, 1864-08-15


NASHVILLE. Aug. ., 1861.
The raid Of Gen. Stoneman, which left on
the same day with that Of Gen. McCook, has
been most unfortunate. It was directed to
60 In the direction Of Macon, and, If possi-
bic, destroy two bridges at and near that
place. It numbered but $50 men, all told,
and was consequently easIly turned back.
After having destroyed several locomotives
and some valuable machinery for making gun
caps, at ForsJthe, and destroying several
bridges along the railroad, the expedition was
met near Macon By force under Gen. I7er-
sop, and defeated.
Stoneman. attempted to retreat toward
Clinton but he was overtaken and captured
with half Of his command-the remainder Of
the men dispersing: The fuglttves, however.
will doubtless be picked up and Carried awIy
as prisoners;
am at loss to understand why General
sherman allowed SO Important an e1p6dI-
tfon to be undertaken BY so few men. With
5000 cavalry and mounted infantry, Macon,
with all Its important manufactures, would
have fallen q prey to the raiders who
leogeyille without the lishtest difficulty. The
expedition, as it was, was Just etfectiyly,
strong to render 1t daring, get at the same
time render 1t powerless- It consisted Of
Just men enough to get captured
Hood. Perhaps he is. Rebels say that 81, ,0Oo
men have left him and are now ut Atlanta.
But what if this be the case? Hood would
Lot then be stronger than when he assumed
command.
Il Lee is reinforcing Hood, the rebel policy
has been suddenly changed, and should not
be surprised. If such was the case, aud be-
lieve Gen. Sherman thinks It. for certain
movements now in progress. My reasons for
believing that the tide OF reinforcements
| is toward Georgia, are these:
l. Hoods army is so weak that 1t cannot
hold out, and with the capture of Atlanta
| ?. After the annihilatfon Of Hoods army,
men enough could be transferred to Grant to
| ceetroy Lee:
| s. If there is to be concentration Of all
The rebel forces into one body, that concen-
tration should manifes1lY be In the Cotton
exposed
I OUR CONCENTRATIONS.
Long as are our communications, they are
never moletted-an evidence that the rebel
cavalry Is In very bad condition When we
| reflect that Louisville ia the real base OF
| Shermau'e supplies, and that the place is jus:
| 40 miles from our front, it is indeed surpris.
| ing that no raids are made with view to in-
teiterIng with the railroad.
| Small guerrilla parties are inadequate to
tie task; and the fact that large cavalry
bodies are not sent on raids, evinces clearly
that they cannot be spared; iudeed they have
as much as they can do protecting the roa1s
they use no longer any railroads.&c. the
rear Of Hood,
| NAv16ABLE RIVERS.
Another hundred miles southwark will
| bring cur army to nayfgable rlyera, and eua-
| BILE US 10 lave o water base on the Gulf This
is highly important
| NOZZLE
The attack on Mobile is the ali absorbing
| topic DOW. Land fights hare almost ceased
| to p. ssees an interest; and little naval war
through rebel eourcee, is to the effect that
the bsy is under absolute control Of Admiral
| FHrragut; and that Commodore Buchanan's
| heet' has been nearly annIhilated, and the
Commodore himself taken prisoner.
| Mobile bay is from ) to Is 1oiles wide, and
| some - miles long; has Is feet of water, at
low tiuc, at the mouth, and s feet, at low
tide nt the city, 20 that 1t can be approached
at Hood, by our entire feet, and at an ebb.
by port3on'of it. All the sea defepsea nrc
now uEeleee, as II vessels haye passed them,
snd are Operating against the city, directly
stitute M defense, whateyer, for sea attacks.
think the place must fsll.
INDEPENDENT SCOTS.
4 number OF East Tennesseeans have or.
gabized themselves into Home Guards, to
hunt guerlllas, and hang them. They take
| 1o prisoners. To show how they carry on
the var one incident will snf1fce.
4 few weeks since some gueTillas mur
dered four women, near Athens, East Ten
neesee, and finally learning that the garr1
son of that to"n was absent on a scout, at.
i tackled it They murdered fifty men, and
then attacked tie Court House, held By con
vale. ents who Immediately baE1icaded them