American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-11-30
Gen. Sherman's M Maroh.

On Thursday last, we, in common with
other journals of this city, received a dis
patch from Cincinnati containing news
from Sherman's army, which had that
morning been printed in The Cincinnati
Times Shortly after came Geographic
request from the War Office to suppress
that dispatch We complied with that
request, albeit unable to comprehend how
news that had been all day in print in
Cincinnati would be deemed contraband
the following morning in New York. In
deed, with that effort Of vigilance the
War Department seems to have been quite
exhausted, for the papers here and else
where have since abounded; unrobuked,
with all sorts of statements about Sher-
forces, the immediate direction of his
march, the quantity of his supplies, and
his ultimate destination, are differently
stated in different papers, but it is unne-
cessary at present to settle details. What
the public cares to know in general way
is literally clear. Gen. Sherman with a
powerful army has cut loose from Atlanta,
aud is making his way to the seaboard.
That he marches in two columns is prob
able enough, and that whether by one
route or another he will finally arrive in
the neighborhood of Savannah, we have
little doubt. Nor in military point of
view do we consider the dissemination of
this intelligence in the least important
The enemy are undoubtedly informed
long before we are of every step in Gen
Sherman's progress.
Against this tremendous demonstra-
ton, the Confsderacy, we need scarcely
explain once more, is powerless. There
| are but two armies within its limits able
to confront OF delay Gen. Sherman. One
of these armies was hundred and fifty
miles to the northwest of Atlanta when
Sherman started. The other lines in the
defences of Richmond, and can neither
60 as whole nor spare any considerable
part of its force without surrendering that
for which it had struggled all Summer.
And since there are neither natural nor
artificial lines of defense which might
with small number of troops arrest or
delay the advance of either of Sherman's
columns, the march of each to Augusta
must be unopposed
| Sherman is said TO have sixty days
rations with him, but that is very unlike
ly. A train which could transport three
million rations would be too unwicldy for
such march as this, and is unnecessary.
II the country has half the resources it is
represented to possess, there is no need OF
great supply train, The cavalry will
keep the army in commisssry stores. But
as measure of'prudence considerable
amount of supplies has doubtless been tax
en-perhaps for twenty or even for thirty
days. Were the Rebels in Central Geor-
gia disposed to abandon their country and
homes at the approach of this invader,
and destroy their stores of food, Sherman
would find it necessary to be able to rely
to some extent on his own resources. But
that is very improbable contingency. In
North Western Georgia, when johnson
forced the people to fly, they left their
homes most willingly, and it is not likely
that where they are under no compulsion
from general with power to enforce his
demands, this people viii resort to a
measure Of absolute despair. Sherman,
therefore, whateyor be his own supplies,
may reckon confidently on abundant food
snd forage from the country which he ira
verses. West of the Savannah River his
advance will be through country which
is of great fertility, aud which is inhabi-
ted by population possessing more than