Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-09

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smart aght 18th wheeler's cavalry, but cut the rail
road at that point and captured train. The prison
ers, poor fellows had been whisked of to Savannah
| aud out on the FlcSida Railroad.
1 The cloSe-of the first week in December brought
| us near the coast. A sandy loan, varying TO the
extremes of bSrrenneSs and fertility, ana proper
tionately settled extends from Atlanta 70 the coast
The woods are Smost altogether pine with an occa-
sional growth OF large trees, but nowhere approach
Ing the great clear NO ID ptneries on our northern
| lakes. The whole country Is lnterspersed with
swamps which, as we neaTed the sea, increased in
number and extent. But little cotton was found on
each plantation, the law forbddmg to raise more
East OF the 0cOnee there sensible change in
the vegetation nthe swampS cypress often appear
ed and We hailed ali sides embryo palm leaf
fans " half dozen leaves, sometimes three four
feet high growing Independently from root. In
the door yards we're immense 'live-Oaks, which l
thought finer shade trees than the best elmS of New
England 20 which they are not unlike. The Leaf,
however, is very small. The sorghum, which had
entertained Us hitherto, replaced by Louisi0
cane, though We nowhere. passed sugar planta-
ton-for instaiIce, one with a sugar house.
Aswe neared Savannah, We, for the first time
found trees ieed in the swamps to obstruct
progress. A few houses We're burHed by way of re-
taliation.
THE CAVALRY STRENGTH or GEN. THOMAS ARMY.
From the Indianapolis Journall
1t was supposed and probably correctly so, that
when General Thomas retreated TO Nashville he Was
deficient in cavalry, which gave Hood, who was
ported 10 have about fifteen thousand mounted men
under Forrest decided advantage. But the situa-
tiou was speedily reversed, and before the grand
sault on the Rebel lines, Thomas had am immense
body Of cavalry, whchItd hIs service both IN the at
tack and pursuit
Where il came from, we G)nt know for military
movements are now conducted with comnendabe
seeresy How large it is we Gln only infer from the
letters of parties who were at Nashville aud profess
20 know.
A correspondent Of Cincinnati paper, writing
few DAYS ago stated that Thomas cavalry larger
than Hoods whole army after the retreat through
Franklin.
A correspondent of the Nashville Union estimates
Thomas force at thrty-siX thousand infantry and
twemty-four thOussnd cavalry Both of these esti-
mates appear eNtSNagaut but II Is certain that our
cavalry strength that army Is very large and, what
is better it proved itself very efficient in theattack
aud pursuit. In addition 10 the clouds Of hOrsSnen
in the trout there We're at Louisville the brigade Of
Colonel Edward McCook and at least eight regi-
ments of dismouuted cavalry. The latter have just
been mounted and started for rhc front. When
pleasant weather aud dry roads come, there will be
some grand rlidiug through Dixie.
Early in the war the rebels armed their cavalry
TN q sabeT but latterly lis Sc has been almost
wholly discontinued, aud the navy revolver put in
its stead. Our troops have never laid ii aside, and
i'm this they have advantage. Its moral effect is
NerN great-ldF can DellcNe WHO
has never heard the terrible elank of grand cavalry
charge and listened to the words Of veteran trooper
as he describes a regiment swOoping down, like an
avalanche on the enemy. The appalling fanfaronade
and the gathering din Of five thousand sabre Sheaths,
and the glitter of as many keen blades in the air has
terrifying effect which it will not do TO scout at
when we remember how the rebels scared our rcgi-
Inents often in the beginning Of the war with ther
mere yelling
Again the rebel cavalry has become mongrel or
ganizatiOn-hsl- cavalry, -mtantry-which per-
forms we'll the functions OF neither. Instead OF the
light carbine used by our men, they carry the long
heavy Enfield Springfield ride OF the infantry
They are more properly mounted infantry, using
their horses only to transport them TO the battle
ground but dismOUnting to tight. Bearing two char
actcrs they are at home and confident in neither
Their receivers give them superiority till they
come 20 close quarters, and then they are oyermach
ed by tue qaick and deadly sabre.
Ills LlsI GGd by IsT the most efficient cause of the
superiority ID cavalry, S found On the fact that
most Oi the rebeiS ride their private horses. Con
ary TO the received popular opinion, this practice Is
source, not Oi strength, but OF weskess.1 There is
40 more potent Telaxer OF discipline than to allow
men to use their own horses instead OF those fur
laslled by the Government Ii will insure sleek,
eoneiy and graceful body of horses but it will just
as certainly produce regiment Of horse jockeys and
traders, whose main business is not TO fight, but 10
kesp fine horses.