Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-12-09

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Yates Jno. J. Merrill, IT Pennsylvania;
III. A.. Scott, ID Wisconsin c. f. Pot
ter, 18th Connecticut. -. - .
They escaped from different prisons,
at different times, and have been from
one to two months on the road, travel
ing nights through the swamps, thickets
and mountains Of Carolina and Georgia.
NEW York, Dec. 5.-From the Rich
mond Dispatch, of Dec. 2d, we CLEAN the
following: 5A' 'nA7!.l' -ati s.-
LA cavalry fight, in which we We're
on Tuesday. The Yankee cavalry un-
der Fitzpatrick was attempting to cross
the Savannah river, when they were
attacked by Wheeler, and, after an OBJ
stinate fight, driven back in the direc-
ton of Millen, losing very heavily.
. The Richmond Dispatch, of the I'd,
says: Sherman's main army is moving
towards the coast. A battle is expected.
q, From the Richmond Whig of the I'd it
does not seem that our authorities have
any suspicion of the effect the movement
|of Hood would have. At least we judge
SO from the very feeble opposition which
has thus far been made to the advance
of Sherman. 1t is plain that he is NOV
ing to the coast, and that he has been
enabled to live upon the country. We
think that Sherman will reach the At
lantic comparatively safely. His next
move will be by sea to Richmond
We do not believe he can succeed in ta-
king either Augusta or Savannah. In
deed, should he succeed in capturing
the first named place, it will do him mo-
good, since he will find nothing he was
seeking At the last named place he
has to fight, and that he is very we'll
aware of. and does not wish to do SO be-
fore securing base upon the sea coast.
Charleston, for the present, at least, we
think to be entirely out of the question.
Should he determine to secure himself
on the sea and thence issue during the
winter to ravage the country or carry on
a regular water campaign, he must be.
kept in, as we suppose he can. In the
meantime ne abandOns an immense
tract of country in the interior, and
which it is impossible that his army,
situated on the ocean, and closely
watched, can exercise any influence for,
good or evil. Z. tf.f.t4. 5.5.gt.- =
We do not see that Sherman's last e2-
ploits will have any effect upon the is-
sue of the war, but after having been
told by the highest authorities in the
Confederacy that his retreat from Atlan-
ia was to be more disastrous than the re-
treat Of Napoleon from Moscow, it is a
little vexatious to find him getting off
SO cheaply, burning and numbering as
he goes. a.y4s.s'I ta sAr,sr, t.4..t..
From the Richmond Dispatch, of the
I'd, we learn that 700 0Oprisoners have been
or A xyl1O q Y1fl II rod
while foraging for Shernlan's army.
The Governor has pardoned all the
convicts in the penitentiary, put arms
in their hands and sent them to the
front, except those put in for life, whom
he could not reprieve according to law.
Heavy cannOnading was heard all yes
ter.lay afternoon in the direction OF Ma
con. It is believed to be a battle between
Sherman and our forces. ...... -.
n letter in the Augusta Chronicle, from
a member Of the Georgia Legislature,
gives his experience in escaping from
Sherman's arInv-he and others having
been taken across the country-shows
tie extent of the devastation inflicted
upon the country. He says: Going
to Mctreddle's place we found his fine
house in ashes and his gin-house burn
ed, ard every horse and mule gone. In
his lot We're about 100 cattle lying dead.
They looked like good stock, and were
evide.tly killed to deprive the planters
Of them. Y ~ a. 'ii'
:. Proceeding on we found every PLAN
tation on the road similarly desolated,
except that no othertdweiling houses
were burned, until we reached the fine
farm of Mr.. Joshua Hill. This is per-
feet wreck" H .-. H,
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The Repat6ti
can of this city, in an extra, publishes
the following: By arrival of a govern
ment transport at Ft. Monroe last even
ing, the government has received advices
from Sherman to the I'd of December
When the steamer left, information had
reached Savannah that Sherman's adj
that city. This does not conflict with
the news brought by the steamer Belle,
which arrived Saturday night, that
Savannah papers announced that Sher-
mans army was within forty miles of
that city. Those papers do not state
what date he was that distance from the
city. ~.
An agent from Savannah informs us
that there are no important defences on
the west side of Savannah. $3.50
BALTIMORE, Dec. 5.-The AmericM,
has the following special correspondence:
Advices from Fort Monroe of last even
ing report the arrival there of the steam
er General Lyon, with $50 released
prisoners. At the time the Gen. Lyon
left Savannah, last Thursday night, the
latest news received there was to the
effect that Sherman's forces occupied
Millen, Ga, and that his cavalry was
scouting several miles out from town
with but little resistance. Every effort
will be made for the defense of Savan-
nah. Our prisoners report that boys Is
years old were in the trenches and earth
works. Sherman is slowly but surely
advancing to the coast, and no doubt Of
his success need be entertained.
New YORK, Dec. 5.-By order of Gen.
Dix, commanding, go natives of South
ern States, now residents here, were
arrested yesterday, supposed to have
some knowledgeOf the recent incendiary
plot. Some, after examination, were re-
leased, but the majority were detained.
Beauregard has telegraphed to Rich
mond that the Union forces reached
Decatur on the 10Th, after burning large
storehouses filled with provisions. His
forces rescued from the burning build
ings Is pontoon boats, and afterwards
pressed the enemy closely. 8 s0i@a -
Further details OF Gen. Gregg's raid
south o., Petersburg show it to have
been one of the most important OF the
campaign. The distance marched in
going and coming is 40 miles.
Richmond papers discredit the report
that Grant is crossing men from the
south to the north side, and say it is
not on his right, bt on his left that
Grant meditates an early engagement.
There is some important mOvementin
the vicinity of Dutch Gap Canal, by the
monitors. This is suppressed by Rich
mohd papers.