The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-02-18
SUMMARY OF NEWS.


confirm the intelligence of Gen. Shermans pro-
rress through South Carolina. He has cut the
railroads leading from Branchville nortlward,
westward and southwark, and thus compelled
its evacuation, of which there is no longer any
doubt it being now isolated from Charleston,
Columbia and Augusta. Whilst the Rebels
were being amused with the direct advance OH
Branchville, General Sherman swung his force
around crossing the EdSto river nine miles
above, thanking Branchyille on the west, and
advancing to Orangeburg, the county town OF
Orange county, and about halfway between
Brnnchville and Columbia, the State capital
Ii is directly on the line of the railroad running
from Columbia to Charleston. Nearer to Charles
ton the Rebels also report active operations.
force from two to three thousand strcrg had
made Judgment on james Island, at GnmbnlFs
lending and drove in the pickcts. GrimbalTs
landing is on Stone Inlet and about two mics
southwest from Charleston, the Ashley river
two thousand yards wide, intervening between
James Island and the city. Fort Johnston and
other Rebel works of strength are on the other
side of james Island, facing toward Fort Sum
ter and the harbor The Richmond papers also
report that large Federal cavalry force is
operating in Stafford county, and moving to the
destruction of Fredericksburg. They also an
nuunce that large Yankee force has lately
arrived at Smthiicd Cape Fear River, having
with it locomotive engines, which it is supposed
are ineded to be used On the railroads OF North
Carolina to facilitate operations after the capture
of Wilmington
A large mass meeting was held in Rich
moud last week, the object of which was to
rouse the people of the u,urgent States to II pro-
per sense of their danger. Several OF the most
prominent Rebel statesmen addressed the meet
ing-;,mong them Messrs. Hunter and Benja
min. Benjamin, in the course of his speech
Admitted that Richmond could not be held with
their present force in the field, that the supply
of abe-bodied white men was exhausted, and
that the arnng Of the slaves was the only re-
Source. Mr.. Gilmcr, OF North Carolina, and
others, made speeches glowing with flames Of
war and resistance. Resolutions of kindred
character We're adopted. The Richmond Hhig
says: "Mr. Blair came here fully impressed
with the idea that we were on the point of en-
hansion, and that any future resistance we
might make would be merely the last efforts OF
II frantic despair The Richmond Uhig of the
9Th says: In our evening edition Of yesterday
the fact was disclosed fiat the recent secret scs-
sions Of til" House of Representatives, were held
for the pun pose of devising means of meeting
very heavy Indebtedness of the Government,
but recently brought to the attention of Con
gress. The present Secretary of the Treasury,
il seems was led into an error by lsis E,r,tcccs-
sor in stating the amount of the arrcar of in
dcbtcdncSs, III his report at the opening of Con-
grss, ut $ll4,UG0,GOU. Additional liabilities in
the nature Of cash transactions, have already
lccn asccrtained, to the amount of nearly $500
0G0,OOO. To provide for this increase of debt,
Mr.. Trenholm states there is no resource but
taxation, and lie recommends the imposition Of
one bundled per cent, additional on all present
subjects of taxation, and the withdrawal of the
credit for the tax in kind Tie Examiner also
says that amazing, fabulous, miraculous blum
,ers" in the Treasury Department, involving
an error of four or five hundred millions OF so
i'll the liabilities of the Government have re-
Gently been brought to light The Enquirer
and the Examiner continue to assail jeff Davis
Cabinet One Of the points made by the En-
qnircr against MIR. Ben amin is that no plocla-
nation signed by him as Secretary of State has
even admitted the existence Of triune God"
and says that ''thc people do not like to he
made to choose between Jesus Christ and Judah
T. Ben. anlin" The Augusta Chronicle says
that the majority of the North Carolina press
are camoring tor Con, en,ion Of the States.
The advices from South Carolina through
the Richmond papers show that General
was reported in the papers of the 9Th that
he had captured Branchvlle, and that
Charleston had been evacuated. Later de.
spatches published in the papers Of the 10th,
do not confirm these reports. but they show
that General Sherman was close to Branch
vile, and that his forces occupied the South
Carolina railroad at several points. thus
scvering railroad communication with Au-
gnsta. Our cavalry under General Ililpat-
rick struck the road at Blackville. twenty
miles south of Branchville, on the It'll. driv.
ing the cnemvs pickets back. On the next
day our forces moved along the railroad to
the Edsto river. five miles from Branchyile.
The Rebels withdrew to this side of the river
and burned the bridge. The latest despotch
les show that our forces were concentrating
in front of the Edisto river. skirmishinr with
the enemy, but no attempt to force cross.
ing had been made The OCCUPATION of the
south Carolina railtoad COMPLETELY sewers
the Rebel railroad communication with
Georgia. Alabama, and States further south.
az so Ios,., I I IL,
. nm, Shor,man IN HE ,,romra". irt C na
ri" a. 70 he msnloss y 'l''"s"
s''
- The Chicago Tribune of the 10th inst.
says: ''Ihe western bound train on the
Michigan Southern Road, due here at noon
on Wednesday. was thrown from the track
near Jonesville, Mich, about A. NJ, by a
broken rail. The locomotive and baggage
car passed safely over, but the succeeding
four coaches were precipitated down an en-
banknent OF twenty feet. Two of them
made two complete somersets,, and were
smashed into klndllng wood. The other two
performed revolution ana halt. and halt
al c lnI To, r,in,,