The New York herald., 1864-03-15


uniformed nationality and the uncsr tantes attending 70
volaton
rHs sypPLEs FOR EXPEDITION.
when the expedition left vcksburs twenty days sup
plies OF hard bread sugar coffee ana salt were placed
wagons and orders issued for the troops
upon The country. Upon arrival here Il was foun
that the troops had consumed but OF twelve
days ra.ons-,he remainder OF the subsistence hav ng
been drawn from the country At present there
raj mills In The vicinity in full operation grinding meal
The average capacity Of each mill Is about six bushels
per hour which has been found valuable assistance
In the supply Of tho troops. On the march q
large number OF mills were destroyed and oil
OF them VIII doubtless share the fate our army
wi.hdraws. Tho mills OF the country have been he sup.
port OF the enemy during his occupation Of this region
Their destruction is great obstacle to his reoccupa
ton OF Southern Mississippi the ruin OF railroad com
m munication.
Hoy-ARRTvAL OF sxnHs CAVALRY.
When this portion Of the expedition arrived here u
was found that Generai Smiths cavalry had no,
yet made It's appearance. Several days before
information received from deserteys and prs.
oners that be had been At Lauderdale Station,
forty i've miles above. Nothing further, however has
been received, and 10 doubtful whether that nforma
ton was correct. great deal depended upon the
operation OF Smiths column, and IL had been
ful in accomplishing what was laid out for Is the enc
mys stores and possibly many Of his troops would have
fallen into our hands, Much speculation a6oa as TO The
cause Of his non.appearance. By some IL Is supposed
that he encountered stronger opposition from Forests
command than looked for. u hardly seems probable
that he would have deyiaed far from his course
attack Selma The greatest curiosity prevails among
officers as TO his Whereabouts and the fortune Of his
movements,
wHY TIE REBELS BAoE
was at one time supposed that the ready giving way
Of the enemy upoa our advance was the erect Of Smiths
presence in their II is known that the enemy
presumng our destination Mobile, fell back with
view TO enlicing into the country, they explain
their movement They have learned, when TOO late,
that Merd and the destruction Of the railroads cen
teripg here the main objects to be attained II Is
said ha; enera Polk arked that he had known this
he would have given aghs before reaching Meridian
This 10 one way OF covering up the decentralization
Of his army. II Smith had como up it is
not improbable would have verified his expectations
and marched for MOBILIZE and Is not boastul TO add that
General Sherman would have been fully able TO consum
mate the still greater glory and success Of bis daring
novemen, IN the capture Of the last important city Of
the enemy iu the Southwest.
The accomplishment Of the expedition thus far could
not have been favored by more agreeable weather
With the exception OF few hours rain upon the
morning OF tie entrance Of the Seventeenth corps into
the village the shone continuously and beautifully
The roads consequently in excellent condition aud
marching agreeable duty. Ths rain has now passed,
leaving the atmosphere quite cold This however, will
have the effect Of Qackenng the movements Of the
HEADQUARTERS, SEVENTEENTH AaxY CoRrs.
In oAar, on Bio causk.y RIy.s, Miss.
Feb. 20, 1894
TIE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF TIE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or
Yesterday afternoon the destruction o. the rail.
roads being fully accomplished, orders issued By
General Sherman for the troops 10 evacuats Meridian,
the route and length Of each day. march until ar
rival ai Htiisboro being given.
This morning al daylight the commands sill in the
village were III movement. During the two days imme.
distely prior to departure the larger part OF the
troops had been distributed 10 various directions 10
quicken Of the work OF authorized dssruc
on BY last evening the greater part Of the troops had
rc rned place, and then ordered that the Six
h corps which Con. Sherman accompanied In person,
should norsward towards Marion while the Seven
eenh corps Was ordered 10 return by the route Of ad
vance Crocker having moved the night before With bis d.
vs directly from Enterprise 10 the main road dve mes
west OF Meridian II at the time ordered that
this corps should move TO Hlsbro distance OF sixty
miles whore the Sixteenth corps will join us, aud the
wagon trains which moving one day in advance OF
tno Column, VIII again 20 Asssneu W tneiT respective
corps.
DESTRUCTION 0, ruR REBEL oovsasnESr suApmos-a
Upon the withdrawal Of forces from Meridian this
morning all the government buildings and property
burned by orders from the legitimate authorities The
last company that left the town Fosters Fourth In
pendent Ohio cavalry commanded by Lieutenant 5 D.
Porter The object In leaving this torcc to prevent
any unauthorized destruction Of private property by
stragglers.
Alsrge number Of refugees. particularly employees Of
the railroads, are accompanying the army 10 vicks
burg These people have furnished their own con.
10 embarrassment to the army. At Hillsboro
many Of them will be placed In empty gov
ernment wagons aud otherwise cared for. Those
have thus taken advantage OF this opportunity to
escape the dominion OF the tyranny they have expe
enced for the past three years are greatly reoced at
project Of carly return to the peace quiet and
sec1riy OF the Northeru States large number Of the
inevitable coniabands also accompanying the army.
MOVEMENTS % TEE REBELS.
We have learned some further intelligence - to the
direction taken by The enemy after bis leaving Meridian
II seems tho largest force moved southward, towards
Mobile whie another force has gone Dsmopolis, on
the Tombigbee river, and still another norhward The
cavalry, uoder Ross and Adams, reported on our
nanks bat have stood q distance giving us 40 trouble
OF delay.
Al four O'Clock P. NJ, ster having marched attsen
milos-.he days march ordered by General Sherman
this part OF the army bvouacked upon the stream from
which The presoat letter dated
Hs,pouARrrRs, SEVENTEENTH ARMY Coars,
raRKs MLxs EAST oR PsAaL RivRa, Feb. rs, 1884
On February a. at ssven A. NJ, with Legsett's di.
vision 10 the ADVANCE this corps was again To motion
ahout vlno out nj tent
covered on the roadside, and upon examination we're
found to contain sevra smallpox patients The Medical
Director Of this corps Dr. Boucher Immediately inquired
into condition, and found that they belonged to tho
Sixteenth corps and had left there BY the surgeon
er with tho Sixteenth corps train. The men had no
adequate attendance and we're without food aud medi
ONE Dr. Boucher as once secured several smbu.
anees And placed the patients IN them, with
a.auar narsona 70 caro- for them. and with