New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-13
The Forward Movcment-situatiOn OF the
Army-Position Of the Enemy-To.
poerply of the Conntry-Cendision Of
FBcGnIe.
the People.


Prom Our Special Correspondent
RED CLAY, Ga. May 5, 1854.
There are signs Of an early movement OF this
wing of the army All surplus baggage by order from
Corps Headquarters, has been sent to the The
troops and arms were inspected to-day, and fresh am
munition distributed. The railroad from Cleveland,
which is completed to within miles Of the Georgia
line, is loaded with work bringing down supplies and
forage. In few days the road will be completed for
several miles further The 4th Army Corps has adj
yanced to Ringgold. where Gen. Howard probably now
has his headquarters. Gen. McPherson was reported
mt Lafayette, Ala. on Friday last advancing on Rome
We have the Rebel piekets within three four miles OF
rs. this side OF Kennons Plantation. There are also
Rebel pickets on the Charleston and Dalton Road at
Barrett's Mill, and other places.
IT has been several weeks since the Rebels permitted
nny citizen TO pass through their lines, and every one
going to Dalton on business has been detained. Some
citizens strayed unconscously into our lines today,
and. very much to their chagrin, find themselves
trapped and unable to return home.
The main road to Dalton nearest passes through
gap in the ridge about mile to the south of this point
which also forms the passage OF a fine little stream
called Mill Greek, which flows into tie tributaries OF
the Alabama River. AL streams ini this region, on
which there are mills are called Mill Creek Beside
the road on which troops located there two
or three running at slightly diyergng lines northward
from Dalton toward the Hawassa River each separated
from the other by ridges, and knobby rough lines Of
hills The first Of these Is only about mile to the east
ward ofths from which we are divided by the ridge
known Red Clay, which gives the name TO this por
tion Of the northern line Of Georgia 1t is called the
Charleston and Dalton road Beyond second ridge is
the Cooahuly road which forks from the Charleston
road six miles from Dalton. Then there is third
road leading the Ducktown Copper Mines, and for
mery used for hauling the ore TO Dalton. Still beyond
at distance of ten miles from this point the Old
Federal Road between the Hiawassa and Spring Place
All these roads present accessible to the Rebel
troops and may be worth while to watch a. bodies
OF cavalry might move upon either of them without
observation they disposed to operate upon our
left and rear.
The land in this region is poor, yielding only ten
bushels of corn and two four bushels of wheat the
The poor peoples farms average 30 to 40 acres
and Of them yield a comfortable support for a
family This class stay at home. and content them
selves with the product of their estates Above
them however has been the class OF nabobs who own
land by the mile square, and had unnumbered
negroes work their plantations. These men came up
here from Southern Georgia when the Cherokees were
removed and took up large tracts retaining their cotton
and rice lands and rich plantations in the Southern
counties for Winter residences Among these nabobs
was Peyton Wade, who owned 1000 acres or more,
and 300 ne sroes. None of these broad acres
nnder cultivation. Another o. ii. Kennon, who
was Rebel ten years ago-now dead. He owned 1850
ncres and so TO 90 negroes whom he freed by WILL
and aterward transferred with his lands and other
property to his relatives He had no children. His
taxable property here, not to mention that away down
In Georgia was elGO0OO. On these plantations it
not uncommon to 100 acres planted in sweet pc,a
toes and 100 acres in peanuts used for fattng hogs
One planter used to SOW $50 bushels of wheat 600 bush
els Of oats put in 800 in corn beside go in
cotton. Then 50 acres would be set apart to the
negroes for truck patches" 10 work Sundays
Such was the magnificent style in which the
wealthy planters used 10 spread themselves in the
good old times forever gone by Their broad acres
will pass into the hands Of the thirty and foryacre
farm meD and be better cultivated upon the system Of
paid labor During the march through the Tennessee
Valley met with few where the farmers desired
70 part with their lands and seek their fortunes else
where. Here there are few who would not sell out
cheap provided they could find purchasers. During
The Rebel occupation OF Missionary Ridge this whole
region was ransacked for and provisions and the
country laid bare There is here the state Of
things that exists in the opposite cas end of the Val
ley though the farm Enclosures and houses have not
suffered TO the same extent. Some tOerably good
houses have been deserted and little Of the land
paIatiyely viii be cultivated All the young men and
boys have been conscrpted and there none left TO
work the land except the old men and women. Els.
PROM CAIRO ANN REI0WI