The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-12-30

shrieked from Richmond, "Georgians, be
firm and resolute." The Georgia dele.
CATION in the rebel Congress shrieked,
. Destroy the invader"
Gov. Brown of Georgia promulgated
half a dozen proclamations, conscriptine
the population OF the State en- masse, anc
then packed up his traps and left NIilledge-
Vile, with load Of cabbages for Macon,
leaving, the rebel papers said, three thous-
and stand Of arms for Sherman's able
bodied black recruits, "Obstruct roads "
g Fell trees.' s. Destroy bridges" g Burn
forage" g Remove supplies" Fall up
on his rear, his flank, his front .''-shout-
ed everybody. But nobody did There
were still a tew-a very few-journals
which did not join in the common appre-
hension: but ere a week had passed from
the tima of the evacuation of Atlanta.
they joined in the general outcry, and
shouted by far the loudest. Among these
papers were those published in Savannah.
1t is only necessary to follow Sherman's
course, to note the precision with which
he moved. the width of country which he
covered. and the directness of his march
upon his objective point, to realize the
lmpotency of all the shriells, invocationS
and proclamations that only spoiled 50
much valuable paper in the Confederacy.
The March to MiIledgeviIle.
If our readers will take a county map
of Georgia, (Colton's small pocket size
and trace the movements of Sherman
columns as we shall define them, they will
see at a glance that Sherman passed
through the most densely populated, the
most fertile, and, in all respects, the rich
est part of Georgia. Georgia is topo-
graphically divided into three general fea-
lures, so far as her surface is concerned.
The Northern part, comprising about one
fifth OF the territory of the State, is
mountainous, rough and thinly populated,
growing the cereals, furnishing minerals.
but producing little cotton. The central
section Is a belt of rich upland country,
open and well watered. comprising about
twO-itths of the territorial surface of the
State, and produces corn, wheat and cot
ton abmdantly. The southern portion OF
the Stale, comprising the remaining two
tiith> of its surface, is mostly low, san
dy country. densely timbered with pine
forests. >parsely settled. and divided into
large plantations. devoted mainly to the
production of cotton, with some corn and
rice. Sweet potatoes are indigenous to
the whole State.
The Heart of Georgia.
1t was through the central and richest
part of Georgia that Sherman directed his
march. Through it runs two railroads.
the only lines traversing the State of
Georgia, and forming the chief link of
railway connection between Virginia and
the States of Alabama and Mississippi,
now the southwestern limit of the so call
ed Confedcracy. One Of these railroads
is the Georgia Central, running from Sa-
vannah to Macon. 100 miles, thence TO
Atlanta, by the Macon and Western Rail
road 1ol miles. making the total distance
from Savannah to Atlanta by railroad POI
miles. The other is the Georgia railroad,
running from Augusta to Atlanta, at from
10 TO 60 miles north of the Georgia Cen
tral Railroad. and making the distance TO
Atlanta, from Augusta, III miles. AT
Millen, on the Georgia Central road, -
miles north of Savannah, is the junction
of a branch road called the Waynesboro'
Railroad, which connects with Augusta,
33 miles distant. and makes the difference
by raul from Savannah to Augusta, 132
miles
The Strategy on the Start.
The plan Of Gen. Sherman's march
contemplated the covering of these two
lines of railroad, their consequent destruc-
ton and concentration of his forces at
or beyond Milledgeville. With llpat-
rick's cavalry force well disposed in front
and vigilantly covering each flank, the
movement and route Of his infantry col
lmns were SO well masked thai, from first
to last, the enemy We're in total ignorance
of the position Of his main body, and only
discovered the track of his infantry, col.
umnS after they had left their vigilant foe:
many miles in the rear This was mos
torcibly demonstrated by the admirabl,
strategy with which Sherman demonstrate
ed against Macon, shutting up Cobb's mi
litia-the only force contesting his marcl
in the fortifications of that city, threat
ening it by a strong cavalry force, while
his main body moved on and left the re
doubtablc Cobb and his command in hi
rear.
The Movement of the Right Wing.
The right wing moved directly soutl
from Atlanta. which is in Fulton County
10 Rough and Ready and JohnSboro' sta
tions. on the Macon and Western Rail
road, in Fayette County. On Nov. II
one column of the right wing passe'
through Jonesboro', 26 miles south Of AT
lanta, Wheeler's cavalry and Cobbs mill
tia retiring upon Griffin. Another col
tmn of the right wing occupied McDo
noueh, Nov II, the county seat Of Henr
County, some distance east of Jonesboro'
and about 80 miles southeast of Atlanta
On the 10th, Wheeler engaged our caval
ry at Bear Greek station, ten miles mort
of Griffin, and telegraphed Gen Harde
that he had ''checked the Yankee ad
vance" The very same evening, at
;! o.oIocL his roUUpd troonarS foil hoe