The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-02-03

complish everything he may wish.
The general impression is that
Sherman will aim for this point to
cut off the communications OF Charles
ton thoroughly before attacking that
city itself But there are so many
points that our forces might strike
with real advantage and with every
hope of success, that speculation is
almost useless, and we must wait the
development of events. The rebels
are evidently expecting an attack on
Charleston and have sent large re-
Inducements to the city, but Sherman
will manage so as to take the city
without much fighting if possible.
The monitor Patapsco, while doing
picket duty off Charleston harbor on
the 18th, was blown up by rebel
torpedo, and forty or fifty of the crew
went down with, her. The post Office
at Savannah has been reopened and
business is being revived to some ex
tent The citizens protest loudly
against the representations that have
been made at the North of the suffer
ing and restitution in Savannah, and
say that though they were in need of
many kind of supplies, they had rice
enough to pay for all they needed, and
were not by any means the objects of
charity Col. Julian Allen, who has
done the begging for the city, seems
to have oyerdone the matter, and
told very exaggerated story. Some
Intellectual attempts have been made
to set the cotton on fire, but large
part of it has been safely shipped, and
is now on theway north
Affairs at Wilmington.
The advantages gained by our forces
in the capture of Fort Fisher are be-
ing rapidly followed up, and if Will
mington is not already in our poss-
ession it soon will be. Gen Terry
has been reinforced by heavy column
from the South, and advanced on
Wilmington on the 18th and 10th
meeting with but little opposition.
On the 10th the enemy blew up Forts
Caswell and Campbell, and abandoned
them, as well as the works on Smiths
island and those at Smithville at
Reeves point, and these places have
all been occupied by the navy. The
small draft gunboats are at work TAX
ing the torpedoes out of the river,
which will soon be clear for the fleet
to cooperate with the army for the
reduction of Wilmington if necessary.
The port is now closed effectually
against all rebel blockade runners,
and five, not knowing that Fort Fish
er was taken, have run in and been
captured by Porter's fleet, all having
valuable cargoes. The Richmond
Enquirer of the 25th says communi-
cation with Wilmington was then in
tact, but acknowledges that the place
will be taken. Correspondents before
Wilmington say that from explosions
heard if was thought the rebels were
blowing up the Notifications prepar-
atory to eyacuating the place; and
various reports have been circulating
that the rebels have already left. But
they are premature. Shermass move
ments in South Carolina and Terry
at Wilmington doubtless have closer
connection than most persons sup
pose. The rebels recognize the fact
however, and their papers admit that
it makes little difference which falls
first, Charleston, Wilmington or
Branchville, as the rest are sure to
follow; and when the whole grand
plan is carried out, Richmond will
be completely isolated from the re-
mainder of the confederacy, and its
evacuation by the rebels will be a
matter of necessity to them. Our
total loss at Fort Fisher was not so
large as at first supposed, and will not
probably exceed 500 in the army, 100
In the navy and those by an explosion
IN Fort Fisher after the capture, 100
more. Admiral Porter expresses
surprise at the strength of Fort Fish
er which he calls stronger than the
Malakotf. The whole number of guns
captured from the rebels thus far is
l6S, with many small arms and ord
nance and commissary stores. The
next week will be likely to bring us the
news OF the capture of Wilmington,
and perhaps also of other victories bv
Sherman and Terry. The rebels ex-
pect we are going to be successful.
and 1t will be too bad to disappoint
them.
From Richmond and elsewhere.
The old map Blair has visited Rich
mond second, time, which has, of
course, started up new lot of peace
rumors and gossip; but in reality
nothing is known about the object of
the visit. The rebel senate has passed
the bill making Lee generalissimo of
the southern armies, and restoring
Gen. Joe. johnson to command at the
West; but it is doubtful if the house
passes measure expressing broadly
the dissatisfaction with Davis and his
rule. There is also trouble in the reb
ell cabinet. James A. Seldom, Davis
secretary of war, has resigned, and
Gems. Bragg, Breckenridge and SEN
ator Hill of Georgia are all mentioned
as his. successors. These facts show
that the disintegration of the confed-
eracy is fast going on, and the con-
tinual growls in the rebel papers are
unnecessary to convince us that the
coniederacy is growing weaker and
weaker, and is very near IL not ou;ta