The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-12-29

that running through Macon. Had
Hood remained to oppose this move.
nent, 1t is not certain that we should
have rea 2hed it this winter. As it is
Sherman has not only reached it, bu,
spent four deliberate weeks in destroy
ing it, and its branches, and, at the
moment | write, he is fastening fatal
glrdle Of veterans around Savannah
That city captured, he can operate
from q secure base against Augusta
and Charleston, and render certain the
permanent severance Of the railroads
he has just uprooted.
Hood has made counter advance
but we have not heard that be has any
Port Royal harbors on the Cumber
land or Ohio river for reposo and re.
invigoration. Time will prove that
his movement into Middle Tennessee
was the shcercst folly Of the war He
has no immediate line Of railway COM
munication, and could not protect it if
he had. Heis not opposed by an army
raised in fortnight from invalids,
miners, valetudenarians, and worst OF
all, civil cxempts. lie has no certain
communication with his War Depart
mcnt. II he retreats toward Corinth.
the last Of these evils is not remedied
and his army would largely desert. If
ho attempts TO cross the Cumberladd
Mountains and unite with Lee s army
by marching through Eastern Tennes-
sec he will, in addition to the natural
difficulties Of the country and season.
have an enemy issuing from fortified
stronghold on his front rear and both
tanks, If he moves into Kentucky.
he loses every avenue of retreat. No
sane man can fathom the capital folly
and aimlesSness Of his advance. The
moment he failed to destroy Thomas
at Franklin, he failed utterly. and it is
something of n problem TO know what
he will do next.
| have been led into these remarks
by the thought that lmay be compel.
ed to mail this before it is known
whether Sherman will capture Sayan-
nah on his passage TO the coast or not.
Ills scouts report that lie has plenty
ofprovisions and ammunition, but mil
itary prude@cc may induce him to
come to Hilton Head Island and estab-
lish his communications before at.
tempting the works around Savannah.
If he does this, no one familiar with
his energy and genius as soldier can
doubt that ho will turn again upon the
city the instant his cracker and pow
der lines are open.
OUR PRISONERS NOT RELEASED.
TIE hopes that Sherman would
reach Millen in time to release the
body OF our prisoners were not rcali-
zed. The rebels had abundant oppor.
tunity to remove them by rail and on
foot. They were all hurried to Co.
lumbia, South Carolina, ria Savannah,
several days before our advance reach
ed Mllcn.
THE --LATEST FROM SHERMAN.
The scouts who brought in this in.
formation have probably been sent
back TO Sherman by General Foster,
who still remains at Ossibaw sound
No regular communication has been
opened, though some other scouts have
reached us, bringing the news that
Sherman had completely surrounded
Savannah. They report the place de-
Tended by $4,000 men, under Generals
Dick Taylor, Ilardec and Howell Cobb.
Even here, at Hilton Head, we can
hear at intervals, the faint thunder of
artillery at Savannah, The garrison
is composed largely of Militia, and our
hearts beat high as we reckon up the
advantages we have at the very com
mOnccment Of the seigc. First, the
garrison is not relatively largo one,
and has been hastily organized, mainly
from doubtful material Second, the
attack is mace from a quarter least cx
pcctcd, and at the weakest point. We
do not know what supplies and am
munition they have collected, but can
imagine that they are not fully pre-
pared for seige in these vital requi-
sites.
Sherman's army stretches from the
Savannah River to the Ogeccheo Riv-
or, west Of the city, and there is to be
found tho frmcst ground in the ap-
proaches. East and south OF the city
arc rice-felds, which, always marshy,
are now probably overhown as a
means Of deGonse. 1t is possible that
Sherman may find a route around the
city by which he can attack the wat
cr- batteries below Savannah, but it is
doNbtful whether he can maneuvcr a
large force in that direction. We have
? large fleet Of iron-clads and gun
boats in the Savannah river, which is
ready to cooperate from below. 1t is
n significant fact that all tho available
gunboats in this vicinity have Joined
the fleet during tho last two nights.
The rebels have three iron-clads off
Savannah, which probably are contrib
lting to the defense Of the city.
| do not know what facilities the
garrison at Savannah have for cross
ng the Savannah River TO the north
'ide. The country on the north side
s mainly occupied bJ rice fields, which
Ire about as advantageous for the
march of an army with material, as
he Great Dismal Swamp. The gerri-
ion must escape in that direction, if at
Ill. East they are restrained by the
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