The New York herald., 1864-03-15
Their route with little de' Io,oD ,nossb sSirm shps

--N-"-
vas coDlipuoua
ssoAoss' ~ sKAa CLINTON
Bpoo arriving a. Midday 10 the vicinity Of Clinton th
advance oi sne 80 armies again engaged In spr'tet
contest Inc Siay, however, but momentary, ant
We coon msved forward and marched through Clinton
without Saltiug. The Sixteenth corps during ,he ds,
cncoa.4tercd decided opposition Than during III
preceding day Both corps, however, suffered little los
either Of or time.
On The same afternoon Colonel winsows cavalry. o
tbe Seventeenth corps, succeeded IN capturing on'
piece Of artillery and o caissoD, and drove th'
eaemy towards Jackson, on the outskirts Of whict
they again formed IN line. The conflict here was
short, and the enemy withdrew rapidly across Pear
river having time 70 destroy his pontoon boats He
pursued the Canton road towards the north. General
Stephen D. Leo commanded tho snemys force, and sbt
In which he disposed Of the troops under bis
orders wss highly effective and he was warmly compi
msnted By oar commanding officers.
Our loss during these slsivs was twenty killed and
wounded. General McPhersou 10 these Affairs was seve
raj times made ths target e The eneys sbarpshootsri
and artillery. Lieutenant Colonel Clark Adutant Gene
Of the Seventeenth corps person directed the ope
ratons Of the cavalry this day and By succeesul
charge ordered by him and executed by the Eleventh
Illinois cavalry under Colonel Kerr completely discom.
fitted the enemy and FASTENED his flight In this last
affair Colonel Carks horse suffered severe wound In tho
leg, completely disabling him, and the Colonel himself
hit by splinter tho anger and narrowly escaped
more serious Injury from tho missiles
OCCUPATION oS JACKSON, hscRoesiso rnE Pearl RIVER.
The evening headquarters Of the Seventeenth
corps were in Jackson and the main body Of sho troops
bivouacked within I've mics OF the city tho Sixteenth
corps joined jackson The hrst person In The town
was Lieutenant vernay
Tho next day spent 10 reoonsructing the bridge
Pearl river The enemy after crossing, merely
cut the guy ropes and Of the mbers noated OF but
tho boats were not damaged. Captain Andrew Hecken
looper Chief Engineer OF the Seventeenth corps had tho
bridging Of the river under his superntepdencc assisted
by Captains Black and Merritt
On February T. at seven A. NJ, our forces commenced
crossing Pearl river the Seventeenth corps Il advance
There was but little skrmshps during the day.
The army encamped in the vicinity OF Brandon. This
day our troops captured . deserter from tho rhir
teenth Illinois, Company @, who had deserted to Writ
Adams on the arst attack yicksburg He was recog
nized by some Of bis company. French, with two
brgades was In Bandsn 10 the morning Of the day upon
which our forces took possession.
RSoAaExrSI AZ LINE CREEK.
The next day the army moved forward with little or
opposition until arriving in tho vicinity OF Limo creek
Here considerable force Of the enemy discovered in
line Of battle IN front OF house inhabited by family
fhc enemy red upon our advance cavalry, under Col
winslow. The volley was returned Accidentally one
,f our missiles killed woman occupying the house. sho
was discovered dead when the enemy broke. Her
smy were properly cared fos The given for tho
rapid withdrawal Il sSs ss@y gag Ipesbydinp
lion on the part OF some of hs Infantry ThA
greatest demorazasoo said o prevail, and shs refusal
Hght very good evidence Of the faci On this nigh,
bur force bivouacked Line creek Tho probable
strength OF the enemy, based upon statements received
rom prisoners and deser,ers, set down at afeep
thousand.
THE ADVANCE RgsuMEp-cHAyoB on FRONT.
On the 9th the army was again In motion by eight
O'Clock. Rather reliable Information received In the
night that the enemy would nght at Morton but upon
riving at that place about discovered that ho
had lef several hours before Tho Seventeenth corps
here went into camp, In order 10 allow tho Sixteenth
corps 10 take the advance During tho day 1ty desert
ers came In.
From Morton on the next day the army made dfteen
miles and bvouacked purog the march several ioragers
from army captured by the enemy, and II has
been stated upon good authority that they hung
The next days march was necessarily very slow,
owing TO swamps. The two Pioneer corps OF the com
mand were temporarily consolidated under Captain
he efficiency OF the work executed under his supervision
reflected great credit upon his engineering ability Not
v outstanding all these delays the army, with al Us
trans, made twelve miles and went into camp
Gu the following morning Captain j. s. Foster. Fourth
ohio Independent cavalry, commanding cavalry bat.
talon, set out, in accordance with orders, and
moved 10 take station on the railroad. small
OF the in the village soon driven out and
two engines thirty lve cars turn table, round house
machine shops and several mills were desroyet-0 all
valued at five hundred thousand doars.
rARRow EscsPs GENERAL SHERMAN.
on the 18th our army arrived 10 the evening Deca
In the afternoon about two hundred Of the snemy
under Captain Kavanaugh, made dash upon the wagon
train OF the Sixteenth corps, Killing tweniytour mules
but no men General Sherman almost fell into the hands
Of the enemy, and saved only by the valor Of his
body guard. Troops brought to the scene o.
the affair, and the enemy as quickly withdrew.
STEADILY oEwARp-ExpEDuios TO NEWTON.
On. February l3 General Chambers, commanding the
Iowa Brigade, took the advance and led OF
the column with little delay, and arrived in
camp Big Chunkey river at half past eight o'clock T.
NJ Up TO this time reliable had been received
from General Smiths column
The next day the army advanced twelve miles, with
little skirmshng On the day General N. r. Force
left with his command for Newton railroad station
He set out before daylight. His expedition was success
ful eaectlDg everything that designed On the
day Also the trains were left chunkey river under
strong guard, commanded by General Chambers. The
rest OF the troops With two wagons two ambuances and
one hospital wagon 10 regiment, moved forward qui Ky
upon Meridian.
OCCUPATION OF MERrpLy.
The advance OF the sixteenth corps entered during the
afternoon without opposition the enemy having previous
ly withdrawn Tho Seventeenth corps camped that night
ave miles the town and entered the morning Of
tho 18Th 10 a terrific rain storm.
Upon arriving in the village it was found that the
enemy had removed oil his stores and trains, but tho
great object OF the expedition not defeated and the
destruction Of the railroads at commenced not.
witbstanding the rain.
rHn REpKI ARMY.
Tho entire concentrated force OF the enemy already
stated IN this section Is estimated At fifteen thousand
ueo: Opposing Gss n9yysasoi yye w Sysions, under
rrebch ~ .oring, including inc br'gadcs seasner'