The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-09-05
MORNING. SEPTEMBER 5, 1854
THE EVACUATION or ATLANTA.
INTERESTING ACCOUNTS FROM THERE
sHERMANs EVACUATION OF HIS POSI-
TION ON OUR RIGHT-HIsToRY OF HIS
FLANK MOVEMENT, sc.


The news of the evacuation of Atlanta by our
forces gives interest to any newsom there bearing
upon the military situation. The movement by
which Sherman has gained this advantage was a
bold one though not conducted with such secrecy
to hide from commanders there its progress.
To enable our readers to comprehend the change of
position made by Sherman. take from the Char
lottesville Chronicle the following about
sHERMAN's CHANGE or BASE
Four lines of communication meet at Atanta-the
Chattanooga, Augusta West Point and Macon rail-
ways General Hood relies on the Macon road
General Sherman is dependent on single line. The
enemy's cavalry have tefnpore isly destroyed the
Augusta railway. We learn to-day that his army Is
concentrated along the West Point road '' between
East Point and FarbuT1i." " This intelligence is sig
nifcant OF an active campaign around Atlanta
The West Point road follows the course of the Chat
tahoochee from northeast to southwest. East Point
is distant six miles from Atlanta. Fairbuln is
twelve miles farther south. 1t will be observed,
Shermans army is the left flank of General Hood,
facing east. His line stretches from Atlanta to land
probably beyond) East Point junction of the Macon
and West Point roads, facing west. This man0uvre
of General Sherman is a repetition of his movement
around Dalton, with this important exception-at
Dalton he operated on both fanks of General John
ston's army. To occupy the West Point road and
menace the Macon road sOuth of East Point he has
withdrawn his army from the east and north of At
lanta and thrown it southwest of Hoods. Nay, he
has abandoned the line of the Chattanooga road from
Atlanta to the Chattahoochee, and communicates
with Marietta-his fortified base-by wagon route
from Fairburn via Sandtown, on the river below the
railroad bridge. Marietta is held by MalorGeneral
Macarthur, and the "crossings of the Chattahoochee
are strongly guarded" Communication between
Chattanooga and Marietta Is uninterrupted
Wheeler being in Tennessee.
THE EVACUATION OF THE EyEMys POSITION OUR
RIaHT.
~
gives the following description Of the evacuated
works Of the enemy in front Of right wing, three
miles from Atlanta
1t is thought that Sherman massng on our left to
make desperate attempt TO cut our line OF coinmu-
nicatiOn and hold the Macon and Western railroad,
with the belief that 1t will compel army to fall
back, thereby giving up the much-coveted prize At
lanta.
l visited the Yankee camps to the west of Atlanta
to-day. l find their eaIthWJrks to be very substan-
tial but not much SO as | had anticipated from
the reports of parties who had visited them the day
previous. The camps well arranged. From the
appearance Of everything, each man had a bunk
made to sleep The hunks made by driving
four stakes III the ground about two feet one way
and four and half feet the other, bars or
boards laid across the stakes and fastened on, and
then small poles, about six seven feet long, are
laid the bars and fastened Sn with withes
ropes, and hemp sacks spread on great many OF
them. l have several of the sacks now IN my pos
session, which picked up around these hunks.
could have procured at least thousand. These
bunks all have dirt thrown up in front of them,
which makes them very secure from Mime balls
The camps which the Yankees occupied around this
city are about the best arranged ones L have ever
seen. Nearly every camp has from one to two Dutch
bake ovens, which made of brick, and put up III
the best style In fact, everything is fixed up as
though they intended to remain i'll them tor years
to
All the houses which the people vacated between
here and the river have be torn to pieces and the
linn arf flSa1 ma hnlt of Tfp W
the families remained III them left standing, but
they look rather worSted. Some OF them are pretty
with people who are out viewing them Every one
you meet has bag OF plunder which they are bring
ing home as curosltles. There - some very fire
furniture scattered over the camp. In day two
there will be nothing left worth bringing OF.
