New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-15

thicker than sheaves in harvest field and reflected On
the horrors to which this had been subjected by
the foes whom we are fighting, felt faith in God Of
Justice renewed ny heart and hope in the success Of
our couse rekindle TO a brighter fame.
At Canton which our army visited but did not burn
We succeeded in capturing and destroying II loco
motives Another was also destroyed at Meridian
making le in all infictng a oss on TIE Confedcrates
which Is OF incacnlable value. 1t is fact perhaps
known. but viii bear repeating here that Gricrson 5
raid last year through this State damaged tie railroad
some forty miles north Of Okoona TO such extent
that they repaired undertaken 10 operate
il above that point. learn from engineer who has
been forced io two years past TO locomotive over
their roads and who enabled TO get TO our lines
during the late raid that tea miles per hour is and has
been for months the maximum speed attainshle by
their trains. The destruction by Grcrson Of pas
songer cars year ago has never been made good on
the roads ard left them almost destitute Of cars, even
before Sherman came In Row 10 give their Mississippi
railroads this coup aS 4TGoe
J. is no news TO state that the COniederaes were put
their wits end 10 keep up the ordinary wear ana tear
Of their roads for the pas. yeer II viii therefore be the
more fully apparent how immensely important work
has been accomplished by Sherman. Advancing 20
within twenty miles of Meridian, he sent detechmenis
ten or fifteen miles beyond that point and thirty forty
north and south to tear up the track destroy cuveris
burn the depot bridges and tics and render useless ny
bending the rails OF the several roads diyergng from that
important railroad center. This was done and done
egec,ualy efec.ually indeed as 10 place II out of
the power Of the Rebels 10 PIT those roads in operation
again during The continuance Of the This there
fore rs any familiar with the topography OF Mssis
sippi will readily perceive cuts on the State nom AN!
further military occupation ny the Confederate army 1t
being impossible longer 10 maneuver or snbst al army
there without possession OF the river Cavalry may
sweep Dvn or across the State but with all the strong
holds along the Mississippi River, We hold military
control Of the entire state effectively and eecua'y
When the news was brought in to Sherman that the
Rebels had abandoned Meridian without blow. and
hct the destruction fait aceom7i he is said by
&C Witnesses TO have walked silently TO and 10 for
minutes and then burst ont excitedly, This j.
worth fifty millions 10 tie Government" The Rebels
seemed up almost 10 the last moment TO have regarded
Mobile Tie poiu. aimed at. farragg.S bom5udmcn;
Of Foyt Powell serving 20 keep up the impression.
an warranted in saying that Sherman was sauguiEe
o; his ability TO have taken that city without difficulty
and had the object Of his expedition permitted, would
have done He states unhesitstingy that he fcli
sorely tempted to do so it was and nothing but the
ments already planned prey cnted his undertaking it
Being ignorant Of the combinations huted at il
to be pity that he did not undertake II. for from
ali the information made public. and received
through private appear. cha. oh. Mobians
were in the same frame Of mind Of Capt SCOTS coon
Believing their faie fixed TO fell into our hands they
were quite ready TO permit themselves 70 be taken
without any very stubborn resistance. At Meridian
the Confederate authorities had built construct
ing quite considerable number Of buildings for Gov
use including maohineshops quarternssters
and commissary quarters, hospital capable of accom-
modsting $500 10 1000 patients, &c. These, with the
town were or course destroyed We also burned every
depot and station along the inc OF the railroad as FAR a
our army reaohed the beautiful town Of Canton ~
before stated, being spared.
at Enterprise which was sixteen miles below Nerid
ian and one OF the most pctiferous nests that tho sun
shone on in all the limits Of Dixie we ound camp OF
parced prisoners being part Of The old Nics-bwg gar
rison. These men informed u that the Confederate
authorities had been forcing many Of their number into
the army again. telling them they had been exchanged
Al one point on our march Rebel postoce was cap
tared containing among others letter from Paroed
Iiettsnant who had thus been forced to and who
writing home expressed the opinion that they would be-
driven into Mobile and again captured by our army
He expressed extreme dependency at the prospects.
fearing the worst possible porscnsl consequences or
being recapturcd after violated parole AID being IN
JigDsnt In the extreme at the want of Government
faith which had placed him in such painful pre-
dicament.
Entefprise all and singular with lis improvement,
pubic and private its paTo!ed camp aud its conscrPt
camn with its associations historic poetic and Secesh
has boeD-accordiug to camp paI!anco-wiped out.
The state q feeling and the condition of the people
in the section Travelled through are indescrbable The
bitterness which has marked this struggle on the part
of tie Southern people scarcely be said to be les
scned-in many cases i, is intensified. accompanied by
CT utter rcckcssness personal consequences which
is often fearful Many having made immense SACRIFICES
and who now feel that all IL lost, 10 delight in
Wleaking their fury upon some unfortunate negro sol
dior falling into their hands occasional white
straglder rom army who is careless enough TO be
taken On our from this expedition tho corpse
of an Indiana soldier who had separated himself from
LIS company as found with sixteen buet'holes through
bis body As general thing, however. the sentiment
Of the people seemed 10 be Of dependency at the
idea Of southern Independence, OF WEAKNESS WITH the
war and willingness 10 return 10 the Union rather
than TO continue hopeless struggle. The rgdity OF
the CONSUMPTION Is complete however, that this feel
ing con make little impression or rather produce niue
result under tho present order Of thngs or in fact
until the military rule Is efectualy broken
up throughout the Confederacy The Engineer to whom
ausion hes already been made in this epstle informs
nc that lieutenant and xix men accompanied each
train which passed over the railroad which he run,
and no man without pass could travel IA mile. No
man could step of ct q station without guard ex'
smned his pass. NOR could any get the train
without the ceremony. No one could pass from
one town TO another without his papers being in order