The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-12-17
ACCOUNTS FROM THE SOUTH.

Our Southern exchanges give us some
accounts OF tho progress of the war in
that portion of the Confederaoy. The
Charleston Courier contains the particu.
lars of the fight at Coosawatchie. 1t
says:
1.-The enemy, on Friday afternoon,
made an attack on our lines at COosa-
| watchie, and were again badly repulsed.
The fight took place between the Till
finny trestlework and the Coosawatchie
bridge The heaviest fighting was be-
tween the enemy's troops, consisting OF
brigade Of infantry and artillery, esti
mated at about three thousand, COM
manded by General Hatch, and the Geor-
gia troops, under the command of General
l.. II. Gartrell, on our right, resting on
Tilifinny creek The enemy attempted
to gain possession of the Tilifinny cut
and trestlewoIk, an important position
commanding the line of railroad at Coo
sawatchie. Our troops, on the enemy's
approach, gave cheer, and before they
could come up, chargedthem with great
gallantry. The fight lasted about two
hours and a half, the enemy being finally
driven back to their entertainments
The enemy's loss is said to have been
very heavy, while ours will not exceed
| one hundred killed and wounded. Gen
eral Gartrell was painfully wounded by
| a fragment Of shell in the arm and side.
"From prisoners taken in this fight, as
well as from some of our own men who
were captured and afterwards escaped,
we learn that the enemy estimate their
loss in last Thursdays engagement at
between seven and eight hundred killed
| and wounded. Our loss in this action
was seven killed and fifty wounded.
"The enemy have evacuated Boyd's
landing and established their base at
Bees creek, from which there is direct
road to the Coosawatchie railroad bridge.
Their gunboats in Bees creek command
the battery in their present position, near
the railroad. A dispatch from Major
General Jones, received last evening, re-
ports all quiet at Coosawatchie and Poca-
taligo.
."Of Sherman's movements we hear
plenty of rumors. Our latest and most
reliable intelligence states that he is
moving cautiously towards the coast, be
low Savannah, probably for Genesis
Point. Fighting was reported on Satur-
| day at Monteith, about ten miles from
Savannah. The Savannah railroad was
| reported torn up from the former point
to the junction of the Central and Savan
nah railroad. A day or two will develop
| Sherman'S Intentions"
General Beauregard returned tt
| Charleston from short visit to Savan
nah on Sunday. He went up the river
to the vicinity of the railroad bridge, and
ran the gauntlet of the batteries which
command the road, on the special train
| which had awaited his arrival, and
| which was the last that has left Hardee
| vile.
A letter from the city marshal Of At
| lanta, who has returned to that city
| gives an account of what the Yankees
and others -have- dome to that inniastla
nate city. 1t says:
L EIOLl tllS OSHt litiOi Cdii Sct
there have been from fifty to three hun
| dred wagons per day in Atlanta, since
the Federals left hauling off iron, furni
ture, wagons, window blinds, door locks
books, lumber, etc, amounting to abou
fifteen hundred wagon loads. They
came from fifty 10 one hundred miles il
| every direction. They broke open all
the houses that were left, including the
churches in which the exiles' furniture
was stored, and plundered indiscrimi
| nately.
"Wesley Chapel and Trinity, the First
| and Second Baptist, First and Second
Presby terian and Catholic Churches are
| standing. The First Episcopal Church
is standing, but badly damaged. The
Yankees used it, have been told, for q
ten-pin alley.
Every depot, railroad turn table, wa
ter tank, pump, cross-tie, bridge, black
smith shop Except one), and all the mills
are burned. think more than two thirds
OF. all the residences in the city are de
stroyed but can give but faint idea
of the destruction.
"The cemetery fence is all destroyed
Il
The Yankees have buried their dead al
over the city, and have taken the fence
from around the cemetery to build some
separate lots for themselves They have
put their dead into private vaults, and
have stolen tombstones from Mr.. Oat
mans marble yard to put at their heads.
They have taken the moss and shrubbery
from other graves to cover the graves o
their dead, and have robbed our dead In
the vaults Of the silver coffin plates tC
make finger rings.
1--WE had an election for Mayor ant
Council to-day. James M. Calhoun ane
DIR. j. f. Alexander were candidates fol
Mayor, and we had pretty good ticke
| for Aldermen. One hundred and fifteer
votes were polled. Calhoun received ter