The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-12-29

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road, quadrilateral, Of which Atlanta
Macon, Augusta and Savannah arc
the four corners. The railroad lead
ing cast from Atlanta to Augusta i,
destroyed for over seventy miles, in
Guiding bridges over the Yellow anc
contiguous rivers. The railroad run
ming south from Atlanta to Macon is
destroyed 'or eighty miles. The rail
road running cast from Macon to Sa
vahnah, is DESTROYED for a distance
estimated at from ninety to one hun.
dred miles. The railroad running be-
tween Augusta and Savannah is dcs.
troyed from Waynesboro to Savannah
u distance of over eighty miles. The
Gulf Railroad has been cut, and sher.
mans position, when last heard from
insurcs that he holds tho Charleston
and Savannah Railroad. ...
We learn that this wholesale worl;
Of destruction WAS carried on leisurely
and with an eye to completeness
Every rail was heated and bent every
tic, bridge, water tank, wood shed and
depot building burned, and every cul.
vert blown up, For miles on the Ma.
con and Savannah, and the Augusta
and Savannah Roads, the track is car,
ricd over marshy territory by cxtcn-
sive treste work. This is all burned
and will be very difficult to replace.
In all, Sherman has completely des-
! troycd nearly $50 miles OF railroad
track, and as he was nearly q month
in doing it, we may readily believe
that it is well done.
In addition to this, it must be re-
membered that Il gap of twenty miles
has existed in the road leading west
from Atlanta to Montgomery, since
Sherman's flank movement, leading
to the fall of Atlanta; that the rail
road running from Atlanta to Chatta.
nooga is utterly destroyed, including
two important bridges, from Atlanta
to Rcsacc@, distance of eighty-two
miles, and that we can take up the re-
maining fifty six miles whenever Gen
eraI Thomas deems it necessary.
This is the stupendous work accom-.
plished by General Sherman's cam.
paign in 1864 and we hope to add
something TO it before the close of the
year.
HOW THE ARMY LIVED.
We have the assurance that the
army has Jared sumptuously off the
country, abundantsupplies heing found
on every plantation. Every day de-
tails for toraging were made from each
regiment, who sailed forth, generally
rcturningin vehicle or on horseback,
laden with poultry, sweet potatoes,
corn, bread, bacon, honey, and many
ct ceteraS. More cattle, sheep and hogs
were driven in than could be used
In such event, like old buffalo hunters,
they appropriated only the tongues
and tcndcr-loins. Superhuous horses,
or those that became temporarily dis
abled, were shot. This is war nc
cording to Sherman. .
From our own train issues of coffee
and hard bread were made, but seldom
anything else.
CONDITION OF ROADS.
The roads were generally in good
travelling order, and not seriously OBJ
structcd. In the march down from
MiiIen the army moved with more
difficulty, owing to the swampy nature
Of the country. Their march, how
ever, was unopposcd, and their pro-
gress was little impedcd.
THE WEATHER
Was fine throughout. Some rain fell
not enough to injurc the roads for
military movements.
ONE DAYS REST IN SVEN.
Sherman rested his army from
marching on Sundays, though in other
labor it was rather more active on that
day than any other, The average
distance marched per day was ten
miles.
REBEL PRISONERS.
Up to reaching Savannah our army
had collected about 1000 rebel pris-
oners, who were brought along.
NEGROES.
The scouts estimate the number OF
negroes coming along at G,0O0, prin-
cipally men. 1t is certain that the
number is very large Many of them
are mounted, the better to bring along
the superGuous horses.
THE GREAT RESULT.
IF Sherman passes Savannah and
comes to the coast for supplies, his
hardest blows will have been simply
1t is not now, perhaps, |
that the tremendous injury he has
done the rebel cause, is apparent
True, he has abaudor cd Atlanta-that
is, he has refused TO hold point which |
had ceased to have any military sgni-
ficancc, The rebel armies, supplied |
as they are by tithes collected over
vast extent Of territory, and with the
assistance of great lines of railroads,
are peculiarly vulnerable in their com
We cut the railroads Of
Atlanta. and the city dropped like a
wilted pear
The railroads leading from Atlanta
being already badly cut, it only re,
manned to burn the manufactures and
foundries to divost the place of the
slightest military significance. We
have tho evidence of the enemy that
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