The New York herald., 1864-12-14
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
We have highly important and most cheering
from General Sherman through tho Richmond papers Of
yesterday. the substance OF which Is communicated 10
Secretary stanton BY General Grant They state that
General Shermaus army was on Saturday last within
nfteen miles Of Savannah, and their dispatches
that be had arrived ut point within less
Eve miles OF h and was drawn up in line or battle but
had yes made attack. They say that he was con-
froOted by large rebel force, and had yet
had 90 communication with tho coast. Sherman
has severed tho telegraph running from saysn.
nah 70 RchmoOd, and the papers Of the latter city
have 70 receive their intelligence Of his movements
from Charleston. The rebels profess to be in doubt
city and sIiks the st southeast 1t. They have
by this time likely been able to arrive At salts
factory ooncuson for 1t is probable that decisive
battle w~ fought yesterday We publish to-day map
OF Savannah and tho surrounding region and sketch
Of tho city and It's land and water approaches
Tho ioroe under General Warren numbering altogether
sbout twenty thousand men, consulting OF the Futn
corps, division OF the Third ana General Greggs
cavalry which left the Army Of the Potomac on last
Wednesday morning, and moved southwark parallel with
the Weldon Rarosd returned 70 the front Of Peters
burg, after having accomplished in the complete
manner ali II set out 10 do. The object Of this
exped.ioa was not. as che rebels supposed. to
capture tho town OF Weldon, but merely to
% damage tho railroad running to that place from Peters
burg BY which tho rebel army Of Lee has
svsiy FED to seriously interfere with biz future sup
piles; and this eGectually performed. General
Warren reached Bcllhed station, where the railroad
crosses The Meherrn river, some forty miles from
Pesrsbrrg, last Friday afternoon, having with
interruption from the rebels Here they found to
streog both sides OF the river after
destroying those north sde the railroad bridge
depot, General warrsn's troops their
return 10 camp the next morning. They destroyed.
during their trip, twenty mlea OF the
Weldon Railroad, and all the stations and depots
along their line Of march. and numerous miils,
barns and dwellings used for the benefit Of
lbs coemys srmea They also burned the bridge
the Not,oway river besides in various other ways
seriously interfering with General Lees supply commu
uicstions Rebel cavalry were encountered At several
points, with whom there slight skrmishiDg; but
General warreos entire loss in the expedition ony
between forty and nrty in killed and wounded and few
missing ssraggers Il thought that the damage effected
60 the railroad be repaired this winter There
10 later operations front OF Petersburg Richmond
record.
No msvosNeni Of particular importance bM yet
red In svciny OF Nashville the cold weather inter-
rsrtsg with operations both sides. There
skirnshDS yesterday but apparently whou, results Of
Consequence. The portion OF Hoods rebel army which,
under General Lyon, crossed 70 the north sdc Of
che Cumberland river, twenty miles above Fort Done,
con, few days ago, ia said to be moving on
Hopklnsvns, keDtucky. This force estimated from
two 70 four thousand, and 10 said that If 1t attacks
Hopknsv,s the Union garrison there VIII be compelled
10 IAN back. IL Is very small The brigade o. UI0n
eoldisrs under command OF General Cooper, which
was cut on a Ccntrevile when General schoSeld
movsd sorthward from Columbia, Tennessee ar.
rived safely In Nashville on the s,h inst.
having performed a march OF over one hundred
eno bh1 mne1f movhhk CohPicsry sIeuhu sue VASAAy
unss capturing rebel cavalry outpost, losing IN all
only mec Who, being tired out fell behind and
murdered by guerilas.
General Breoknrdge &c reported 10 be at Sparta, Ten
pesssc with teu.housaud men, endeavorins to form
junction with Hood, which il is thought he viii nnd
more dinlculty than be anticipates.
The Eisbty.6fth New York infantry and the gurbon
CniCopee have recently together perfered some very
valuable service In the region lying between Norfolk
Ma, and Roanoke Island. They surprised camp Of
ecbels who we're guarding goods o, Erea, for The
nse Of prowns guerilla bands including large quaint.
scs ot commssry stores and ammunition, al Of which
were destroyed The only casualties Of the Union force
were three men wounded In skrmsh.
Tho suhboat otseso was recently sunk BY rebel tor
neoo 10 Roanoke river shOrt distance above Plymouth
~. @ No person on board was injured As the water 4
shslov who're she was sunk sac can be raised and rs
paired
CONGRESS
the proceedings courress yesterday ver. important,
ssp~cisly - regsrds our relat,ns with Canada.
n NE senate The bill authorizing the cons,ructcp o.
o. s~x.. xxxuus sallars for ss.vcs ~ ~ n.,.n.rn