North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-02-22
From the Philadelphia Age Mondsy'
WAR NEWS,
OCCUPATION OF COLUMBIA, s. G.
Probable Evacuation Of Charleston

OFFICIAL From SECRETARY STANTON.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, Feb. Is,
1865.-Myor General Dlr. Ne,o YORK.: The
announcement of the occupation of Columbia,
S. G. by General Sherman, and the probable
evacuation of Charleston, has been communi-
Gated to the department in the following tel.
egrams just received from Lieutenant General
Grant.
EDWIN NJ. STANTON, Secretary of War.
GENERAL GRANT To SECRETARY STANTON.
CRY POINT, Feb. IS 4. As P. M-Hon. E.
N, Stanton, Secretary of War: The Rich
mond Dispatch of this morning SAYS Sher
man entered Columbia yesterday morning.
and its fall necessitates, it presumes, the fall
of Charleston, which it thinks is already be-
ing evacuated. I. S. GIANT.
Lieutenant General.
SECOND DESPATCH.
CITY POINT, Va Feb. l8.- Hon. E, W..
stanton, Secretary Of Var: The following is
taken from to days Richmond Dispatch:
Columbia has fallen Sherman marched in.
to and took possession of the city yesterday
morning. The intelligence was communicat-
ed Yesterday by General Beauregard in an
official despatch.
Columbia is situated en- the north bank of
the Congaree river, just below the confluence
of the Saluda and Broad rivers.
From General Beauregard's despatch it ap.
pears that on Thursday evening the enemy
approached the south bank of the Congaree
and threw number Of shells into the city.
During the. night they moved up the river
and yesterday morning forded the Saluda and
Broad rivers. While they were crossing
these rivers our troops, under General Beu-
regard, evacuated Columbia. The enemy
soon after took possession.
Through private sources we learn that two
days ago, when it was decided not to attempt
the defense of Columbia, large quantity
medical stores, which it was thought,
it was impossible to remove, were de-
stroyed. The female employees of the
Treasury Department has been previously
sent off to Charlotte, North Carolina, hnh-
dreG miles north of Columbia We presume
the Treasury photographic establishment was
also remo' ed although as to this We have no
positive infor nation
| The fall OF Columbia neceS8itdteS, 1ce pre-
Sume, the evacuation Of Char lesion, which.
We think likely, is already in process of evac-
| uatiOn.
IL is impossible to say where Sherman will
next direct his columns. The general opin-
ion is that he 1oW go TO Char eston and es-
tdblish base there but we confess we do
| not see what need he has Of base. 1t is to
be presumed he is subssting on the country
and he has had no battle to exhaust his anu
milton. Before leaving Savannah he declared
his Intention to march to Columbia, thence
to Augusta, and thence to Charleston. This
was uttered as boast and to hide his designs
We are disposed to believe that he 1yW ne1t
strike at Charlotte, which is a hundred miles
north of Columbia, on the Charlotte and
Columbia railroad,er ut Florence S. G., the
junction ofthe Columbia and Wilmington and
the Charleston and Wilmington railroads
some ninety miles east of Columbia.
There was areport yesterday that Augusta
had also been trken by the enemy. This we
do not believe.
We have reasan to feel assured tnat nearly
the whole of Sherman army is at Columbia
| and that the report that Schofield was ad.
vancing on Augusta was untrue
| The Richmond Whig says
The Charleston Mercury of Saturday an
nounces brief suspension of tha: paper,
| with view,to its temporary remoral to
another point. This is rendered necessary
by by the progress of military events, cut
| ting it off from the mail facilities for dstrbu
ting papers to large portion Of its subscri
bers, while the lack Of transportation renders
its supply of paper prccarous
| SemmeS has been made rear admiral, and
will take command of the James river squad,
| rom
1. S. GRANT, Lieut. General.