Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-16

RED CLAY, GA, May 8, IS

RED CLAY, GA, May 8, 1864.
There are sIgus Of an early movement
Of this wing OF the army. All surplus 6uE
gage, by order from Corps Headquarters.
has been sent 10 the rear. The troops and
arms were inspected 10. day, aud fresh am-
muuitiuu distributed. The railroad from
Cleveland, which Is completed to within
two miles OF the Georgia line, is loaded
with work bringing down supplies and
| forage. In few days the road will be
completed for several Iui'es further. The
4th Army Corps has advanced TO Ringgold,
where Gen. Howard probably low has his
headquarters. Gen. MePhsrson was re-
ported at Lafayette, Ala, on Friday last,
advancing on Rome We hASe ihs rebel
Eickets Nlilhip ihFef eE feRsf; Iniles5 Of ",
this side OF Rehn6q Pl4atad6l fher4
are also rebel PiSfets 90 the Charleston
and Dalton Road sL Barrelts Mil, and
other places.
| Ii has been several weeks since the rebels
! permitted any citizen to pass through their
| lines, and every uue going TO Dalton on
business has been detained. Some citizens
/ stray ed uncOusciUus!Y ioto our lines TO day
and, very much - ;Leir chagIin, lad lLem.
selves trapped and unable ~ return home
| The man road 10 Dalton nearest us
passes through a gap 10 the ridge about
a mile to the south of this point, which
also forms the passage ofa iiue little stream
called Mill Greek, which flows into the
| tributaries Ot the Alabama River. All
streams in this region, on which there are
mills, are called mill Creek" Beside
the road on which our troops are located,
there are two or three running at slightly
| divergiuE lines norih Shrd from Dalton
toward the HiNwas-a River, each separa-
ted from the other Oy ridges, and kuOhby,
rough lines OF hills. Tue first Of these is
| only about a mile 70 the eastward OF this
from which We are divided by the ridge
known as Red Clay, which gives the name
to this portion OF the uorthern line OF
Georgia. Ii is called the Charleston and
Dalton road. Beyond a secoud ridge is
| the CoOahUliy road, which forks from the
Charleston road six miles from Dalton
Thea there is a third road leading to the
| DucktOwn Copper Mines, aud Formerly
used Tor hauling the ORE to Dalton. Still
beyond, at Il distance OF ten miles from this
point, ruus the Old Federal Road between
the HiAwassh aud Spriug Place. All these
roads are at present accessible to tue rebel
troops, and Aay be worth our while to
watch, as bodies OF clvHlTy might move
upon either o. them without observation
II they were disposed to operate upon our
LETT and rear.
The land 10 this region is poor, yielding
only ten bushels OF corn and Lwn to tour
-hushEla of ~ neai 10 the acre TIE moor
people's farms average from 10 10 10 asFS,,
and some Of them yield 4 comfortable sup
port for a family. This class stay at home,
and eontent themselves with the product
Of their own es:IteS. Above them, how
ever, has been she class of uRbobs, who own
land by the mile square, md once had uu-
numbered negroes TO work their pianta-
Iions. These men came up here from
Southern Georgia when the Cherokces
were removed, AMI took up large tracts,
retaining ,heir cotton aud rice lands and
rich plantations in the Southern counties
for winter residences. Among these aaDobs
was PeytOn Wade, who owned . 600 ncres
or more, aud 300 negroes. None of these
broad acres are now under cultivation
Another was o. H. Henuou, WHO was a
rebel ten years Hgo-nOw dead He own
ed ., 500 acres aud so TO 60 negroes, whom
he freed ty will. and Aiterward transferred
Sith his lands aud other property TO his
relatives. lie had 60 children. His taxa
ble property here, not to mention that
"away dOwa in Georgia" was $lGO .OOO.-
On these plantations It was not uncommon
to see 100 acres Pihutad in sweet potatoes,
and one hundred acres in peanuts used for
IaltenlnR noRS'
Oue planter used to SOW $50 bushels of
wheat, GOO bushels OF oats, put in 500 acres
in corn. besides $50 acres in cotton. Then
80 acres would be set apart to the negroes
tor truck patches" to work Sundnys.-
Such was the magnificent Style in which
the wealthy planters ed to spread them
selves in the good old times, now forever
gone by. Their broad acres will pass into
Ihe'hands OF the thirty and foriy-acrU farm
men, aud be better cultivated upon the
system Of paid labor. During the march
through the Tennessee Valley met with
fGw cases where the farmers desired 20
/ part with their Iauds and seek their fortunes
elsewhere. Here there are few who would
not sell out cheap, provided they could
| find purchasers. During the rebel occu-
patton OF Missionary Ridge this whole re-
giOu was rausacked for corn and provis.
ions, aud the country was laid bare. There
is here the same state of things tina; exists
IN the opposite (eAsD end of the Valley,
though the farm Enclosures and houses
have not suffered TO the same extent. Some
tolerably good houses have been deserted,
and little Of the land comparatively will
be cultivated. ALI the young men aud
boys have been conscIiPied, and there are
none left to work the land except the old
men and women.