The Placer herald., 1864-12-10
NUMBER IS.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Oct. Is.
Commencement of Hoods Advance.

! There Is no mproprlety now in giving
some account of Hoods departure from Sber.
mans front for his rear. The letters given
below, giving description of the march,
are particularly interesting, from the fact
that they are written by soldier, and show
the exu!tant state of feeling in the Army of
Tennessee. They are from the Augusta Con-
stitutionaHst, and the first is dated Oct. lst:
"On the evening Of the 2sth Of September
orders we're received to cook raiions prepar-
atory to move. Soon the camp was all
hustle and activity. Curiosity was on tip,
toe and every one seemed personally inter.
ested in the projected movement For a
week previous grapevine" messages had
been constantly received that the Army of
Tennessee was on its way to the enemy's
rear, and now, when these messages seemed
to be, in measure, confirmed, every one
was wild with excitement. 1e.
Time wore painfully away until 10 o'clock
A. NJ, of the Goth, when the Joyous words
"Fall in!" were heard along the lines, and the
men sprang with aacrity to their places
Stewards corps with Loring in front, Walt
hall in the center, and French in the rear.
marched to the Chattahooche River and
crossed at Pumpkintown. The crossing of
the corps was grand sight From the lofty
hills which crown either side Of the river,
the long serpentiue line of glittering arms
and bristing bayonets glstened in the rays
of the declining sun; and, as the pontoons
at so great a distance were invisible, it seem.
ed as if the men were walking on the water.
The ladies' from the south side had congre-
gated on its bank and the wave of lace-bor,
dered kerchefs, and the smile of approval
which Illuminated their countenances, ueryed
every arm and fired every breast, as they
toied onward on their patriotic mission.
This army, | am thoroughly convinced, is the
best in the Confederacy. The Virginia army,
am aware, has won hundreds of Victories.
has really never sustained defeat. 1t has
pressed vigorously on from one victory TO
another, without decentralization or dsaffec.
ton; but it has never passed through the
fiery ordeal that the Army of the Tennessee
has.
Crossing the Chattahoochie, we marched
nearly west, and bivouacked five miles from
it. Continuing the march the next morning
we turned a little to the north, and reached
here yesterday about 2 o'clock in the after
noon. We are now six miles from Powder
Springs, on the road to New Hope Church,
and about twenty miles to the west of Ma.
rietta. We have all been waiting patiently
for an order to resume the march this morn
ing; but suppose General Hood is waiting
for the completion of some OF bis arrange.
ments."
OCTOBER I'd, 1854.
SIN one hour we are on the war path
again. General Hood has unbosomed him
self to the army, and every private of the
army knows what is expected of them
General Hood has received positive informa-
ton of the fact that Sherman has sent two
divisions in quest Of "the Wizard Of the Sad
die" in Middle Tennessee. Two more divis-
ions have been sent to Kentucky to recruit,
and Blair's corps has been disbanded and
sent home, their time of enlistment having
expired We are therefore, numerically,
nearly as strong as they are. The enemy
has about forty days rations of bacon, but
very little bread, on hand. We move this
morning to the railroad-at what point is
General Hoods secret, not mine. We will
proceed northward tearing up the road as
we 90; and as Sherman will be compelled to
provision his army, he will be compelled
either to follow and attack US in a chosen
and fortified position, or move on further
into our country without railroad to furnish
him supplies.