, 1865-01-04
ERCE1 NASHVILLE.

NASHVILLE. Lee. -, 1ot44
Hocd has escaped. He crossed The river
on The Esd inst. on pontoons at Bainbrldgc,
eight miles from Florence. ste1man, Of
whose expedition gave full account in my
last, reached Decatur On the 24th, and i1nme-
1iately commenced reconnoitering on both
sides Of the river, when the fact Of Hoods es-
cape was discovered. The rebel army, when
it left Tennessee, including casalry, con-
sisted Of from L, 900 to Is, 900 men, beng less
thnn half its strength when it made its entry.
The number Of descrte:s is enormous: Ofthe
1000 men he succeeded in conscripting, he
d i'd not ret leo across the river, ali the re-
maiudcr ESCAPED in the melee; and Of the
5000 Tenneseeans-old eoldfers-wlo march
ed north, not u thousand are to-day south Of
the river. The city is full Of stragglers even
Hon. A: o. P. Nicholson, Of Nicholson letter
Columbia, declaring til. Confederacy failure,
and bis determination to aid 1t no more.
hare conyereed with those who are In po-
s}tjon to know something Of the matter, and
they estimated that there We at present
only LOCO Kentuckians aud 1000 Tennesse-
have furnished ut least II, 900 where are they
pows At least halfof them are In their
graves, and the remainder hare deserted.
The rebel army between tho Mississippi and
the Savannah rivers, has ceased to exist as =
formidable organization. Ii all the scattered
commands were called in, not mora than
II COO cavalry and 5000 infantry could be
brought together. Ten thousand well mount
ed men could now traverse the country, from
VicksburE to Savannah; and though they
might not, be able to capture few Of the
most strongly fortified places, they would
meet no serious resistance outside of these
towns; and the remaining rebel railroads
could be destroyed
WHAT WILL BE DONE?
Is question perhsps more readily asked
than answered. But will venture conjec-
ture. Tennessee il now perfectly safei no
future attempts will be made by the rebels to
OCCUPY and hold it. Therefore new base OF
supplies viii be found. The line OF railroad
from Nashville south is very long, and hence
requires the detachment OF great number o.
troops to guard 1t, and from this point north,
| the Louisville railroad Is often cut, and the
Cumberland River ia only nayigahle in winter.
| ] believe, though, that Nashville WILL soon
cease to be Of much Importance as military
| center. Astrong guard will be left here; aud
the base Of supplies will be changed tn Flor
cpcc. OF this have no doubt. The Tennes'
sec is nayigable for small boats, from Chattn-
/ nooga to ilE mouth, ut all seasons, and fo1
la1ge ones from Florence to its mouth, in high
water, the only exception being between De.
catur and Bainbridge, over the muslce shoals
Around there. there is railroad Of only for.
| 1y-fve miles in length, and this could be kept
| open with comparatively few men. About
tie shoals there are numerous b ,ats, which
run to Chattanooga, and there arc also seye
rnl small gunboats to keep the river open.
| We ehaii then have the advantage Of a wa
ter base and riyt~ line of d,frnse. have
| of}cu wondered that this has not been oefore
| adfns,ed: hut feel certain TINT 1t vi Il be
now employed as base. With an efficient
cavalry iorce. properly supported BY infantry
and Iebt artillery, Selma nnd Montgomery
! viii speedily fall into our hands. Those town: