Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-12-16
News of the War.

having been fully reinforced recently, the /
advance of these corps does not weaken it.
Southern papers dates not given, but /
probably the latest) report that Sher-
man had abandoned the shortest route for |
Augusta, and appears to be drifting towards
Savannah
lie was deploying for the purpose Of OBJ |
tanning supplies, where his territorial range |
was not too contracted by the operations of |
Wheeler
The Augusta COnsllfutionahst thinks Sher- 1
man will not for moment hesitate as to the !
point to be attacked or the roads TO it, say /
ing The enemy broke camp at Louisville 1
early on the morning of the ID, abandoning 1
the shortest ronte to Augusta, and moving ]
by new route in the direction of Savannahs /
Nashville specials Of the Sth saw there is |
no change in the general situation; skirnish- |
ing has been going on in front Of the 4th |
corps and the enemy driven hack to his old I
line. But few casualties resulted. Prison /
ers reported that Cheatham commanded the |
right. lee the center. and Stewart the lett. !
They say Lee has four batteries of four guns |
each, in position. 4 rebel brigade had lett |
in the direction of MarlreesbOro and it is not
known whether for foraging or to attack I
Murircesboro. One Of our batteries on
Stoadman's front opened tins morning but
ELECTED no reply. Gen. T. j. Wood retires
from the command of the 4th corps. Gen
Couch takes command Of a division in the
BIRD corps.
Tie Constitutionalist speaks Of this route
Of sherman as being the most natural and
feasible. With his forage and provision
trains iuil ic viii ass his entire army NJ
Mn,n.-f en throwing cavalry in the rear
hs niil PIT wagon trains between two wings
Cd. his army and march in compact column
st.aillg bat cautiously on Savannah. The
Og,cchcc and its few crossings and terrible
sVamp- viii be on bis right, and the "a
vtnnah river and it, equally swampy banks
ou hi- lett. Both his hanks will thus be
most securely covered. Thus situated be
mas a march Of only 80 miles to the city
Tral. Ing at the rate be- has averaged since
leaving atlanta, Die would reach there by
the 9th. provided be should not he checked
on the way The Oconee bridge has not
been burned although desperate attempts
have been made to accomplish this.
The Richmond Enquirer Of the 9TH, re-
ports no new movements made in direction
OF Gahamsville. The Federal troops en-
gagged consisted Of r giments Of whites and
i Of blacks About 1900 were found ell
the field dead and wounded.
The Richm nd papers OF Tuesday contain
no unlavorahle news from Sherman.
Port Royal adyices OF Dec. 4th give the
following account Of Foster 5 expedition and
the engagement at Gahamsyille -
On the 18Th. an expedition left Port Roy |
al and went up Broad river, accompanied by |
several gunb0ats The troops landed at
Boyd's Point, and proceeded inland several |
miles, meeting with rebel pickets only.
The next morning the enemy appeared in I
force on the road leading 10 Grahamsville. /
with cavalry. infantry and artillery. We /
advanced and drove them gradually back to |
battery ami entertainments, where they /
made a stand. A hot engagement for some
hOIr,sensued, during which there werechaTges |
and countercnarges, each side meeting with /
considerable luss, Night put stop to the |
fighting on both sides We took few pris-
oners and lost few.
Our casualties are yariously estimated
from COO to 1000.
During the evening we fell back short
distance unpursued and since then an ad-
vance was made in another direction.
Adyices from Hilton Head to the Sd,
states that the residents were still under
arms and doing guard duty in consequence
OF General Foster having taken all available
troops to cooperate with Gen. Stevenson
who is soon expected on the coast.
\ number of Foster wounded had been
brought u Hilton Head from which place
heavy firing could be heard.
\ De, patch from Nashville. Dec. :. says
Matters at the front now are unchanged
There has been less cannonadiag 10 day than
usual. The rebels have established bat
terry on blGtf, II miles down the river
Last night : gunb0ats went down and en-
gagged the battery, but without disloGging
the rebels from the position.
The gunboats returned to day. one consd-
erlbiy damaged.
\ reconnaissance and made to day by our
forces, between the Lebanon and Nashville
pixies after proceeding a shori distance. the
rebels were discovered in considerable force
Our troops charged upon hill the rebels &c
cupied and drove them off Two or three of
Ut men were killed and wounded.
Col johnson VINO escaped from blockhouse
No. . So providenlially, was slightly wound
ed by & rebel bullet.
Shelling Of the rebel lines and their work.
ing parties was kciJ up the 9th, but hardly
60 vigorously or persistenty as the day be
fore.
Forrest with lis command Is said to be
across the Cumberland river. We cannot
yOuch for the truth OF this statement.
The Impression gains strength among both
our soldiers and ciJlz ms, that the rebels are
concentrating, and If this be -. the march
on Kentucky may be SAID u have commenc-
ed
On the 9Th party Of rebels about 80 in
number surprised and captured az the mouth
OF Warwick river, above Fortress Monroe, n
the [ 5 tug Lizzie Freeman and suffers
schooner. The mate Of the Freeman was Sc
verely wounded in the shoulder, and one CO.
ored soldier acting as guard on the barge
Zimmerman which the tug had in tow. was !
shot down in cold blood and the others dan
yerOusly wounded, although not offering any
The passengers and crews of the
ug and suffer : schooner were robbed of all
heir clothing and yaluables and confined in
he hold OF the barge with matches shut
Town several hours. The steamer Wahida.
,assing the spot the next morning. relieved
hem from their unpleasant situation and
arried them to Norfolk
The steamer Wyoming reported having
cen two schoOners and a steamer bearing ="
fl Days Point, on the 9th, with about 30
he rebels had made another capture and de-
troyed the steamer Patuxent, with tow Of
hree schooners. No additional facts have VI
cen received.
Richmond papers of Thursday say Grant
Ias reinforced by 1000 men from the Shen-
ndoah Valley. A battle is imminent.
Dutch Gap canal they say can be made NJ
eady for use IN lew hours.
They have a report that force of our
'oops has effected Judgment between two
nportant points, Fort Darling and Hewlett
louise. -,
1t is claimed that one of our gunboats was
INK on Monday. by the bolt from one of the
owirtt House guns. -r-
Letters from Grants headquarters of Dec.
tn and 9th, say that the 9Th corps WAR
my with the 3rd division of the %, and
rigades of Gregg's cavalry. started south,
I'd on the afternoon of the 7th had crossed