington, September IA:
''Some rumors having reached this place that an
extra session of Congress will soon be converted to
devise measures for filling up the ranks of gall
liant army, have respectfully to suggest to the au-
thorties speedier plan, and certainly more eff.
feetive one, and that is, let an inspector general
be sent from Richmond, Va, to inspect every gar
rsoned post, hospital, arsenal quartermasters and
commissaries' Offices, and wherever be finds an
able bodied man in these places performing any
duties that wounded or invalid soldier can per-
form, let the said inspector have the power to send
said man to the field. This measure will give us
at least $4,000 men and prevent any further call
upon the working nen of the Confederacy"