The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-09

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Interesting Details Of the March.
Devastation Of the COuntry...E
II Reported Near Savannah.
Rebels Claim he was Repulse.
on the OcOnee...They Acknowl
edge he Will Reach the Coast.
Force from Beaufort Repulsed.
New YORK, Dec. 4.-The Herald
Washington special says that goverumen
officials are unusually jubilant over new.
from Sherman. The government ha,
means, independent of the Richmond pa
pers and more reliable, of obtaining infor
nation from Sherman. 1t is confidentl,
believed that Sherman has not only baffiei
the rebel generals, but has so far advanced
without serious interruption as to leave NJ
doubt Of bis triumphant success.
New YORK, Dec. 4.-Savannah and 9TH
er Georgia papers of the 9th ult., and
Richmond papers of the LIST inst. are re.
ceived, from which the following summary
is digested.
1t appears that an attack was made on
East Macon on Sunday the goth, the reb.
els losing battery, which they subse-
quently recovered, with a small loss on
both sides. The attack was expected to
be renewed on the 2lst, but it was not, so
the rebels came to the conclusion that the
movement on Sunday was feint. 1t
probably made by q small force of Slo-
cum corps, as the Augusta Constitution
aIiSt of the Oath says Shermans entire
corps went over to the west side of Geo.
nee River previous to the night of the 22d,
indicating the intention to pass by Angus
ia, between that place and Macon, for the
sea between Savannah and Brunswick.
At least we judge so from the very feeble
opposition which has thus far been made
to the advance Of Sherman.
1t is plain that he is moving to the sea
coast and that thus far he has been ena-
bled to live upon the country.
We think it probable that Sherman will
reach the coast in safety and his next
movement will, in our opinion, be by
sea to Richmond. We do not believe he
can succeed in taking Augusta or Savan
nah. Indeed should he succeed in CAP
turing the first named place it will do him
no good, since be will find nothing there
he his seeking for. At the last named
place he will have to fight. He is very
well aware OF this and does not wish to do
so before securing base upon the sea
coast. For the present at least we think
it to he entirely out of the question.
Should he determine to secure himself on
the sea coast, thence to issue during the
winter to ravage the country or carry on
any regular winter campaign, he will be
obliged to abandon an immense tract of
country in the interior over which it is i'm
possible that his army situated on the
ocean and closely watched can exercise
any influence for good or evil.
We do not see that Sherman's last ex-
plOits will have any effect upon the issue
of the war, but after being told by the
highest authority in the Confederacy that
his retreat from Atlanta was to be more
disastrous than the recall of Napoleon from
Moscow, it is little strange to find him
getting off so cheaply, burning and MUIR
dering as he goes.
From the Richmond Dispatch We learn
that seven hundred prisoners have been
received at Augusta, who were captured
while foraging for Sherman's army. The
Governor has pardoned all the convicts in
the penitentiary, put arms in their hands
and sent them to the front, except those
in for life, whom he could not reprieye ac-
cording to law
Heavy cannonading was heard all yes
terday in the direction of Macon, believed
to be battle between Sherman and cur
forces
Gov. Brown was in Macon, to which
place he had removed all the valuables
from Milledgeville.
The ConsHtutiOnoIiSt states that the
rebel cavalry are burning barns, corn cribs
and everything else that may be of use to
Sherman, in front of his main army, on the
Ocmulgee River.
The Savannah Republican of the oath
and 18th contains dispatches stating that
on the oath there was fighting al day at
Oconee bridge, which was held by the
rebels in the evening
The Federals had turned their guns in
the opposite direction on the other side of
the river, Indicating an attack in the rear
Wheeler was said to be crossing eigh-
teen miles below the bridge, to aid in its
defence.
Another dispatch states that the Fed
erals had flanked Gen. Wayne at the Geo.
nee bridge of the Central road, compelling
him to retreat; and that the Federals had
also crossed at Balls Ferry, four miles be-
low the bridge.
A later dispatch from Augusta, dated
the 23d, to Gen. Hardee, at Savannah,
states that the enemy had been driven
back across the Oconee River, and Gen
Wayne has returned to the bridge
The Augusta Constitmionalis of the
Oath says appnehensiens prevailed there on
the 23d, in consequence of indications O.
the passage of the Oconee near Milledg-
vile by the enemy, who were reported to
be advancing in the direction of AUGUSTA.
Savannah and Augusta papers of the
26th state that the forces that captured
Milledgeville remained there till the even
ing of the Oath, having burned the State
house, Browns Hotel, and the penitentla-
ry, and captured small quantity of am
munition.
The main body of She1mans army wss
reported on the Oath t. te thirteen miles
west of Sandersville, coming towards Sa.
vannah, and rapidly spreading devastation.
The Richmond Wig of the 1st instant
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