New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-15

GHERTAN-SHEHI
Gen. Sherman was at Laurel Hill, N. c.,
thicty-fve miles southwest of Fayetteville, on
the Sth of March--so much We know from his
own dispatch The place is less than hundred
miles from Columbia, which he left on the 2oth
nit. so that his march has been slow. 1t may be
presumed he found theroads very bad, and made
them worse as he advanced, and it is simply I'M
possible for an army like Shermans to move
with rapidly through country which does not
offer solid highways for travel.
But ID does not seem at this moment very
material to Sherman's plans that he should be
any further north. lie had outwitted his old
adversary, Johnston, and instead Of marching
upon Charlotte whore he was expected alter
leaving Columbia, has moved in such dnec-
ton as to leave far on bis flank the forces which
Johnston had concentrated to oppose him, and
to get the start of them in q movement toward
Newbern, or toward Goldsborough. The roads
which delayed Sherman would delay Johnston
not less, and as the latter could not know al
first, nor for some time, the direction to which
Sherman was actually moving, he would inevi-
tably fall behind him. II is probable therefore
that Sherman is nearer to junction with Scho-
field than Johnston to a junction with Bragg. .
Of course it is q relief to hear anything from
Gen. Sherman. He had disappeared so long
that there was u solicitude about bis movements
which might have been converted by further de-
lay into anxiety, and while nobody'really doubt
ed that Sherman was coming out all right, there
was q great desire for definite intelligence. The
effect Of it was manifest enough yesterday in
Wall.st.
Henoefa.h, we must consider the movements
Of Sherman and Schofeld as very closely related.
There can be 10 longer any doubt that the
Rebels mean to concentrate for the defense OF
Raleigh, and Of Goldsborough if they have time
As they are to fight battle in North Carolina
it is maniestly for their interest to fight at such
n time and place as shall avert the surrender OF
any interior line of real importance TO them
and such is undoubtedly the railroad line
through Goldsborough. 1t looks now, there
fore, as if there might be o great battle in tho
neighborhood of that place-supposng Johnston
able to come up before Sherman does. Gen.
Schofeld announces that Bragg retreated on the
night of tie 10th across the Neuse River at
Kinston and that he held the north bank Of the
river. 1t will be his policy to hold it to the
last moment so as to give time for Johnston's
arrival.
We remarked in our last that the suppression
BY Gen. Lee Of the place where Wade Hampton
was said 10 have worsted Fitzpatrick on the 10th
INST, and the appended attempt to make believe
that it was somewhere III South Carolina,
afforded circumstantial proof that Sherman had
made much greater progress than the Rebels
were willing to have known. This Is now
proved by an official dispatch from Sherman to
Gen. Grant, dated the 9Th, when the former
was at Laurel Hill, Richmond Co., N. c.,
thirty miles from Cheraw, n. c., and about the
same distance from Fayetteville, N. G. Gen.
Sherman writes:
I'VE are all well, and have done finely Details are
for obvious reasons, omitted.
That is to say: As this letter was to be
brought by scout through hostile territory II
was not prudent to give details; but it is evi.
dent. from all the facts known, that, up TO that
time, Sherman had not been seriously resisted.
Of course, this docs not prove that Hampton
did not make some sort Of raid into Klpat.
rick's camp, in the small hours of the morning
of the 10th; but, il he did, he doubtless took
good care to get away.agai as quickly as posi-
BILE. His admission that he could not bring of
the guns, &C., which he says he captured, is
conclusive on that point.
There is further news from Sheridan, but not
wholly authentic. Reports represent Richmond
in panic at his approach, and if this account
can be trusted at all, Sheridan turned east to.
ward Richmond from Columbia and passed
down the north bank Of the James, destroying
the canal as he moved, to within twenty miles
Of Richmond. 1t was supposed he meant to
cross the river at Beaver Mills Aqueduct, and
strike the Danville road, thus scvering all com.
muncation between Richmond and Its supplies.
The same narrative states that preparations
lwera proceeding actively for the evacuation Of