Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-12-29

Il
early days Of the campaign His column now acts as
ourain upon the extremes left through which tho enemy
may in vain attempt TO penetrate lie has yet gander
in view LII hesucceeds his name will not only stand
at the head of our great cavalry Generals but 1t will be
uttered with the prayers apd blessings OF the wives and
children of the prisoners whom he may berate at Mlen
which s the point he for and where have been inoar-
cerated many thousands Of brave comrades Kipa-
trick started tue day that our army LEFT Miedge
vs the th Instant have not mentioned the fact be-
fore IN this diary for fear that it might in the casualties
war; get the hands the rebels and interfere with
| the movement. Heaven prosper IL, say l.
BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY.
All day long the army has been moving through magnih
cent pine woodsthe savannahs of the South they are
termed have SEEN and cant conceive q more
picturesque sight than the army winding along through
these grand old woods The pines naked OF branches
eighty and ninety feet and then crowned with turf
of pure green The trees wide apart so that ire
queny two trains OF wagons and troops double column
marching abreast In the distance may be seen
troop OF horsenen, generals his staf turning
VIII TO flags contrasting harmoniousy with the bright vel
low grass underneath and the deep evergreen war mas
its and its pleasures aud nothng could be more
delightful there be beautiful subjects for the
artists pencil than thousand sights which have met my
for days past and hch never seen outside the
| army sT#7
THE NEGROES.
The most pathetic scenes upon line Of march
daily and hourly Thousands of negro women join the
column carrying household truck others, and many
Of them there are who bear the heavy burden OF children
Sides All these women and children are ordered back
heartrendng though it may be to refuse them liberty
They won't CO. One bgs that she may go TO see her hur
band and children at Savannah Long years she was
forced from them and sold Another has heard that her
boy Macon and she is done gone with grief goin
four years. They cannot be made to understand that
they must remain behind and they satisfied only when
Gen. Sherman tells themas he does every day-hat we
shall back for them time, and that they must
BIS patient until the proper hour of deverance comes
THE POLICY OF SHERMAN.
Station Of Georga Central Railroad, Non. 30--With
the exception of the Fifteenth Corps army is across
the Ogsechee ard without fighting battle This river is
line of great strength to the rebels and they might have
made its passage costly effort for but they have been
outwitted aud out-maDGuvered l am more convinced
than that if Gen Sherman intends taking his army to
the seaboard is evidently his policy to avoid battle, or
any which will delay him in the establishment OF
base of operations and supplies if he is able to esab
sh this base, and at the same time destroy all the
lines Of commune alton from the rebel armies with the
great cties that they will be much isolated as II
those stropghods in hands, he will have accom-
pished the greatest strategic victory in the war and oil
i the welcome because bcodless. Macon, augusta,
Savannah Charleston OF special value TO u.s. ex
cept that either of the latter may be useful rs base
of supplies One and all of them of the most vital i'm
portance the rebels the from through which
they daw their sores of ammunition aud the largest part
| OF their supplies.
| FITZPATRICK AT MILEN.
We have heard TO day from Fitzpatrick and from Milen
Fitzpatrick made splendid march fighting Wheeler all the
way Waynesboro destroying the railroad bridge
| BTlar creek, between Augusta ana en- Is WIFI
real grief that write be unable to accomplish the
lease Of prisoners 1t appears that for some time past
the rebels have been removing our soldiers from Men
the officers have been sent to Columbia, Is and the
prvates further SOUTH somewhere the Gulf railroad
| PASSAGE, OF THE ooEEGHEH-A sGEoRoIS Fpes
We have very little difficulty crossing the Cgee.
chez The Twentieth Corps moved down the rairoa u
destroying it to the bridge The Seventeenth Corps COW
cred the at this point where light bridge was Only
partially destroyed Ii easily repaired that the in
anry and cavalry could pass over while the wagons and
artillery used the pontoous The Ogeechee ia about sixty
yards width this point 1t approached on the north
ern or western side through swamps which would be I'M
passabs it not for the sandy soil which packs solid
when the the roads, although in places there
treacherous qucksands which we are Obliged TO cor
duroy. ."m I,
| This evening walked down to the river. novel and
vivid sight il to tho fires Of pitch pine harlDg up
into the mist darkness the figures Of and horses
looming out of the dense shadows In gigantic proportions
Torchehs are blinking and Aashng away of 10 the forests
while the sI air echoed and re-ecOoed with the CRIES OF
transfers and the wild shouts Of the soldiers long line
of the troops ched the foot bridge each soldier
bearing torch their light reflected in quiverlng lines in
the swift running stream Coon the fog winch settles IKE
blanket over the swamps and forests OF the bot
TONS shut down upon the scene and 40 dense aud dark
was it that torches of but little USE and
| directed here and there by tie voice jim, are you
| answer. "Wel, then go straight ahead" "Straght
ahead where in thunder is straight shead1'
| THE ADVANCE TOWARDS SAVANNAH,
| ScayJoyo' December 3.--Pvoed upon Mlen the army
has swung slowly round from It's eastern course ana Ia
now moving in ak columns upon parallel roads southward
Until yesterday it impossible for the rebels to decide
whether or not it Gen Shermans intention to march
upon Augusta. Fitzpatrick had destroyed the bridge
above alnesboro and falling back had again advanced
supported by the Fourteenth Army Corps, uDder General
Davis South of this column, moving eastward through
| Brdsvle was the Twentieth Corps commanded by Gen.
slucum Yet further south the Seventeenth Corps Cen
Blair in commsni followed the railroad destroying IL as he
advanced. West and south OF the Ogechee the Fifteenth
Corps Gen Osterhsus in immediate command, but under
| tho eye Of Gen Howard, has moved in two columns.
| Until now Davis Gni Fitzpatrick have been cover aud
shield 10 the real movements. AT time has il been
possible for Hardee to nterPose shy serious obstacle to
the advance of tho main body Of army, for our left
wing has always been strong arm thrust out in advance
ready to put in chsncery any force which might attempt
get within It's guard.
| The repel councils Of appear to have been
petey deceived for hear reported that Bragg and
Longstreet al Augusta with ten thousand men made
up of ma, two three South Carolina regiments, and
portion Of Hamptons Legion sent there for month
1t s possible now that the curtain has been withdrawn
and it may appear that marching straight for
Savannah their Generals, with their ten thousand may
attempt hsrass rear but they accomplish
thing but the loss Of few lives, without checking
progress. e.
4 be work admirably performed by our LEFT wing,
far obliged the rebels incur font constantly to rerest
by threatening their rear becCmes the Office Of the
Fifteenth Corps, right wing the right bank of the
river Is two columns moving days march ia ad-
vance Of the mau BODY OF the army marchGg down the
peninsula between the Savannah and Ogechee The
necessity and vane Of these flank movements fret of the
right wing with KilpatrckB civalry then Of Davis and
Fitzpatrick the left, and Of Howard night,
because cannot and demolsh any and all the