Evening star., 1864-12-17
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Uacem Der 10, lc6l, $50 ID. m

son, the details and object OF which 1t is not
proper now to disclose. When last heard
from, Davidson was reported as having caused
quite panic in Mobile, and devastating the
country generally. Lieut.. Col. Earl, COM
manding special party, was Sc verely wound
ed, and fell into the hands Of the enemy at Fay.
ette, Miss.
The Richmond papers OF today coRfirm the
reported capture OF Bristol, by an expedition
supposed 10 be under command OF Generals
Stoneman and Burbridge; also the surprise and
capture of the Glades Spring depot on the rail.
road, thirteen miles south of Abin gdon. They
also contain General Hoods official report Of
the battle of Franklin, in which he acknowl-
edges the loss OF 'smany gallant officers and
brave men, :" among whom he numerates Major
General Cleburne, and Brigacier Generals
John Williams, Adams, Geist, Strahl, and
GraDbury, killed. Major General Jno. Brown,
and Brigadier Generals S. Garter, Manignault,
Quarles, Cockerell, and Scott, wounded, and
Brigadier General Gordon, captured.
They also state that On Wednesday, General
Sherman carried Fort NJ cAlllster, commanding
the entrance to Ogeechee river, by storm; that
the capture of this position puts Sherman in
communication with the Yankee fleet, and
necessitates the reinforcement OF Savannah.
The despatehes OF General Candy. so far as
proper for publication, and the extracts from
the Richmond papers. giving Hoods official
reports of the battle at Franklin, and our sue
cess in Southwestern Virginin and Georgia,
ls subjoined. Up to this hour-S.30 p. H.
nothing has been heard from Nashville, since
last night, and nothing from General Sherman
later than the Richmond newspaper report Of
the capture OF Fort McAIiister on Wednesday.
| EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
NEW ORLEANS, La. Dec 9, 1s6i.-On the 18th
nit v,I tod fhufr TO
with General Sherman's operations would be
made from Vicksburg and Baton Rouge. FOR
the purpose of cutting Hoods comm nications
with Mobile. The expedition sent from Vicks-
burg, and consisting Of about 1900 cavalry and
| eight pieces OF artillery, commanded by Col Z.
ID. Ostrand, Sd colored cavalry, returned on
| the 4th instant, having met with a complete
success. After an admirably executed flank
movement on Jackson, on the 9th, the eXpedi-
| tiOn started for the Big Black bridge, on the
| Mississippi Central railroad, which was
reached on the 27th, and after stubborn re.
| eistance, captured and destroyed. This cuts
Hoods army off from the large quantities Of
supplies and stores accumulated at Jackson,
| Mississippi, and makes that railroad, whi Gin
W as his main reliance, unavailable to him for
months 10 come.
Besides this important bridge and trestle-
work, the following property was completely
destroyed: Thirty miles OF track inclEding
culverts, wagon bridge over the Big Black,
Vaughn, Pickett, and Goodman stations, rail-
roa0 depOts and buildings $500 bales Of cotton,
two locomotives, four cars, four stage. coaches,
twenty D6rft Is OF SAT-. worth or stores
at Eaughn's station.
The expedition vas considerably harassed on
its return by large bodies of the enemys troops,
| but suffered no material losses, and brought
back more recruits than the entire loss in eiec-
| tive men.
Major ]. b. Cook, commanding the Sd cav
airy, stineuished himself and his command
| greatly by the galantry with W hich the force
guarding the Big Black bridge was driven off
from behind their strong stockade on the oppo-
| site side OF the river. Our men had to charge
tbu hr{H 90 nnnt1 fpd r1yffh
railroad ties for path, and in the face OF a
sharp fire.
have announced Major Cook in general Or
ders as promoted 10 the vacant lieut.. colo elcy
of the II giment, subject to the approval of the
President. L. X. CANBY, Major Gent.
Cry POINT, VA, Dec. 16, 196i.-Liet Gen.
q. s. G~ant, Washington, ID. C.-The Richmond
| Dispatch OF to- day, after fully con firmng the
| previous reports OF the capture OF Bristol,
states that "the enemy then ad yauced mn the
| railroad towards Abingdon, which we pre-.
sumo fell into their hands, though we have no
information OF the fact The next we hear OF
| them they had, at O'Clock Yesterday morning,
! pounced down on Glades Spring, depot on
the railroad. l3 miles this side of Abingdon,
| takiI every one there by surprise, and cap.
| turing all the railroad employees except one,
who managed TO escape to tell the tafe. At
last accounts the enemy were pushing up
| the railroad in the direction OF Marion,
| which is twenty-seven miles this side of
Abingdon.
"This is a raid in Breckinridge's rear, the
| raiders, leaving his forces somewhere in the
neigh borhood of Knox willie, came mn the north
| side of the Holston river and crossed over to
Bristol. 1t is probable the raiders separated,
one party proceeding to Bristol and the other
| to Abingdon. II unchecked, it is likely they
will come up the railroad even as far as Salem
and theRee escape to Kanawna by the route
followed by Hunter last summer.
at is unknown who is In command OF this
expedition, but it looks very much like some of
Stoneman's galloping work. None of the des-
patches received say any thing ABOUT SaltyllIe
tisr tod dpUh boo,
by The enemy. II however, there were any
troops there, The Yankees were apt to II ght shy
OF it, aud contine their operations to the rail-
read.
nThe Battle Of Franklin,
"General Hoods official report OF the hattie
of Franklin has at last been received 1t will
be seen that our reported extraordinary loss of
general officers is but too true. The following
is General Hoods despatch:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TENNESSEE, SIX
MILES FROM NASHVILLE, Dec 8, 1864. via
MOBILE, 9th.-To Hon. j. 4. .SeCtdon h.: About
O'Clock p m, November 80, We attacked the
enemy at Franklin and dro We them from their
lines, which they evacuated during the nieht.
leaving their dead and wounded in our pos
sss sion, and retired to Nashville, closely fol-
lowed by our cavalry. We captured several
stands Of colors, and about one thousand mrs.
oners. SO a.-
"Our troops fought with great gaIlantry.
We have to lament the loss OF MANY gallant
officers and brave men. Major General Gle
burne, Brigadier Generals John Williams, Ad.
ans, Grist Strahl, and Granoury were killed
M sjor General John Brown and Brigadier
Generals Z. Garter, Manignault Quarles,
Cockerell, and Scott were wounded. Briga-
disr General Gordon was captured
J. b. HOOP, General"s
"a subsequent Telegram from General Hood
says that our loss Of officers was excessively |
large in proportion % the loss OF men. 81 /
uF From GesrsIa-Fort McAlIisser taken by |
80 Sherman 81 -
"Oficia intelligence was recei we'd yesterday |
that the enemy on Wednesday carried Fort |
McAllister by storm The garrison Of the fort |
oon tod of $50 men, Fort Mo- A Ilia In