Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-01-05

was dissipated on the following morning.
General Foster ordered the steamer to 20
on.
The river ran through immense fields of
rice, thousands OF acres in extent on either
side, and here and there we passed largo
steam rice mills, surrounded by negro huts
On the banks, in 'front.' tofthcir quafters, wore
assembled groups ofnegrses of 'bothsexes and
OF all ages and sizes, who watched our pas
sage with wonder, not unmingled with Joy,
which they manifested by tossing up their
hats, waving bandaDns handkerohiefs, ma
king low courtesies, and dancing plantation
jigs, to the great amusement of all.
sHERMAN's ARMY RUNNING THE RICE MILLS.
Some of the rice mills were observed to
be running at high rate, and we afterwards
ascertaincd that Gen. Sherman's soldiers
were in possession, and were engaged In
grinding rice and laying in nice supply OF
that popular edible.
Alter twenty five miles OF exceedingly tor.
tuous navigation, in which it seemed we
scarcely advanced an inch toward our desti-
nation, We finally reached the railroad bridge
of the Savannah and Gulf Railroad, cross.
ing the Ogechee, and found it partially des.
troyed by fire by eur men some days before.
The draw was burned, and the passage way
was blocked with debris Gen. Foster or
derel the steamer Island City, Capt. Ketch-
um, whichhad on board Colonel Markland,
with nearly 300 bags of mail matter for
sherman, to hitch hawser on the piles and
debris and draw them ont. After an hour
and half of hard work, superintsnded by
Capt. Ketchum, who displayed an extra.
ordinary degree of energy and tact, taking
hold with his own hands and working like
trooper, the debris was removed, and the
draw made passable. ise
sHERMAN's NEW BASE AT KINGS BRIDGE.
The Island City went through at once,
followed by the Nemaha, and without II ouble
we reached the Kings Bridge, on the State
road. This bridge had been burned by the
rebels on the approach of our forces, but
had been rcbuilt by Capt Reese, Chief En-.
ginner Of Howard's wing, in day and a
hslE The bridge is about 600 yards in
length, and strongly constructed The en-.
gneer force Of Sherman is an efficient one,
as this wonderful performance shows. At
Kings Bridge the engineers were construct
ing docks, and supplies are already being
landed there. The line of communication
is an easy and safe one, and until Savannah
is taken, will be exclusively used to supply
Sherman
A large quantity of the supplies Sher-
man needed, are now in the river tassing
up to his base, and his army is not likely to
be troubled for the lack of anything neces.
sary to make his campaign success.
Gen. Slocum captured on the Savannah
river, above Argyle Island, two rebel steam
crs, ons Of which was burned, and the 9th
or, employed in ferrying troops to Argyle Is
land, an island about three miles above the
city, and to King Island small island some
distance nearer to town.
On Friday last acouple Of rebel gun-boats
assembled the river frem the city, and at.
tempted to annoy our forces by vigorous
shell ng. They did not occasion any dam
age, and only ELECTED number of shots
from our 20 FOUNDER Parrots on the city,
which was easily reached by our prof
Finding that the city was suffering from our
fire, the rebel gunboats desisted from their
annoyance, and withdrew to the defenses of
THAR batteries.
Since then Gen. Slocum's forces have
made their position secure, and will proceed
to put some heavy guns in battery that will
city an undesirable place of residence, if
Gen. Sherman is compelled to lay seige to
and carry it by assault
HARDEE's OPERATIONS.
To thwart any operations on our part to
still further extend our left beyond the Sa-
vannah river, and seize the Union causeway,
the only avenue left open to the rebels to
escape, if they shall conclude TO adopt that
az last resort, Gen. Hardee has sent over
pretty strong force to hold the position
and prevent it from falling into our hands.
Whether Gen. Sherman proposes to take
that line or not, am not in position to say.
1t is not improbable that other points may
be found to cut that line aud meanwhile
Hardee, by extending his lines, has weak
ened his front around the city proper. His
force is variously ertimatei at from fifteen
to twenty thousand men, OF whom only five
thousand are old soldiers the balance being
Georgia militia, consisting Of old men and
boys. Gen. Sherman can run over his works
and carry them by storm at any time, if he
did not feel confident of having the town
without the great effusiun Of blood that an
assault would necessarily produce. He de.
sires to save his men in overy way, and he
will do it by not being in a hurry. The
question OF supplies is one that Hardee can
not control. Our forces were not looked for
under two weeks from this, and thesupples
necessary to maintain siege were not col.
lected and stored away in the city nor were
inhabitants non coIa batants-sent to their
locations.
On the contrary, thousands resortcd to
the city as place of refuge from all portions
of the country, in front Of Sherman, and
drove many of their negroes before them.-
At least eight or ten thousand beings were
added to the non-combatants. which Hardee
has TO feed, and Hardee had not the time
to make the necessary arrangements for this
army Of hungry mouths; sothey must starve
If he holds out.
An intelligent and frank rebel officer ia
ken prisoner at Fort McAllister. who was
familiar with the condition of the commits.
sares in Savannah, acknowledged day or
two since, that there were not more than
ton days supplies in Savannah, and with
his communications closed, as they are now,
he cannot hold cut a fortnight, This is COR
roborated by the best information our Gen
erals have.
1t IL generally believed that Hardeo will
attempt to slide out with his forces before
the last door is closed against him, and leave
to the municipal authorities the duty Of
surrendering the oity to Gen. Sherman
Whoever performs the ceremony, | am con.
fident that we shall bold the city on New
Years Day, and perhaps before aud every
one in Sherman's army is convinced of the
fact as we'll. Some operations will be un.
in day or two that will decide the
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