The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-02-23

The Mobile .Aduerfisev, of ne A5sh Instant, con-
sains soaae inssllisence abent - reported move
ments Of the enemy. II gets ~ following report
from gentleman who has arrived there:
He len Oxford on Tuesday morning last. at
which time Gen. Forrest was preparing to enc0ua
ter two divisions Of the enemy which had come
out from Memphis One Of these columns IL re-.
and artillery, moving down ihs Mississippi and
Tennessee road through HernaadeS towards Pane
la. The second column from MMapIlis consists Of
twelve regiment: Of cavalry. which went out on
the Memphis and Charlestoa HAiinai 10 Collier
Vile, and then turned south - Concentrate with
the iafasay cotnmn nArehing o1efanela.
Gen Forrest had yeceivcd rrposts from belOw
that seesman's column from Vicksburg consisted
Of % 600 men infantry, artillery, and cavalry. II
marches In close order, not a man leaving ranks,
even to steal a chicken. Gen. Lees cavalry hover
round them, picking up few men occasionally who
report that they left the Big Black with twenty
days. cooked raiiOns.
A private dispatch from Enterprise dated last
evening states that our forces evacuated Meridian
yesterday Sunday morning. The government
machinery Of the railroad company Our troops
retired In good order In the direction of the Biabst
river The last train above on the MObile and
Ohio Railroad passed Meridian at r. NJ, yester-
day, and reported the enemy In full view, lust en-
tering the town. The train was not fired on, and
no effort was made to st'p or delay 1t.
dispatch from Enterprise, at 6 O'Clock this
morning, reports no movement Of the enemy in that
direction. The general opinion among well In
formed persons from the vicinity Of tAe Yankees
seems to be that their purpose Il to continue their
march centrally towards Selma, where they expect
TO meet another column, and thence move Cor
ward to the rear OF Gen. Johnston.
Ii remains to be seen whether SO audacious and
hazardous an enterprise can be successfully prose-
cated. The Yankees have thus far shown Il mOrtI-
flying contempt for our military energy and re-
sOurces-it s to be hoped that before they return
if,indeed, they are ever permitted to raurn- to Yam
keedom, they may be taught a better appreciation
Of both.
We omitted TO state above that the telegraph Of
Ace was closed at Meridian at II O'Clock noon Sun
day-the operator bearing off his instruments and
the valuable property OF his office.
Tho following official communication to the peo-
pie Of Mobile, published In The papers of that
city:
To The People Of Mobile:
Your city IL about to be attacked BY the enemy.
Mobile must be defended at every hazard and t0
the last extremity TO do this effectively, all who
tenders OF the city can fght wi b more energy and
enthusiasm when they feel assured that the noble
women and children are out Of danger.
appeal to the patriotic non cOmbatants to leave
for the interior. The people of the interior towns
and the planters In the country will receive and
provide support for all who GO. The patriotic of
this city will the importance and necessity of
needing this CALL
Those who love this city and the glorious cause
In which we fight, will not hesitate 10 obey the calls
which patriotism makes. THos. II. WARTS,
Governor Of Alabama.
Mobile, Ala, Feb. IA, 1854.