Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-05

Shermaas Troops They are WiRked al 6g
the Administration.
Lcorresrondenes Of The View YORK News
WASHINGTON, Dec. 80.
Intelligence has reached here in a shape that
i no doubt authentic OF the repulse and defeat
Of Shefidau's expedition against Gordonsville
Although the greater part OF Sheridan's army Is
now with Gen. Grant near Petersburg there i
still a respectable force OF both cavalry and To-
fantry in the Valley. This expedition against
Gordonsville was composed OF about o,OOO IN
fantry and 900 cavalry. General Early had
been left with only about 10000 troops alto
cether. but his disposition Of these was skill
Tul that be gained easy victory over Sheridan,
and compelled she latter 70 retreat Two en-
gagements took place, one near GOrdOnsylle,
where the Confederate forces were commanded
by Gen. LOmsx. and the other near Harrison
burg, where Gen. ROsser commanded. Sheri-
dams forces have retreated to Winchester
We shall hear of this affair now, as recon
noissance. But ii was not the intention, when
the expedition set out, to make il simply
connoissance The intention was to capture
Gordonsville and Charlottesville; to destroy the
depots and machine shops there. and to destroy
the railroad track as far toward Lynchburg as
possible. Nor was this all. Ii was supposed
that the confederates at Richnond were reduced
to such exlremities, BY the dangers that threaten
ed Wilmington and Charleston, that every avail
able soldier in Y irginia would have been called
away from the neighborhOod of Gordonsvlle and
Lynchburg. and that those places would have
been left entirely defenseless.N
The reconnaissance" however. has discover
ed that the facts are exactly the reverse. Cor
louisville is well defended, and as far as Lynch
burg is concerned. il il so strongly fortified that
the 5000 militia stationed there could defend il
for q month against three times their number Of
! assailants.
Official intelligence from the navy depart
ment was promulgated here Yesterday, to the
effect that the expedition 20 Wilmington had
failed, and that the fleet had abandoned the en-
terprise and had returned 70 Fortress Monroe.
To-day il IS denied that any such Intelligence
was received at he navy department, and it IS
asserted that the extent OF the disaster which we
have met with az Wilmington consists in the re
pulse of Buffers forces. the. abandonment by
Butler of all the advantages aud the position that
had been gained by the troops. and the re-em
barkaIon of the land forces have positive
Information. however. of the most reliable char
aeter, to the effect that both the navy and war
departments have received news which they are
/ holding back, and that the statement that the
whole expedition has been abandoned i virtually
/ correct, or soon will be
/ it ia certain that some of the vessels of the
feet have returned u Fortress Monroe is verv
/ disabled condition. and IL il reported that others
were lost It i known here also. that the great
/ '.pan Of attack" published in all the northern
papers turned out to be a great failure, and that
it could not be carried out at all. II is known
/ here furthermore that all the powder that was
! exploded 500 yards from Fort Fisher mot 300
/ yards. as stated.) was only thrown away. and
that il did not damage that work in the least de
/ gree The explosion took place on the 25th,
1 and on the 9th, after q bombardmcnt Of two
i DAYS, the fort was as strong and lis guns IN as
effective condition as ever
So far Buffers part in the attack con
cerned, il was managed in - bungling manner
/ that the wonder is that his men were able to re
embark at all 1t was worthy counterpart to
| the battle Of Big Bethel in June 1851, in which
Butler won his first laurels At Fort Fisher As
AZ Big Bethel no reconnaissance made. An d
! the troops were thrown upon an unknown shore
/ Here they iloundered through the sand, and
/ mud, and water, we're lured on bv temporary
apparent advantage and at last found themselves
in a position of great peril If they had not re-
| embarked when they did. they would have been
! overwhelmed bv the surerior numbers OF the
contederates The return OF the whole expedi-
/ ton, aud the entire abandonment of the enter
! prise now daily looked for II is evident
| that the defenses of The place and the means in
/ the possession OF the coniederates for repelling
the attacks OF both land aud naval forces are Ell
tirely different from what the country has been
! ed 20 expect.
| have RETAINED hitherto from abiding tn the
! outrages alleged to have been committed in
! Georgia by troops. duri0g Shermans march
| through that state in the hope that they might
| prove exaggerations But have the evidence
now which proves that all the accounts OF these
0ulrages that have been published. are substan.
italy correct They consist your readers
will remember, not only in the wholesale plumber
OF gold, silver. jewelry. etc not only in outrages
/ offered To- men venerable for their years and 20
siton in society. but also in outrages unfit for
! publication. on the persons Of refined ladies and
| innocent Young girls.
There Is no evidence thar any of the officers
OF the army we're cOgnizsnt OF these ouirages.
| But they are surely not blamelcss IN the mstter
Such outrages at least could have been prevent.
/ cd The vengeance of God will surely be visited
upon the men in authority who have adopted a
var policy marked by such features ~ thcsc Ii
needs bat five words from the president TO put n
stop 10 these ou,rages IN the future. but those
words will tot be spoken. The victims of such
outraees are regarded IN high republican circles
here. simply n "sho rebels. Who have no rights
that lo,al men are bound 10 respect
M.fgutN