Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-20
TELEGRAPHIO NEWS.
IMPORTANT FROM THE SOUTH.
sAERMAN's TRIUMPHANT MARCH.
THE FALL OF COLUMBIA.
PROBABLEEvACUA OF CHARLES
TON,
WAE DEPARTMENT,
WASHINGTON FehruarV Is 1868

| lumoia, South Carolina, by General Sherman
and the probable evacuation of Charleston, has
been communicated to this Department in the
following telegrams just received from Lieu
enant General Grant.
| EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War
'ClTY POINT, Feb. IL Is65.-Hon Ed,cin n.
Stanton. Var Department The Richmond Dis
| patch of this morning says Sherman entered
Columbia yesterday morning, and Its fell neces.
states, 1t presumes, the fall of Charlie ston,
| which it thinks likely is already being evacu-
| ated. U. :. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
| getty POINT, VA, Feb. 1s.-Hon. Edvin NJ
Stanton, War Depa tment, Washington The fol.
lowing is taken from to.day's Richmond Dis
| patch:
| "Ihe Fall of Columbia South Carolina.
| "Columbia has fallen. Sherman marched
| into and took possession OF the city yesterday
| morning. This intelligence was communicated
| dispatch.
| "Columbia is situated On the north bank of
tine Congaree river, just belowthe confluence
| OF the Saluda and Broad rivers.
| t'From Gen. Beauregard's despatch il appears
| that on Thursday evening the enemy ap-
| preached the south bank of the Congaree and
threw nnnlber Of shells into the city. During
the ght they moved up the river. and yester-
day morning forded the Saluda and Broad
| While they We're crossing these rivers our
| troops under Gen. Beauregard evacuated Co.
! lumbia. The enemy soon after took posses.
sion.
Through pri vate sources we learn that two
udys dRO, WueE IL WaS GeciueQ not 10 attemDt
| the defence OF Columbia, large quantity of
medical stores, which it was thought lmpossi
Die to remove, were destroyed. The female
employees OF the Treasury Department had
been previously sent off to Charlotte, N. G.,
hundred miles north of Columbia. We pre-
sumo the Treasury photographic establishment
was also removed, though as to this we have
no positive Information
''The fall of Columbia necess sitates, we
presume, the evacuation OF Charleston, which
we think likely rs already in process of evacu-
''It is impossible to say where Sherman will
next direct his columns. The general opinion
is that ne Will go to Charleston and establish
base but we confess we do not see what need
ne mas OF base. 1t is TO be presumed he is
subslstlng On the country, and he has had no
battle to exhaust his ammunition.
I" Before leaving Savannah he declared his
intention to march to Columbia, thence to Au-
gusta, and thence 10 Charleston. This was
uttered as boast to hide his designs.
"W We are disposed to believe that he will
next strike at Charlotte, which is hundred
miles north OF Columbia, on the Charlotte and
Columbia railroad, OF at Florence, S. c., the
junction Of the Columbia and Wilmington and
the Charleston and Wilmington railroads, some
ninety miles east OF Columbia
80, "Ihe1e was report yesterday that Augusta
mad also been taken by the enemy. This we do
not believe. We have reason TO feel assured
mat nearly the whole OF Sherman's army is
together at Columbia, and that the report
that Schofield was advancing on Augusta is
untrue"
Removed
II.
nounses brief suspension OF that paper with
a view to its temporary removal TO another
point. Ihls is rendered necessary by the pro.
'gress OF military events, cutting 1t off from the
mail facilities for distributing its paper to q,
large portion Of its subscribers, while the lacE
OF transportation renders its supply of papers
precariOus.
"Semmes has been made rear admiral and
will take command OF the James river squad
ron" U. ) GRANT, Lieut.. Gen.
Further Extracts from Rebel Papers.
The Richmond Wing OF Feb. 10th has the
following
ssSherman's Movements.
"The Express says that parties who left Co.
lnmbia on Friday evening last represent il as
the belief in Columbia that Sherman had cut
loose entirely from the various points upon
which he hau demonstrated, and was hasten.
ing with all possible rapidity toward Kings
vile or Columbia, possibly both.
Gall movements toward Branchville,
Charleston, and Augusta seem to have been
abandoned.
From Blackville and Orangeburg there is
an excellent county road and, as Sherman ap-
pears to have got somewhat the start of our
forces, considerable apprehensions were feft at
Columbia that he would reach there before he
could be OVertaken.
The Congaree a considerable stream, has
to be crossed before reaching either Kingsyiile
or Colum bia; but Sherman has pontoon trains,
and an efficient engineer corps with him, and
crosses streams with surprising facility. Ex-
tenslye preparations were being made at Col
umba TO receive the great ianker, and it was
hoped he would be at least held IN check until
onr forces could come up. Sherman is said TO
have very large army, and he may divide
sending one column to Kings vile, and the 9th.
er TO Columbia. This would enable him to de-
stroy the Columbia and Charlotte, and VIII.
mmgton and Manchester railroads 1T one and
he same time, provided he is not checked. II
is also stated that Sherman is but little encum.
hered with commissary and quartermasters'
trans. Relying upon his great Su ccesS in Geor-
gia, he feeds his ne and horses off the country
as he moves, and all that they do not consume
he destroys"
From North Carolina
The Whining gton paper says that the usually
quiet citizens OF Little river, and the surround
ing count y, have been recently disturbed by
the landing OF a consider able force OF Yankees
IN their midst. 1t Is understood that the object
is TO strike the Manchester railroad at a point
in the vicinity of WhitevIlle, in Columbus
county.
..The same paper says: The air in our town
yesterday seemed very much impregn ated
with some whisperngs i'll relation to i'm portant
movements, which we decline publishing, as
we are in secret session, and officially reti.
cent
Gen. Echols succeeds Breckinridge in south.
western Virginia
champion has been made lieutenant general.
and now commands all the cavalry fronting
sherman.
"The despatch says it was reported yesterday
morning that our troops We're evacuating Viii
mington. The report is not confirmed by Of.
fcial dispatches received yesterday.
"Gen. Baker, in command OF our forces at
Goldsboro, reports to the War Department that
he has reason to believe the enemy are concen.
trating at Newbern, and that they have with
them materials for repairing the railroad from
New bern to KinstoE.
.s(iidecn J. Pillow has been appointed COM
missary general OF prisoners"
Grant Sending Troops to the North Side.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Feb. l6
throughout Tuesday night the rumbling of
wagons and artillery was heard on Grants
lines in the neighborhood of Deep Bottom
1t was supposed that Grant was transport
ing q heavy body of troops to the north side
This may simply be the return Of troops sent
over to Petersburg to par ticipa.e in the>Hatch-
er's Run affair last Monday.
From Nsrth Carolina.
1t was reported yesterday morning that our
treops were evaeuating Wilmington. The
report is not confirmed by ohcial dispatches
that General Terry is still in the vicinity Of
Fort Fisher, and waiting tor General Hoke to
attank hina Hitherto the Yankee press havA