New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-17

Le,e Rebel News.
We have Richmond papers of Tuesday, lith
inst, from which we select tie following items
THE WAR NEWS.
The Dispatch has the following concerning
sherman's movements:
IN SOUTH CARoLIEA-OFFTCIAL DISPATCH FROM
GEN. HARpEE.
The military operations now going on in
South Carolina are Of the first importance to oar cause
and naturally engToss attention Of oar people 10 tic
exclusion OF movements reported to be taking place
elsewhere.
Sherman has through Georgia without meeting
with any ohsi ton and it eced If he is 10 be
checked at all. it must he doae quickly. II is Only
within the past wees tha' his movement against
BranchviIe was clearly developed Previous TO that
time it was no own certainly that he would not con
reutrate agsinst Augusta Charleston 1t is now re
rorted BY telecrah that he las a column moving on
Augusta Int this must be received as unconfFmed
rumor We cannot contradict It, though, at the sane
lime we DO not know that il is true.
For the present all co nun cation with Augusta 10
cut OF and we 90 not know What is going there
In that nortor ood. As matters at Charles
ten and in tho direction of Columbia our information
is more definite. The enemy. with force Of 5000
ueD. landed at Criminals. On James Island. last
Friday and drove in our p'ciets. Some skirnishing
followed but there WAS no general engagement. Grim
balls is the Stono RVor, two miles south west Of
Charleston. and he Ashley River wide stream, Hes
between Il and ire city. This demonstration of the
eDemy is believed 10 b. Elm.
TIE following oispHcb received leie Sunday night
Is tho official Report of this affair. 1t contains aso
other interesting intelligence:
CHARLESTON. February II. 1865.
n, Ten tfjpfl and IN yer'cT (IcHsldt
The enemy, las- evening, drove IN our pickets on
Jamess Island. The lines have been TeestHpisEed TO-
day The enemy still in strong OToe On tie Island.
bnt tie movement is believed to be only demonsira-
ton There is en- incres today OF cigieen steamers
off tie bar barge attack made TO night upon battery
10y Nv }. HAEDEE. Lieut.. Gen"
Since tie receipt OF the above We are without advoes
from Charlest n.
On Saturday column of Shcrmans infantry and cav.
ally crossed the Edsto to the west of and above
Branohyilie. and advanced on the Columbia Branch
Railroad OrT troops at .iranchvic withdrew toward
Columbia According 20 the last official accounts re-
eeye yesterday, tie enemy were AZ Oransebrrg some
twenty miles north Of Brapchyie, and on the road TO
Columbia.
During chr retreat there has been continual skirnsh
ingwith the enemy but no general engagement Ii
was said here vest rlay that Beauregard intended to
make an attack; but we hinS from indications,
4 II l.
defend the line OF that river He is sadto have ade
,nse force for either an offensive defensive policy
whichever be ay find it e1pedient 20 adopt Columbia
is outae rieht lsnk OF The Ssntee, about fifty miles
vest Of noith OF Oringeburg.
TIE Enquirer says:
Oar latest information by mail ron South Carolina Is
10 the eth-Thnrsday last-vhen ruInors Of all kinds
were rife in Richmond respecting Sher1n2ns move
neuts On that day the most reliable intelligence that
could he obtained SAYS The C0lumbia GHGyd'Gn, was
hat Sbeimau's advance about seven miles from
Midway The position then occnpied by the enemy
WAS about twenty-one miles from BFanchyille. Inc
same paper continues:
The alarm respecting the obstruction 10 travel De
tween this place aud the " est is therefore. 30 ~. rs
the psst sensation rumOIs are concerted, heeciess'
Whateyer res.riction has beea Placed upon thNel ID
that direction tie result OF wise military pocS'
Justified fully in tie eyes OF our military
SherHans plans have not been sufficiently de'ci"ieu
ss vet 10 enable the formation OF an OPINION a. 10
whether his immediate destination Is CohmDi"' Au'
gusta Charleston. The latter place IN 'he Pcs'es
sion would in tie eyes Of al YakeeGom, con tbsate
for spy loss which night accrue 10 tbe fedcfd
forces IL obtaining IT, because of is noble, hcroc anu
defiant resistance successfully maGtllDcd against inc
most determined and elaborate siege known ~ istoiy'
Augusta In their hands and they would naturally sup
pose that the principal channel OF comm unicatnn WIN
The south stopped up - say nothing OF tue hoces'
sity OF removing Government establishments and work
shops certain extent necessary IN the Continuance
Of the Columbia the capital oi south 'ar"bnd IL
most tempting prize. and would p!oDaby chciF iHe
energies Of man less enterpr sing than Geo. She'as
The following is from Tie EIaminer:
The statement that Shernan's forces Lad probably
MT the Augusta branch Of the South Carolina Railroad
si different points west Of Branchvile As borne out by
late Charleston papers which sta;e that the Yankees
hae reached and cut tie road referred to at three points,
namely Midway Blackville aud Batsbrg.
Brancbyie Ii about rlway between tie three cities
Charleston Augusta and Columbia and ID the point at
which tho roads leading to Columbia and Augusta
separate.
The distanoe from Charleston to Columbia is ono
hundred and thirty miles. from Ctmestol to Augusta
hundred and thirty mies aud from Columbia
70 Augusta, via Branchvile, one hun red and forty
Aree miles Tho distance from BranehSie to Charles
son si,,y.wO mice from Branch'i lie 70 Columbia