Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-03-19

cavalry at Bear Creek, six miles west of
Clinton, and a fight began at sunrise.
The rebels bad 200 cavalry and four
pieces of artillery. The enemy was driven
twenty three miles. The brigade lost thirty
killed and wounded. The rebels reported
that the enemy lost 100 killed and wound
ed. After driving the enemy twenty-thrce
miles, ,.our forces marched ten miles in line
of battle, and occupied jackson, Miss, on
the night of the 9th. The enemy was driv
en- across Pearl river and the pontoons Sc
cured. After that fight there was nothing
but cavalry skirmishing during the rest Of
the route
On the march from Jackson to Meridian
the railroad was destroyed to such an extent
that months will be required to rebuild it.
Ties and rails were piled up together, and,
ms the ties burned, the rails, being heated,
would bend SO as to be rendered worth
less.
The entire country through which the ex-
pedition passed was desolnted, scarcely
vestige of house, barn or fence being left
behind. Brigade commanders were instruct
ed to burn all unoccupicd houses, but the
soldiers were not very particular whether the
houses were occupied or not.
AT Morton, about thirty-six miles from
Jackson, Loring's and Freneh's divisions of
Polk's Corps were in line of battle for two
days, but on the approach of our advance
they retreated They claimed that they were
ordered to Mobile to defend that city from
an anticipated attack. One hundred and
fifty rebel soldiers were captured at Nor
ton.
AT Decatur the supplies train of the 10th
Army Corps was attacked by some Of Adams
cavalry, and 26 mules shot. Two rebels
were killed.
The report that the expedition was OPP
posed at Chunky river is untrue; Our forces
reached Meridian (which is 150 miles from
NHkshurg and 1856 miles from Mobile) un
the 10th Of February. Polk evacuated the
| place half an hour before our advance arriv-
| ed
Meridian is the junction of the Mobile and
Ohio and the jackson and Charleston rail-
roads. II is place of only 300 or 400
| inhabitants. Sherman remained there five
! days.
! All the supplies necessary for the army
( were obtained except bread. Mills were put
in running order and corn ground for the
! troops. In this manner three days meal
! rations were obtained. For four days the
I troops lived on parched corn, rs q bread ra-
ton. The best kind of ham and shoulders
4 were ODtulHtt lUeTc III ldTgc
! At Meridian the 10th Army Corps were
ordered to destroy the railroad north and
east. and 18th Army Corps west and south,
/ which they did most effectuully.
! Genera, Sherman issued congratulatory
/ order to the troops before leaving Meridian,
! in which he said the object of the expcdi-
ton (the destruction of the railroads, was
most effcctually accomplished.
In returning, the troops came back rs far
rs Hilsborough, ifty-siX miles, on the route
they went down on, and then struck off to
! the right in the direction of Canton. They
crossed the river at Radcliffs Ferry, twelve
miles east of Canton. At Canton the troops
waited four days to hear from Smiths cav
airy expedition. which expected to join
/ Sherman at Meridian. but failed to do ST..
/ 1t was reported at Canton that Smith had
lost two thousand men and all his artillery
There was much anxiety felt with regard to
/ him. General Sherman left the forces AT
Canton on the 27th for Nicksburg, where he
arrived on the 2Sth, and sailed the same
evening for New Orleans. The expedition
was then in command of AIajor-G General
IIurlbut
After remaining at Canton four days the
troops left for Nicksburg. The rear guard
was attacked at Canton by the rebels, were
driven oil by cavalry. The rear was harass
ed until it crossed the Bocheta creek, %
miles from Black river. The expedition
reached Eicksburg on the ith Oi March
without the loss of a wagon or other GOV
ernment property. except the 90 mules shot
by the rebels. They brought in 400 prison
ers, $50 of whom will take the oath and
come North G,000 blacks, of whom SOC
will he added to the force at Nicksburg
500 captured horses and mules; two pieces
of artillery, and 500 white refugees.
The people whom the troops saw on the
route expressed themselves tired of the war
and expressed the wish that it was over
They made no expression of preference fo
the Union or the Confcderacy.
The soldiers have every confidence il
Sherman, and like his plan of making war
which is to ''hurt the enemy"
The expedition from Vicksburg up th'
Red River to Alexandria has been abandoncc
for the present.