Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-12-28
cnSnrrIox OF noAna

\ CONDITION or ROADS.
The roads were generally in good trav-
cling order, and not seriously ~obstructed.
In the march down from Nillen the army
moved with more officially, owing Ia the
swRmpy nature Of the country. Their
march, however, was unopposed, and their
progress was but little impeded.
III THs wEAfHrR.
Was fine throughout. Some rain fell,
not enough TO iDjure the roads for mill
tsry movements.
y DAYS REsT Is sEsES.
Sherman rested his army from march
ing on Sundays. though in other labor it
was rather more active on hat day than
other. The average distance Ezrched
per day was ten miles
l. q REBEL PRISONERS. -t-L
Up to reaching Savannah our army had
collected about 2,0G0rebel prisoners. who
we've brought along.
NEGROES.
The scouts estimate the number Of ne
groes coming along at COCO, principally
men. Il is certain that the number Ii
very large. Many Of them are mounted,
the better to bring along the superfuous
horses.
THE GREAT RESULT.
If Sherman passes Savannah and comes
10 the coast forsuppiies, his hardest blows
will have been simply suspended. It Is
not now, perhaps, thai The tremendous
injury he has done the rebel cause Is sp-
parent. True, he has abandoned Atlanta
that Is, ne has refused To hold y point
which had ceased 10 nave any military
significance. The rebel armies, supplied
as they are by tiIhes collected over : vast
extent Of territory, and with the assist
ance of great lines OF railroad, are pecu-
liarly vulnerable in their communications.
We cut the railroad of Atlanta, and the
city dropped like a wilted pear.
The railroad leading F;om Atlanta being
already badly cut, It only remained TO
burn the manufactures and boundaries
20 divest the place of the slightest mill
tary significance. We have the evidence
of the enemy that the City of Atlantis
has almost ceased 10 exist. Its depots
are in ruins, its machine shops are shape.
less brick heaps, and its far-reaching iron
arms, after suffering paralysis, have been
ruthlessly amputated.
We have only TO suppose that Hoods
army had remained confronting Sherman
south of Atlanta, to see at once how
grandly the conqueror of Georgia has en-
ployed his opportunity. II was, undoubt'
edly, Sherman's design, previous to
Hoods plunge on his rear, TO fortify At
lanta and use it as a secondary base in g
campaign for the last great rebel line ol
rail commandments running through
Macon. Had Hood remained to OF pose
this movement, IL IS not certain that we
should have reached il this winter. AS
it Is, Sherman has not only reached II,
but spent four deliberate weeks in de-
stroying II and its branches, and at the
moment | write, he Is fastening q fatal
girdle of veterans around savannah
That city captured, he can operate from
I secure Dase sgainst Augusta and
ChariesIown, and render certain The
permanent severance OF the railroads ne
has ust Hprooted.
Hood has made q counter advance. but
We have not heard that he has any Pori
ROYAL harbors on the Cumberland or OHIO
River for repose and reinyigoration.-
! lime will provo that his movement into
Middle tennessee was The shsereSt folly
of The war. He has no immediate lins
Of railway communication, and could not
protect Ii he had. He is not opposed by
an army raised in a fortnight from inva
lids, miners, valetudinarians, and worst
oil all, civil exempts. lie has no certain
communication with his War Depart
ment 1.-The retreat toward Corinth, the
iast of there evils is not remedied, and
mis- army would largely desert. If he
attempts to cross the Cumberland Noun
lalns and unite with Lees army, by
marching through Eastern Tennessee, he
viii III addition TO Tie natural difficulties
o. the country and season, have an enc
my ISSUING from fortified sIongboIds on
ais front, rear, and both TANKS. Ii ne
moves into Kentucky, he loses every
avenue OF retreat. No sane man can
iathom the capital folly aud aimlessness
Ut his advance. The moment he fails 10
destfoy Thomas at Franklin he iaii0d
utterly, and 1t Is something of q problem
10 know what be will do next.
have been led into these remarks by
the thought that | may be compelled to
mail this before it Is known whether
Sherman will capture Savannah on his
passage 10 the coast or not. His scoUt
report that lac has plenty of provision n
ammunition, but military prudence may
induce him to come to Hilton Head Is-
and and establish his communication
before attempting the works around Sa,
sannah. II ne does this, no one familiar
With his energy and genius as a soldier
can doubt that he will turn again upon
ne city the instant his cracker and
powder lines are open.
QUE PRISONERS NOT
The hopes that Sherman will reach
MiIlen in time to release the body of our
prisoners were not realized. The rebel
6ad abundant Opportunity TO remove
them by rail- and foot. They were al
hurried to Columbia; South Carolina, pia
Savannah, several days before our
advance reached Milien.
TIE LATEST FkoN
The scouts who brought in this inform
alton nave probably been sent back to
sherman by Gen. 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 has
completely surrounded Savannah They
report the place defended by 5000 men,
under Gems. Dick Taylor, Hardee and
Howell Cobb. Even here, at Hilton Head,
we can hear, at intervals. the faint thun-
der of artillery at Savannah. q garri-
son is composed largely of militia, and
oar hearts beat high as we reckon up the
advantages we have at the very com
mencement of the siege. First, the
garrison is not relatively a large one, and
has been hastily oaganized, mainly from
doubtful material. Second, the attack
is made from a quarter least expected,
and at the weakest point. We do not
know what supplies and ammunition
they have collected, but can imagine
that they are not fully prepared for a
siege in those vital requisites.
The rebels have three iron clads of
Savannah. which probably are contribu-
ting to the defense of the city.
L do not know what fscilitits the garri-
son at Savannah have for crossing the
Savannah River at the North side The