Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-02
FROM THE SOUTH.
~ So
HIGHLY IMPORTANT NEWS.
RICHMOND DATES TO TUESDAY.

Great Fires at Wilmington, n. c., and
summit, Mlss.-Sherman Moving ON
Seu'h Carolina-H1s Main Column for
| Charlrston-Twe Other Columns fer
BrahchyilIe-N Nom com batants Ordered
from Aususta-Keperted Movements OF
Ibemas-BeaHresard to Command the
w ashingtoB - stephens, Hunter and
Campbell Selected = Their Progress
Through the Lines-EnthusIasticS Shouts
of the Soldiers.
The Richmond Wing contains the follow.
WILMINGTON, Jan. ae-A large fire oc.
CURED at p m. to day, in s lot OF cotton Obs
balesl on the wharf in front Of the Custom
House. Nearly all of the cotton was consumed.
The adjacent buildings were not damaged
The weather is very cold. Two carloads of
cotton were consumed this morning the
WILMINGTON and Weldon railroad, four miles
from town. All quiet below
ssFrem south Carolina-sherman.s Move
ments-Non- com batanis Ordered to leave
Aususta.
MACON, Jan. 25.-Priyate advices from Sa.
vannah state that Sherman commenced his
moyementon South Carolina on the 18th inst,
with three columns, the main column moving
toward Charleston, taking nearly all his trans
portation; two other columns in light marching
order moving by separate roads towards
Brauchvjlle. Gen. Hill has issued orders re-
quiring on comb batantS to leave Augusta.
The Sentinel OF the 30th contains the follow
ing:
"Messrs. a. H. Stephens, r. NJ Il. Hunter
dUu JOHN n. CaO pDpll IeII hICnInOn0 YeSLer.
day morning Oh their way 10 Washington, to
confer with President Lincoln on the subject
Of putting an end to the war, if possible.
1.-The circumstances under which these gen.
tlemen have departed on their mission are un-
derstOCd TO be as follows:
MF T. Blair having sought an unofficial
and confidential interview with President Da-
Wis, departed for Washington with an assu.
rance that our President would be willing at
any time, without any obstacle of form, to send
agents or commissioners 10 Washington to con-
u trury1 Nf fTr1tn
that said commissioners would be received
On Mr.. Blairs second visit TO Richmond, he
brought the consent Of MIR. Lincoln to receive
and confer with any agents informally sent,
with view 20 the restoration of peace
"The three gentlemen who lett yesterday
We're thereupon selected by the President, and
they have gone without formal credentials and
merely as informal agents, TO see whether it be
possible to place conference fer peace on any
basis which may serve for attempting so desi-
rable q result.
"It is possible that success NAV attend these
efforts, but wisdom and prudence demand that
we indulge in no confident expectations on the
subject, and that we relax not one moment in
every preparation for the ensuing campaign
From the choice made by the President, we
may rest assured that no means will be left
untred to effect peace il 1t be possible to attain
it,. But if the three eminent citizens selected for
the purpose shall fail in their attempt, one good
result will certainly have been reached. All
diseordant counsels On this subject will have
become reconciled. and it will no longer be in
the power of the factions or the timid to per.
suade the people that peace can be reached by
any path other than that opened for US by stout
hearts and stout hands.
Upon the heel of the departure OF our COM
mssiOners rumor gained currency that bear
ers OF dispatches had arrived in Richmond
from both the French and English Govern
ments. We need hardly add that we could
trace it to Authentic source
The Richmond Sentinel of January 81 con-
tains the following:
"a gentleman who was at the army on yes.
terday at Petersburg, when Messrs. Stephens,
Hunter and CampbeIl passed through our lines
on their way to Washington, says that the
shouting along the lines was prolonged and
enthusiastic. 1t would, indeed, be delightful
If there was any room TO hope that the Wash.
lng'on authorities are prepared for such terms
OF peace as would allow the soldiers to dis.
perse Once before the acclamations of the
armies were united. When they lay confront
ed at Fredericksburg fine military band
played in succession stY aDkee Doodle" .sDix-
le," and other national airs. These were ap-
propriaiely responded 10 by the two armies
alternately; hut when the band struck up
"Home, Sweet Home the opposing camps
forgot their hostility, and united in yociferous
tribute to the common sentiment.
"Official Reports.
'Heneral HaTdee telegraphs that the enemy
crossed at Springfield on The night OF the 25th
instant. and moved north ward in two columns
on the morning OF the 27th He also reports
that all attempts to cross the Oomhahee have
so far failed. General Taylor reports that the
enemy in some force came towards Clinton .
from Baton Rouge and Bayou Sara, and re-
turned Activity is reported on the Mississippi
river Troops going mp and down Most
OF Thomas army ale reported TO have marched
west from Columbia to Clifton, On the Tennes-
see river portion of these forces, including
A. j. Smiths, are said to be in the vicinity of
Huntsville and Eastport. No change in the
fleet Off Mobile The enemy are still leaving
Pascagoula.
From Charleston.
"a dispatch from Charleston to the Whig,
dated the 29th, says the enemy's infantry are
encamped near Ennes'C Gross Roads, on the road
leading to Graham vile. aud on the read to-
wards Sisters Ferry. They have wagon trains
with them. recoDnoitering force was reported
within four miles OF RObertsvIlle on the 29th.
Robertsyilie is fifty miles north OF Savannah,
and five miles east of the Savannah river. "A
small party of Yankees landed on Little Britain
Island, near Legare's, Saturday night, and were
driven Off"
Army of Tennessee
I'VE have direct adyices," says the Lynch
burg Republican, of the 27th instant, "from
the Army OF Tennessee to the 18th instant
through private letter received iu that CITY
General BeauTegard would assume the com.
mand in person, ard the army, 1t is stated, was
about to move, but liz what direction was not
Known
The Richmond Wing contains the following
- General Lee as Com IN nder r.. in Chief
1--WE learn that the President did not send TO
the Senate yesterday, as was anticipated by
some OF our cotempOrarIes. the nomination of
General Robert L Lee, as the commander in
chief OF the armies of the Confederate States"
"JACKSOE, Jan. %, IS65-Twenty three
houses, six hundred bales of cotton, commits.
sary, quartermaster AMI other stores, were
burned at Summit this morning. The fire was
accidental. Summit is station on the New
Orleans, Jackson, and Great Northern rail.
road, seventy-five miles souh of Jackson, in
Pike county. Mississippi. Before the war it
contained two hotels and twelve stores, of
various kinds"