The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-03-04
War News OF the Week.

We had barely heard the new o. the capture
of Wilmington. rs our paper went To press ias'
week. Since then We have full details. Al
ter Fort Anderson fell. on toe 18th. Gea
Schofeld directed Gen. Cox - follow lis Re
treating garrison to Wilmington. OF the West
side of Cape Fear River, while Gen, Terry
followed Hoke on the East side. Tie latter
halted in front of the rebel works four miles
from the city. These wcrks stretched across
from the river on the West side, TO supposed
impossible swamp. Gen. Cox, however
crossed this swamp OH the goth, and took the
rebels in flank, upon which they fell back
pell NELL upon Wilmington. Our forces fol
lowed, and next morning, planting their guns
in range of the city, the rebels evacuated 1t,
and the mayor and authorities came ont and
formally surrendered it to the federal com
mander. Our captures. including Fort An
dersou. amounted TO 200 prisoners and 80
guns. Some cotton and rosin, also. WAS
found The federal loss in all these opera
tons. was but killed and il wounded.
Gen. Gilmore sends a dispatch from
Charleston, that, in taking that city, we cap
tured $50 cannon, and over 10000 bales Of
cotton.
The news from Sherman comes only thro
rebel sources, and as their papers are under
strict censorship, little reliable news can
come In that way Besides Columbia how
ever, it is conceded that the left wing of
Sherman's army also took Augusta, the capi-
tai of Georgia He left a garrison there.
As Slocum passed through Columbia on his
way northward to rcjoin Sherman. his soldiers
we're fred upon from the houses, upon which
they turned and burned the city. Sherman
now appears 10 be moving towards Florence
and Charlotte This would indicate that he
is marching straight for Danviie. The rcb
els admit tina, Hardee, who. after leaving
Charleston. attempted to mite with Beaure-
gard, who is retreatng before Sherman, has
been intercepted and driven bacS. If ii is
true that Gen Schotield is on the way to Join
Sherman, EIardce Will probably fall into lis
hands
The rapid movement, Of Sherman, and the
apparent iInposibilty 10 Intcrpose any cb
stacle to his march. are said to have filled
Richmond with another terrible panic. SO
that the rebel congress is : o longer able to
maintain quorum The general belief is
that Lee is preparing to fall back upon Lynch
burg. to operate thence against Tennessee,
Kentucky, Ohio &c.
There is nothing from CRAFTS army except
@ report, which comes through rebel sources.
that he is massing his forces towards Hat
cher's run. AID tia: his army is under march
ing orders
Mobile. so far from having fallen quietly |.
into our possession. br's;les up deiiantly. .
The rebels there held large and enth"si;e- ,
tic war meeting on the 18Th ult., and resolved /
,ha, the city must lee defended to the last,
Gems. Crook and Kelly, who were so fool I.
i.hlv taken at New Creek week ago, have /.
arrived al Rick .loRd. There was garrison !
o. 500 men at the place. vet these generals .
we're taken ~ 30 cavalrymen.
Kirbv Smiths rebel army west of TIE Mis- .
81 ,ppi i represented as in Z terrible state Of
decentralization. Mos; 0: the men are CON
scripts. who are said to be disguised with the
business Of soldering.