Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-03-03

cavalry and mou nted Infantry Were to penetrate Mit
sissppi from the North aid advance Souhwardly dri
wing Lees cavalry before them. Sherman, starting
! from Vicksburg, was to penetrate to Meridian
If all these columns were success full it would at once
give the city of Mobile and its line of railroad to the
orth, also tie whole of Mississippi and the Western
frontier OF Alabama, to the Federal arms. But while
grand combined operations promise great results if for
tunate, they are extremely liable to disappointment
1T is difficult the success in all parts of com.
pex scheme, and failure in one is often the failure of
the whole. Sherman's seems to be the only column
that gained its point Farrsgut prevented at least
for days from making bis attempt by high winds
and rough waters. Smiths cavalry have not found
SO easy matter to brush Lee out of their way
Meanwhile, Sherman in waiting for them at Meridian,
has been devouriDg lis twenty days rations and the
report yesterday, was, that unable to wait any
longer, he retiring by the way he came
But whether Sherman be areauy retiring not, his
rapid ard compact advance, Gld bis long halt after
reaching the railroad which leads south to Mobile and
north to Tennessee, shows that he was executing
share of large pan If which Others were expected to
perform their parts with equal celebrity and in which he
has. been halted by their failure. The accounts soy
that be kept his column in close order "nota man
leaving ranks even to steal chcken"-a remarkable
abstinence for Yankee army.
Our own Generals who suddenly found themselves
confronted with Sherman's heavy column, aud prompt
ed by necessity policy to retreat before his advance
are said to have conducted their operations with order
ard success. The Mobile Register says:
- Gen. Polk has acted With prudence and energy
saving the pubic stores ana other property, aud
getting all the railway transportation out OF the enemys
reach there has been displayed extraordinary energy
sutipg complete Everything saved at
Meridian including 1000 bales of Government cotton,
several hundred bogsheadsof immense supplies OF
commssay, quarlemlster and ordnance stores In this
the General seconded by the and experience of
Col Fleming, the superintendent Of the Mobile and Ohio
railroad who further succeeded in removing all the
bic property of the road, to the machine shop at
Enterprise"
AS to the strength of the columns designed to CO.
operate with Sherman, we have accurate infOrma.
ton. Observers at Pascagoua seven gunboats,
brig five echooDers aud side wheel steamers pass Hp
to the attempt Grants Pass, the 18th. The
column under Smith and GrersOn is reported at 600
mounted infantry and twelve regiments of cavalry. Ac.
cordng to report, their progress is arrested by Lee
= Oar infantry forces, under Polk and Lorpg, are
stated o-have crossed 10 the East bank of the Bgbee
CEdmbgbee) river, and taken post at Demopos De-
mopos at the point where the river is ntesected by
the railroad from Selma to- Meridian. 1t is in Alaba-
ma, hftyseven miles East of Meridian, and fifty miles
West Of Selma against which latter point some sup
pose Sherman's movement to have been projected
P. S.-Oficial intelligence received here yesterday
renders it certain that the Junction of Smith with Sher
man was successfully prevented by troops and that
Sherman full ret' eat by several routes, pursued by
cavalry. We can scarcely fail TO pick up many
prisoners. Thus endeth the grand combination move
nent !-Richm0nd Sentinel