Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-16

new base of supplies He thus piacrd him seif
Tar In Gen. Sherman 3 rear before tn ,t officer
could take steps TO transfer his army to the
new front OF the rebels on the Tennessee.
Hoods advance had probably reached the
Tennessee before Gen. Sherman positively
knew that he had abandoned dadsden. Un.
douotedly IL " as much to his surprise when,
on October 18th, he tried the gap and fonnd it
abandoned BY Hood. Tne position was GER
tainly startling. He dared not follow, thus
abandonin his line of supplies to venture in q
mountainous country, through which a large
army had just passed. 1t was impossible to
transfer bis entire army to Hoods front in
cations intact The position demauded resolu-
lion ana action. He was not slow to resolve
and act. "Let kim go North" he exclaimed
to his council, "our BUSINESSES down South
Sherman's Roland for Beauregard's Oh
iver.
He represented to his officers that the sItua.
tion OF affairs justified him in considering his
command an Independent one, without d foe
to confront RosSeaa ana Woods corps, with
Morgan's tivision OF the 1irh and 23i corps,
entire, were in Tennessee, along the line of the
Tennessee river. They more than equalled
Beauregard forces. Gen Slocum's CORPS was
IN AtlHhta, fetby besieged by Iverson's cav
airy. He remained with the flower Of his
army-with the corps that stood at Ghicka-
mausa with Thomas and the corps of q ant's
old army that besieged Ficks burg and rele we'd
Chattanooga, lying in what Gov Brown calls
the "heart anu 1ailroad centre of the South"
with only the Georgia milita-the mere shad-
mined at this important juncture to resume his
original Intention, and, ignoring the very ex-
IstenCe OF hood, carry ont his offensive cam
paign from Atlanta He determined to follow
Hood no longer, but bade him speed on his
journey North.
"If he Will 60 to the river he said, 81 will
give him his rations," INT failed to intimate
that he proposed to consider them rations to
prisoners.
The resolution was promptly formed and the
preliminary movements as rapidly executed.
RU nU0 0TS0h "a q mn U nf fhp TaTn hal
left Rome and was en- route to Atlanta. On
November the five corps-the 1ith 18th, 16th
17th, and 20th-had been concentrated at the
last named city, and rapid preparations were
being made to begin the march. Sherman left
in the fjehests prIts, and telegra phed his inten-
tions in these remarkable words:
"Hood has crossed the Tennessee Thomas
VIII take care of him and Nashville, while
Schof1eld will not let him into Chattanooga or
Knoxville. Georgia and South Carolina are at
my mercy, and shall strike. Do not be anxious
about me. i am all right"
This is his adieu. The rebel papers already
announce that he has started on his march
Where is he going
Sherman's First Destination Anderson.
Vile.
Never during the war has the South been
taken completely at a disadvantage; and
with the legs of such soldiers as Sherman has
he can go anywhere he may desire. To the
right lies Montgomery, Mobile and Columbus
The two first are the supply depots of Beaure-
gard. The last is the great arsenal of the South.
Within a few hours march Is Andersonville,
the great rebel pen in which twenty thousand
OF our men are confined as prisoners and treat
ed as dogs. Sherman is not likely to pass 1t by.
He wrote but a few days ago TO the President
OF the ST. Louis Sanitary Commission, 81
thank you for the prompt fulfilment Of the re-
quest TO send certain articles for our prisoners
e. at Andersonville. Things shavechanged since.
and may have to go in person to deliver these
articles to the prisoners" 1t may be consid-
cred fixed fact that, whether Mobile, or Sa-
vannah, or Charleston be his destination. Gen
hnrr will QlYo 1daNC ri,
Savannah lies to the left, only fifteen days'
march. Charleston is in the same direction,
and not over twenty five days distant. Let
him go whichever route he may he can reach
the ocean or the Gulf without battle.
Beauresard's Position.
In the meantime where are Beaufegard, Hood
and Taylor! The latest Official news which
we have from the combined forces of the en-.
emy Is from Nashville, under date Of the 11th
inst. The army was at that time in the vicin.
ity Of Florence, Alabama, where they had
pontoon bridge across the Tennessee river
But" says the telegram, "they hesitate to
cross. Deserters report that they are busiIy
engaged in repairing the railroad between
Tuscumbia and Corinth." Hood made his first
effort to cross the Tennessee at Bluewater
creek, on November Sd, and, on being defeat
ed by Rousseau's troops, moved to Florence
where, being met by the intelligence of Sher-
mans daring movement from Atlanta, he haIts
irresolnte and "hesitates to cross" In his
front are Rousseau and Wood, each with
full corps, equal in the aggregate 20 Beaure-
SdTQ'S army. FOr.eSt, on the rebel leit, has
met with some little success in biockading the
Tennessee river below Johnsonville and IN
destroying several transports near that place,
but is apparently un willing to cross the stream
and place himself In the narrow peninsula be-
tween the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers
In his front, and doubtless bearing down upon
him by this time, is the corps of General A. J.
Smith, which, relieved OF the pursuit OF Price,
has been sent to Paducah. On the extreme
rebel right Breckenridge is driven from Bulls
Gap py Gillem, and foied in his attempt to
reach Knoxville. Thus we now have in the
immediate front of the enemy at every threat
ened point force equal to his own and able
to defeat him, while two hundred miles in his
rear is great army of fifty thousand men,
against whom the rebels can muster no force
adequate TO oppose it. The strategy of JEFF.
Davis and Beauregard has simply resulted in
furnishing us with one more army than they
have, and forced us to concentrate while he
scattered his armies in trultless vasions of
Missouri ana Tennessee. The result OF this
great mistake will very soon be shown us by
the terror it will strike into the hearts of the
rebels at Richmond.
The Chirography of Grant and Lee.