Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-24

vile, aud distant from il about eighty ye mles 30 thai
the whole distance the FIRST column would travel would be
one hundred and ninety miles, the chief places en- route
6esides those mentioned being JoIesboro. Fayse Griffin
Forsyth Gordon, Whiting, and SPARTA It should be
msmbered however, that this column Is most likely to
meet with very serious opposition for besides the troops
nan could oil be sent by rail to Macon before Sherman
could hope to reach it, This 10 reason why we think
the cincinnati Iimes correspondent may be mistaken,
and that Sherman has not divided bis army The second
column marchipg along the Augusta road would have
about ono hundred and fifty miles to CO. which could be
made in from ten to fifteen days Augusta lies almostdue
east from Atlanta and the following Important places are
On the route commencing from AtlaoH: Decaur Covpg
ton kutledge, Madison Groenhoro, Union Point Craw
fordsvils. Thomson. DsariDs, Bersea. and Bella.r"
Another Journal 10 speculatng on this moVsmsnl says
The cosarg from Augusta TO Charsston ia barren of
produce TO sustain an army. and this Sherman well klows
40 ne was Tor two three years stationed Charles
ton, when he lieutenant, before the war The val
ley OF the Savannah would afford rice and corn il
would take time to gather them and assuming that
sherman were to make that town temporary bass, be
would not be prepared to move toward the coast 10 less
than from two to four weeks with sufficient ratons for hs
army. Mennwhe Lee might, and no doubt would . at.
tempt some opposition but there 10 no bslisve
10 sufficient force to serious embarrassment to
Sherman's cperations He certainly understands tho
ground before him. and may we'll feel conf dence In tho
achievement of his purpose, be it what it msY.". M
The Cincinnati Gazette taks very hopefully Of sher-
mans chances for success. 1t ssys.yy as8 s1s. sa
There will be army in front of him. and the Geor.
gin militia will be utterly inefficient in obstructjng hs pro
gress Hood is poweres Lee has no men to spare and
II he had it would take large army encounter Sherman
The field H. therefore, open before him. and the main
question H. what can be accomplish Incur npinon he
can accomplish the most important results reached in the
WAT men column reaches Macon it can destroy
efectuaY, the only remaining railroad communication be-
the eastern and western parts Of the Confderay
column shall roach Augusta destroys the largest
manufactures and dopet Of military munitions in the South
lhe greatest and almost only powder manufactory is
there When the railroads to Augusta and from Savannah
TO Charleston destroyed there is no further
military ccmuhicati0n between the country east of the
Savannah and west of it, We shall have severed the Con-
iederacy BY another impossible line But this only the
beginning Ii Sherman reach Beaufort after weeks
rest he can move right through North Carolina to Dan
vile, thus making Eastern Virginia prison and grave
for Lees army and the rebel Government This we say
perfectly practicable with an average share of luck"
When ten or twelve days ago, it prematurey stated
that Gen Sherman had abandoned Atlanta and marched for
Chareston and the report reached Richmond it was re-
csved there with marked ncredulty and small amount
OF ridcue The Examiner (of the ih instant charac-
tsrzd the report being of tina! species of news which
Is usually styled very important il true, and then pro
ceeded to comment upon it as follows: Y.
Sherman has lately been eported by New York papers
TO have abardoned the pursuit of Hoods raid Tennes
and returned to Atlanta with four corps of his army
the rest being left to guard Chattanooga and his commun
cations with Nashville Altogether it may be supposed he
had twenty thousand with him IT. with this force
be has cut himself loose from his communications and at
tempted to gain Charleston four hundred miles distant
living on hostile country by the way he has undertaken
most extraordinary affair 1t is far cry to Lochow but
tits further cry to Charleston.
"There are circumstances which render this news very
suspicious. Telegraphic communication with Sherman
does not exist and it would be difficult to obtain inte
gence from Atlanta 1t is also improbable that he sboud
have announced such design through the New York Jour
nns even he had determined upoHit This news s very
big Yankee lie, invented to cover up the fact that
Sherman had really burnt Atlanta for the purpose Of con
centrsting has whole force against Hood.
"On the other hand there considerations which give
color TO the story To burn Atlanta retreat W, ud be
deadly blow to Yankee pride yet Sherman must come
away from that useless place. He cannot keep his army
idle there while Hood marches into Tennessee He may
suppose that the forces under Thomas with the additions
sent to hlm from Atlanta, sufficient to hold Hood 10
check aud that all Hoods army having been Withdrawn
from the South he would find nothing TO oppOse him
the road to Charleston, to Wilmington or to junction
with Grant, wherever it may be designed
Balancing both considerations we are still ncredulous
but if it be true that Sherman attempting this pro-
digous design, we may safely predict that his march will
lead him TO the Paradise of Fools and that bis magnificent
scheme will hereafter be reckoned
With all the grand deeds that never were d5ne
All the great books that never were written,
And si the good songs which never sung"
On the 18th instant the day succeeding the publication
of the above article, Ii authentcay ced in
Richmond that General Sherman had abandoned Atlanta
His departure thence was stated 10 have been on the
18th instant corresponding with accounts from the
West, and it s fact of some significance that on
the following day General Earlys army In the Shen-
andoah Valley, commenced Tetng from ts position in
front of General Sheridan. Whether this movement was
induced by the rebel from Sherman is not known,
but it is BY improbable Lee has no other army
with which to confront Sherman and is copectured that
Early will proceed to Lynohburg. thence to BuFkesvils
where The Dauyle and southsde roads ion and thence
either to Danve Weldon il obstacle be thrown 10
his way by Grant. The whole Sou b, aud especially
Georgia and the Carolnas 10 doubtless by this time In
fermeut Of excitement and we shall await with anxiety
nsws from that quarter
THE SITUATION IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.
Correspondence ofMe Cincinnati Commercial.