The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-23

sHERMAN's GRAND CAMPAIGN.
From Atlanta to Savannah.

From Atlanta to Savannah. Ss'd
The most daring act Of modern times 10 the
successful march of Sherman's grand army
through the heart Of the enemy's country.
1t will hand his name down to posterity as one
of the greatest commanders in the worlds his
tory. We cannot do more acceptable ser
vice for our readers than to lay before them
the following review of his grand campaign,
condensed from the special correspondent OF
the New York Times: Et&ff
ARRANGEMENT OF THE FORCES
At Atlanta, prior to Nov. 18th, Gen. Sher-
mans army was provisiened, the marching Or
ders issued, and the army divided into two
wings, as follows: The left wing under Maj.
Gen. H.. w. Slocum, composed OF the 14th
Corps, Brevet Major Gen. JEFF. @. Davis, and
the 2O.h Corps, temporarily commanded by
Brevet Major Gen. Williams the right wing,
the army of the Tennessee, under Major Gen.
o. o. Howard, composed of the 18th Corps,
Major Gen. Osterhaus, and the 18th Corps,
Major Gen. Frank P. Blair. A cavalry corps,
under the sdashing Fitzpatrick, also formed a
leading part OF the force. - re y "a =
r THE MARCHING ORDERS. 80 80 u
The marching orders provided that each
corps should move BY different roads, as near
ly parallel as possible, converging at points to |
be subsequently indicated. The orders also |
provided that each column should start habit 1
unlly at z A. NJ. each day, and make an aver
age march Of Is miles per day, ''unless other
> uise fred in orders" Foraging ON the coun-
try was provided for by the Organization Of a
regular ioraging party for each brigade, and,
Commanders were instructed to keep la their
wagons, at least ten days supply OF proyis-
ions, and three days forage. Another para
graph OF the marching orders entrusted to 4
corps commanders the destruction of mills,
houses, cotton gins, dc. 1t was further provi-I
ded that in districts and neighborhoods where Z
the army was unmoested, there should be no
destruction of property, but where the roads
were obstructed, bridges burned, or the army 4
annoyed by bushwhackers and guerrillas, 4
corps commanders were instructed to force
degree of devastation more or less retent-
less. according to the measure of such hos 1
tility" $3.50 sgna f5s sss s'ar saie1 sa 81
COMMENCEMENT OF THE MARCH. s4d
On the 18th of November the right wing,
under Gen. Howard, moved out from Atlanta
and began its march. On the 14th the left
wing, under Gen. Slocum, took up its route,
and on thai day Gen. Sherman and staff, with
strong body guard, bad adieu to the strong
hold be had conquered and reduced, and took
the road leading to Macon. The fortihca-
tions of Atlanta had been completely sisman
tied and destroyed. The public buildings,
railroad depots, &C., were destroyed. No pri-
vate dwellings, were Intentionally destroyed.
Some had been ruined by military occupation,a
and few were unavoidably destroyed by the
communication of the flames from buildings
necessarily burned.ia s.a. 1o-iia s.eqda sfsl
HOW THE REBELS VIEWED THE CAMPAIGN.
The first news Of the movement of Sher.
man received by the rebels came from North
ern paper, but for some time the report was
4 ttu4a - and ao l,nl
press insisted that, if Sherman had evacuated
Atlanta.it it was to make his way Horthward to
defend Nashville, and the cities on the Missis-
sippi from the threatend attack of Hood
Gov. Brown of Georgia promulgated half al
dozen proclamations, conscripting the popula-s
tion Of the State en- mdsse, and then packed
up his traps and left Milledgevile with a load !
OF cabbages for Macon, leaving, the rebel pa
pers said, three thousand stand OF arms for
Eherman's able bodied black recruits. "Ob-
etruct roadso "Fell treesw "Burn forage n,
EDestroy bridgesp Remove supplies p "Fdl
upon his rear-his fank-his front ?'-shout-
I'd everybody. But nobody did There were
q few, a very few-journals which did not join
in the common apprehension; but ere week
had passed from the time of the evacuation of
Atlanta, they joined in the general outcry and
shouted by far the loudest. Among these pa
pers were those published in Savannah. %
Los THE HEART OF GEORGIA. s9slJ e'
II was through the central and richest part
0k Georgia that Sherman directed his march.
Through it run two railroads, the only lines
trayersing the State of Georgia, and forming
the Chief link OF railway communication be-
tween Virginia and the States of Alabama
and Mississippi, now the southwestern limit
of the so-called Confederacy. One OF these
railroads is the Georgia Central, running from
Savannah to Macon, 100 miles, thence 10 At
lanta, by the Macon and Western railroad l0l
miles, making the total distance from Sayan-
nah to Atlanta by railroad 29l miles, The
other is the Georgia railroad, running from
Augusta to Atlanta, at from 40 TO go miles
north of the Georgia Central railroad, and
making the distance to Atlsnta, from Angus
Ia I'll miles. At Millen, on the Georgia Cen
tral road, 76 miles north of Savannah, Is the
junction OF branch road called the Waynes
boro' railroad, which connects with Augusta,
63 miles distant, and makes the difference by
rail rom Savannah to Augustn, 1872 miles.
THE STRATEGY ON THE START. . 4
The plan OF Gen. Sherman's march coutem-
plated the covering OF these two lines OF rail-
road. their consequent destruction and con-
centration of his forces at or beyond MilleG
QeviIe. With Kilpatrick's cavalry force well
disposed ia front and vigilantly covering each
flank, the movement and route OF ms infantry
columns were so well masked that, from first
tolast, the enemy were in total ignorance Of
the position of his main body, and only dis
covered the track of his infantry columns al
ter they had left their vigilant foes many miles
In the rear ssqsA4 2aa's Aas
THE MOVEMENT OF THE RIGHT WING:
The right wing moved directly south from
Atlanta which is in Fulton County, to Rough
and Ready and Jonesboro' stations, on the
Macon and Western railroad, in Fayett Coun-
ky., Nov 10Th one column OF the right wing
passed through Jonesboro' 20 miles south OF
Atlanta, Wheeler's cavalry and Cobb's militia
retiring upon Griffin. Another column OF the
right wing occupied cDonough, Nov. II, the
country seat of Henry County, some distance
east of Jonesboro and about 35 miles south
east Of Atlanta. On the 10th, Wheeler en-
gagged our cavalry at Bear Greek station, ten
miles north of Griffin, and teiegraphed Gen.
Hardee that he had Checked the Yankee ad-
vance" The very same evening, at O'Clock,
his ragged troopers fell back through Griffin,
In the direction OF Barnesville, where Cobbs
militia had preceded him. Our cavalry occu-
pied Griffin, whiehis the county seat of Spald-
ing County, on the 17th, and on the 18th drove
Wheeler out of Barnesville, in Pike County
and through Forsyth, the county seat of Mon
roe County, 10 miles south Of Atlanta, and %
miles north west of Macon. va, as5g, ~, f.,.t.
THEgcRossING OF THE ocMULGEE.
This crossing of the Ocmulgee was uncon-
tested 1t was the first Indication that Sher.
man would pass by Macon, which Is in Bib
county, without an effort to take It. The
feint was admirably made by our cavalry
which pressed the rebel force hotly from For
Bvth, and then veeriDg around TO the east o.
kT..~n offaokad force Ofr rohola at A DOinl