The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-02-10
The Dlmcuiaes OF the Country into
which Gen. sherman IN Adv.nc,,yg.

"on Oo"' SHERMAN isAdvancinE. I
The Columbia Is. oy oa,olinian, a
few days ago, gave the following account
of the country into which Gen; sHRRMANi,ss@
columns are advancing: 5a ga :.
Surprising Gen. Sherman to have no
Confederate force in his front, his march
through country noted for centuries for
its impenetrable swan,ps and intricate
water-courses, and where no provisions to
sustain man or beast ought to be found,
would, through these natural causes alone,
be slow and painful to his troops, and dis
couraging to their martial ardor. The
most practical route of all through the
valley formed by the Oombahee and Ashe-
poo Rivers, supposing the enemy's forces
to have passed Coosawatchie and classic
Pocotaligo. presents serious difficulties
innumerable little streams to be crossed
heavy, miserable roads to be travelled
over, and but few scattered homesteads
to be plundered. In front of Branchville,
which We suppose to be Gen. Shermanis
first objective point, his troops will be
forced to uncover in small numbers. 1t is
estimated that not more than ten thousand
men can, with any prospect of advantage,
be placed in order of combat there; they
will have to effect one of the most difficult
river passages in the State the troops
must approach the Edisto over an impene-
trable swamp, and after landing in safety,
on the other bank, another swamp has to
be passed, under the entirely uncovered
fire of artillery, and unerring musketry
behind formidable Notifications. In what
ever direction he may design to turn from
the coast to penetrate the interior, his
difficulties will be as great-upon several
routes much increased. Should he divide
his forces, and send them in different d.
rections, to vail his purpose and blind our
commanders, he may find that such COM
binations are easier carried out in the
level interior of Georgia, than on the coast
Of South Carolina. Topography has done
80 much for US, and the unpropitious rainy
season will do as much more, that through
these causes alone we consider our dam
gers much lessened.
sHRRMAN's CAMPAIGN.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch
CHARLESTON, Jan. Is.
Sherman has commenced his movement
against Charleston and Branchville. Re-.
fngees from Savannah who arrived here on
the 18th, stated that he had sent one corps
up the west bank of the Savannah toward
Augusta; that second corps had gone to
Wilmington, and that two corps were
moving around by water to Beaufort. The
corps sent up the west bank Of the Savan-
nah, it has since been ascertained, was re-
called after it had proceeded some fifteen
miles. The force dispatched to Beaufort,
however, moved out from Port Royal on
the 18th, and on the 14th it encountered
our advance, Col. Cocks cavalry, and
drove it back on Pocotaligo, which was
evacuated by Gen. McLaws during the
following night, without the loss of men
or material. Gen. McLaws took up po-
sition behind the Combahee, after Destroy
ing the bridges by which he crossed that
River.
From Pocotaligo to Branchville the dis
lance does not exceed forty five miles, and
can be easily accomplished in three days.
The enemy once firmly established on the
railroad, either at Branchville or some
other point near Augusta, the fall of
Charleston becomes only question of
time, and short time at that We may
leave it to the President and Gen. Lee to
decide what effect such movement would
have upon Richmond and the Army of
Northern Virginia.
At BraDchville Sherman's TANKS would
be protected by the Edisto and its swamps
on the left, and by the Santee and its
swamps on the right, whilst his base at
Charleston would be unassailable either by
land or water. If the official telescope at
the Capitol could be elevated just enough
to take in that part of the Coafederacy
which lies beyond the boundaries of Vir-
ginia, it would be well. Leaving the mill
tary aspect of the question entirely out of
consideration, the authorities cannot fail
to understand that the failure to reinforce
the army in Georgia and South Carolina
is producing very bad effect. Enemies,
both of the cause and Of the President, are
taking advantage of this omission, to call
it by no haIsher name, and are multiplying
difficulties in every way. The retention Of
Charleston is not, as many of the inhabit-
ants imagine indispensable to our success.
But the retention of the military line from
Kingsville to Augusta is.
The project Of abolishing slavery on
condition that England and France will
lend us material aid in the war, while it
would be rejected by those powers, is pro-
ducing further mischief by alternating the
Cotton States and jumping upon them the
necessity of considering the propriety of
readjusting their political relations. The
employment of one hundred thousand
slaves, as suggested by the President, will
be acquiesced in by these States, and the
proposition, even, to put them into the
army, is growing in public favor, but the
press and politicians of Virginia should be
careful not to go further, and especially
not TO assign her to the place in the South
ern Confederacy that Massachusetts, occu-
pied 10 the old Union.
Dress and Diseases.
There is no truth more firmly estab-