1t is reported here this evening that two brgadeS
of Yankees crossed the Atlanta and West Point
railroad, and struck out for the Macon and Western
railroad.
give you below note which discovered written
in large bold hand with charcoal on the headbOard
of one of the Yankee hunks. The bunk is about
three miles west of Atlanta. The note is follows
Goodbye, Johnny We are going to see you
soon and when we come to Georgia we will remem-
Der Kennesaw. YANK."
A letter dated the 2Sth says:
Many persons think that the long agony is over
that the investment is raised, and that the city is
safe l am not so fast in my conclusions. Among
the prisoners who brought i'll every day, do not
perceive the slightest Generalization. They are
all puCky, and have no idea of abandoning Atlanta.
see i'll late Northern papers hints which squint
at movement on our left that Is, upon East Point,
the junction OF the Macon and Montgomery roads,
SIX miles from town. Sherman thinkS-and truly
that If he can seize and hold this seat i'll our rear
he viii force out OF works for the purpose Of
attacking and driving him away, or for evacua-
ton and retreat But, be it remembered, we are
strongly fortified at East Point, and thence along
the line of the railroad to the city, around
Atlanta. Shermun Will be compelled to attack our
h.aO Hlf f.lif 10
the result So that if the movement is all attempt
at flank, it is still considered highly favorable to
US, and among other good things relieves the city
from bombardment.
HISTORY OF sHERMAS's MOVEMENT.
We find two very interesting letters in the Au-
gusta Chronicle giving a description Of what was
known of Shernan's movements and how they Were
accomplished. We give extracts from them:
ATLANTA, Sunday, August 2S 1864.
Something OF the position of the Federal army has
been ascertalned-enOugh, at least, to convince
every one that the late movement from the trenches
not made with view OF retreating, and, per-
haps, sufficient to warrant reasonable conclusions as
to what are SheTman's purposes, and where he Will
next strike.
The observations of our scouts, and reports from
citizens in the of the late Federal lines, inform
that for some days back the enemy has been pre-
pairing Il line of works. commencing ON this side OF
the Caattahoochee short distance above the rail-
road bridge, On the State road, and running down
IlVef ABOUT miles Terry, WLere nave
built d permanent bridge. From thence the works
run to ID point at the left of their extreme right
wing.
Behind those works the forces withdrawn so
quietly on Thursday night were thrown, and during
Friday and Friday night the centre WAS moved to
the rear of this line. The works are said to be for
mdable particularly i'll front OF the railroad bridge
This position leaves the Federal line at least one
third shorter than 1t was before and OF course they
have to operate with elsewhere. At the second
ferry Glow the railroad bridge their pUntoon has
also been taken up and permanent bridge erected.
The pontoon WILL 1t Is expected, be moved TO ferries
lower down the river.
These preparations and the position into which
Sherman has thrown his army Indicate very clearly
that all his late unexpected movements tho re-
suit of his having arrived at the conclusion that he
could capture Atlanta by attacking its defences,
and matured plan for another attempt to flank
army from the city by cutting Its railroad
munication to the rear. The raiding policy was u
failure, but the purpose might be accomplished by
throwing his nam line across the West Point and
Macon roads, and that this is the grand movement
that will be attempted there can be no longer any
doubt The topography of the country on the north
side of the river Is said to be favorable for transpor
tation by wagon, the roads numerous; and with the
ferries bridged as Stated, supplies can be moved
from Vining station above the river with facility
This Is the opinion of the old cltlzens who ac
quainted with the country.
ATLANTA, August 30, 1861.
The movements now going big with i'm
portance, and promise very early developments OF
results. Sherman has SO tar progressed with his
new plan that strategic movements to prevent its
flhllment can be safely made with certainty that
renders error almost impossible; and the time s
at hand when General Hood will be called upon 10
demonstrate all tho soldierly qualities OF great
commander it is Acknowledged he possesses OF