The New York herald., 1865-03-17

/ The news from North Carolina becomes bet
ter and better. Bragg, as hitherto reported,
retreated from -Schofelds front on the night Of
to have been precpitate and disorderly one
indeed, very hasty skedaddle. The dead
were left unburied; the wounded were left to
the tender mercies of the "barbarous Yankees"
and tho field was strewn with equipments and
small arms Scarce as arms are in the confed-
eracy-though Lee is compelled to make de-
mand on the people for their old shot guns and
horse pistols-Bragg could not stop to gather
up the very considerable number Of muskes
that his soldiers lad thrown away on the field
of battle. He must therefore, have been in
great hurry Bragg's movements were, without
doubt, accelerated by the news Of Sherman's
advance. Sherman was at Fayetteville on the
1lth, and at that point was ten miles nearer to
Raleigh than Bragg would have been if he had
remained any longer in his position at X nston.
Bragg, therefore, did not more than make his
distance by his hasty departure on the night of
the 10th.
From the Raleigh Progress we learn that
Johnston is at Raleigh, and that Sherman is to
encounter before that place the first resistance
of the campaign. All the heterogeneous frag-
ments of armies that are in North Carolina will
that point, that Johnston may attempt to repeat
in North Carolina the stategy of his retreat
through Northern Georgia. Johnston, with the
forty thousand demoralizcd and badly armed
wretches now in his camp, will not fight Sher-
man or endeavor to face fairly the force that
he must know Sherman has but If, retiring
step by step as Sherman comes up, he
can get safely into Virginia, and SO
near Leo that Lee, stealing away from
Grant, can join Johnston in time to
fight Sherman before Grant comes up, then
he will have done the best that any man in the
same circumstances could ever hope to do. In
that case Lee and Johnston together would
have doubtless ninety thousand men in one
army, and, desperate as matters now seem for the
the possible that such an army, fighting our two
armies separately should materially modify the
aspect of affairs. But even the most sanguine
rebel must admit that for that force to fight our
armies separately there must be in its favor
scarcely less than miraculous concurrence of
genius and good torture.
Sheridan was last heard from between Hano-
yer and Richmond, tearing up the railroad and
of course creating another panic in the rebel
capital. He has been before this properly taken
care Of by the Commissary Department at the
White House, and is probably once more making
inquiries into the condition of the rebellion.
The Good Timc Now and the ne .cr Times
Coming.
In spite Of the draft the taxes, high rents and
high prices, this is a glorious time in which to
live. Winter still fingers in the lap Of spring;
but the chilly winds Of March are kissed and
warmed by the sunbeams, and the sky is as blue
as the prospects Of the socalled Southern con-
federacy. The news from all quarters is such
as to gladden. the heart of every loyal man.
Grant holds Lee in vice at Richmond, while
Sherman marches trlumphantly northward, and
Schofeld has effected junction with Sher-
mans forces before Goldsboro. Gallant Phil
Sheridan is in the saddle, riding rapidly around
Richmond and cutting every canal and railroad.
JEFF. Davis is very weak in the knees, and the
rebels generally show lack Of backbone. AT
our national capital good feeling and good
humor prevail, in striking contrast with the state
ofaffairs at Richmond Andy Johnson has recov-
cred from bis incoherence, and promises to keep
steady in future. Gold is down, and Is going
lower, and prices are going down with it In
word, the country, like Shermans army, is "all
well and doing finely"
Of course this metropolis, at once the brain
and the heart of the nation, sympathizes with
the general gayety. New Workers, on the
whole, are in very comfortable and cheerful
frame of mind. 1t is true that the draft is in
progress; but recruiting is brisk and the
drafted men will not be called for unless the
means or the energy of our citizens should fail.
The gold gamblers are badly hurt and shrek
loudly but the people rejoice, and smilingly
watch the falling of the financial thermometer.
Merchants and storekecpers have not yet
marked down their goods; but customers hold
back shrewdly, and everything must be cheaper
within a few days at sarlhest Every metropol-
itan face is beaming, and every step is light
and free. Even the streets seem cleaner and
the usual nuisances less offensive. Under these
circumstances il is not at all wonderful that
Maretzek should add two more nights to his
season, and offer his subscribers their seats
and boxes rs grateful gratuity,
farewell courtesy, compliment aa reroir.
We advise nobody to neglect these
festivs! nights at the Acadcmy-next Mon
day and Tuesday-for Impryssario Grap will
hon tako tho orlislo avav n Ch;ca,a .nd covt
season we hope to have two opera houses to
divide the publc's favors. And we advise
nobody to neglect Mongiardini's concert to-
morrow evening, at Steinway's Hall, Four
teenth street.
Yesterday our musical critic inadvertently
stated that Maretzek's compliment was intended
for the Academy stockholders. The exhilara-