Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-01-06

with Stanlyis troops. furnished General Thomas,
who held supreme command, and VINO had Iatl ih-
structions from General Sherman covering every
contingency, with veteran army OF some thirty
thousand men, which with those already in the de-
partment and recruits coming into the held. com
posed a force sufficient to demolish Hood, if they
should meet an event which will take place at Cen
eral Thomas option, and not at Hood q II that per
son remain much longer at the rivers bank, where
he has halted his columns, if doubtful what
course next TO pursue.
Tt was at this moment that the grand project of
our Captain lose in uncertain yet gigantic propor
tions the precise point of destination was not
known, but all felt certain that it was southward
further in the heart of the enemy country, and the
blood bounded in our veins at the thought. Officers
and men met each other with proud and glad faces.
Al were impressed with eonsclousness Of the
truth that the march of Union soldiers to the Ocean
or the Gulf meant that we were to take the life
blood of the rebellion.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE MARCH.
General Sherman had called to him from Atlanta
his Chief QuartermAster, General Easton, and Chief
ComInissnry, Colonel Beckwith men of great con-
ceprve and executive capacity. in four days all
that Rome contained, Of sick and wonndeds stores
and machinery, was removed, and the city eyacna-
ted few days more, and the vast amount OF pro-
visions, forage, machinery, stores Of all kinds, with
the inYalids and incompetents, which had accumu-
lated at Atlanta and along the railroad, the surplus
artillery, baggage and other useless wagons, every
movement of the army was gathered up and sent
safely to the North.
On the 18th instant the last train of cars whirled
rapidly past the troops moving south, speeding over
bridges and into the woods as ii they feared they
might be left helpless IN the deserted land. At
Curtisville the last communications with the North
were severed with the telegraph wire. 1t bore the
message to General Thomas, ''All is we'll And
SO we have cut adritt from base OF operations,
from our line of communications, launching out in
70, oan+v q tha hast Vyho
jected end only the General in command knows
Its real fate and destination he does not know, since
that rests with the goodness OF God and the brave
hearts and strong limbs of our soldiers. The his
tory of war bears similar example, except that
of Cortez burning his ships 1t isa bold, hazardous
undertaking. There is no backward step possible
here.
AS for the army, they do not stop to ask ques-
tons
sherman says s'Come," and that is the entire vo-
cabulary TO them. A most cheerful feature Of the
situation is the fact that the healthful and
jolly be, hoping for the best, willing to
dare the worst
Behind us we leave track of smoke and fame
Half of Marietta was burned up, not by orders,
however for the command > that proper details
shall be made TO destroy all property which
be Of use to the Rebel armies. Sragglers will get
into these places, and dwelling houses are eveed to
the ground. In nearly all cases these are the de-
serted habitations formerly owned by Rebels, who
are now refugees
Yesterday as some of the men were marching
towards the Chattahoochee river, they saw in the
distance pillows OF smoke rising along its banks
the bridges were in flames. Says one, hitching his
musket bit on his shoulder in free and easy way,
~ say, Charley, believe Sherman has set the riy
er on fire. Reckon not, replied the other, with
the same Indifference. IF he has it all right"
And SO they pass along, obeying orders not know
ing what is before them but believing in their lea
der.
From Kingston to Atlanta the rails have been ta-
ken up the road fires built about them, and the
iron twisted into ali sorts of curves thus they are
left, never to be Strengthened again. The Secesh
nha bants in agony of wonder at all this queer
maneuvring. Ii appears as if we intended eyacua-
ting Atlanta, but troops taking the wrong
direction for the hopes and purposes of these peo-
pie.
Atlanta is entirely deserted Of human beings, ex-
coping few soldiers here and there The houses
are vacant there is no trade trafc of any kind
the streets empty. Beautiful roses bloom in the
gardens of fine houses, but terrible stiffness and
solitude cover it all depressing the hearts even of
those who are glad to destroy it. In your peaceful
homes at she North you cannot conceive how these
people have suffered for their crimes.
BURNING OF ATLANTA.
| ArIASrA, Night of the 10Th November.-A grand
and awful spectacle is presented to the behoder in
| this beautiful city, now in flames. By order, the
| Chief Engineer has destroyed by powder and fire.
all the storehouses, depot buildings and machine
shops. The heaven is one expanse of lurid fire !;
the air is filled with flying burning cinders build
ings covering over two hundred acres are in ruins
or in flames every instant there is the sharp deto-
nation of the smothering burning sonnd of eIplod-
1 ing shells and powder concealed in the buildings,
| and then the sparks and fame shoot away up into
the black and red roof scattering the cindars far aud
| wide
These are the machineshops where have been
forged and cast Rebel cannon, shot and shell, that
have carried death to many brave defender OF our
nation's honor. These warehouses have beeu the
receptacle of munitions of war, stored, to be used
for our destruction. The city, which next to Rich
| mond has furnished more material for prosecuting
the war than any other in the South, exists more
| as q means for the enemies of the Union.
A brigade of Massachusetts, soldiers are the only
troops left in the town. They viii be the last
to leave IT, Tonight heard the really fine band of
the 33d Massachusetts playing 'tJohn Browns soul
| goes marching on, - by the lights of the burning
buildings have never heard that noble anthem
when it was so grand so solemn, so inspiring.
| MnLEDGEyILLE, Nov. 24.-We are in full posses
sion of the Capital of the State of Georgia. and with
out firing gun in its conquest On Friday last the
Legislature, which had been in session, hearing OF
our approach, hastily decamped without any ad-
jonrnment The Legislative panic spread amongst
the citizens to such an extent to depopulate the
place, except of few old gentlemen and ladies and
the negroes, the latter welcoming approach with
II ecstatie exclamations of JOY "Bress de Lord
tanks be to Almighty God, the Yanks is come dc
day OBJ jubilee hab arribed ~ and then aeeompan-
led their words with rather embarrassing hugs,
which those nearest the sidewalks received quite
literally.
General Slocum, with the Twentieth Corps, frst
entered the city, arriving by way of Madison, hag
ing accomplished his mission of destroying the rail
roads and valuable bridges at Madison. The high
of the Legislators, as described by witnesses, mus
have been eomical in the extreme. They little i'm
agined the movement of our left wing hearing frs
Of the advance of Fitzpatrick on the extreme righ
towards Macon, and supposed that to be another
raid What their opinion was when Howard army
appeared at McDonnough ii would be difficult tt
say and their astonishment must have approached
insanity when the other two columns were heare
from-one directed towards Augusta and the othel
swiftly marching straight uFon their devoted city
1t seemed as If they were surrounded upon al
sides except toward the east, and that their doom
| was sealad With the certain punishment Cor thei