Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-08
QDf'.lIt9r|'ap5if!.
OFFICIAL WAR BULLETIN.
Shcrmnn's Communications
tie near AltOOna-FOrrcst COrn-
cred-Pctersburg News Contra
band-Sheridan Still at HHarri-
sOnburg-Gen. Ewing's Retreat.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON, Oct. *
General Dir:


| In a recent dispatch it was mentioned
that Sherman was taking measures to pro-
tcct bis communications from rebels oper-
| ating against them. Dispatches received
last night show fulfllment of this ex-
pectation. -........f .-r... ..-. s.-.
Gen. Thomas was sent to Louisville to or
ganize the troops in his district, and drive
Forrest from our lines, while the attention
of Gen. Sherman was directed to the move
ments of the main rebel army in the vicini-
ty of Atlanta. On the 4th the rebels had
captured Big Shanty, but were followed
closely up by Sherman. On the 9th Sc
we're engagement was fought by our forces
under General French, in which the rebels
were driven from the field with heavy loss,
leaving their dead and wounded in our
hands. Details are given in the following,
from Gen. Thomas:
NASHVILLE, Oct. 6, 1l:3O P. NJ.
Hon. E. NJ. Stanton, Secretary of War:
The following telegram is just received
from Chattanooga:
Gen. Smith, who left here yesterday (5th),
telegraphs that the enemy retreated last
evening from Altoona, moving in the di-
rection of Dallas, leaving his dead and from
400 to 600 wounded in our hands. Our loss
was about 100 killed and 200 wounded.
The Resacca bridge will be repaired by
to- morrow, and the trains will be able to
run as tar as Altoona, going by way of
Cleveland and Dalton.
Nothing further has been heard from
Sherman since my dispatch Of yesterday !;
but the retreat of the enemy towards Dali
las indicates that he was close on to their
rear, near Altoona.
have not heard from General Rousseau
nF httf fl,xatr
pushing Forrest as rapidly as the condition
of the roads will admit We have had
heavy and continuous rains for the last few
days, rendering the roads and streams al
most impossible.
| have Just received the following from
Gen. Granger, dated Huntsville, Oct. 6, 10
p. NJ:
"The courier reported drowned while
crossing Elk river, is i'm. He lost the dis
patches while crossing the river. He re-
ports two rebels were captured yesterday,
who say they left Forrest at Lawrenceburg
the night before, crossing SOUTH"
General Morgah's advance was skirmish-
ing with the enemy this morning on Slave
creek, he being unable to cross ON account
of high water. He hopes to be able to cross
by tomorrow morning, when he will push
them still further on.
The Alabama railroad will be repaired
from here to Pulaski in one week.
GEO. III. THOMAS,
Major General.
Another unofficial dispatch reports as
| follows:
Telegraph repaired to Altoona to-day.
The action yesterday was severe. The reb-
ell General attacked with his division, 1000
strong, and suffered heavily, leaving his
killed and wounded in our hands to the
number of 1000, while we lost only 800. The
fight lasted six hours altogether. From
Florence we hear that Morgan has Forrest
cornered and has captured his transporta-
tion, and that the gunboats prevent all re-
treat across the Tennessee river.
Satisfactory reports of the operations in
progress before Richmond and Petersburg
have been received, but their details are not
at present proper for publication.
A dispatch from Gen. stevenson reports
that an officer of Gen. Sheridan's staff had
just arrived. Gen. Sheridan was still at
Harrisonburg. His supply trains were
going on all right, occasionally interrupted
by guerrillas, the only rebel force on the
road. This officer brought in the remains
of Lieut.. John r. Meigs, of the engineer
corps, the only son of Brevet Maj Gen
Meigs, @. NJ. G.. He was killed by BUSH
whackers last Monday, while making a mil
itary survey.
Gen. Rosecrans reports that Gen. Ewing
made good his retreat to Rolla, losing only
| few stragglers, and those killed and
wounded by the way, very few in number,
| From the number of wounded rebels, the
| enemy's loss will not fall much short OF
| 1000 hors du combat.
[Signedl E. NJ. STANTON,
-. Secretary of War,