The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-03-07

So far as we can learn the enemy occupied
Wilmington on the I'D. We have seen and con-
versed with gentleman who left Wilmington the
evening before the enemy occupied the town.. As
the train left, our Whitworth battery, planted at
the head of the market (ie., Front aud Market
streets) was firing upon the causeway ON the vest
ern side of the Cape Fear river. --.--.<=,..z.
The news is that our troops retreated across the
North East branch of the Cape Fear river at what
is known as Big Bridge ferry, or McRee's ferry
1t is said that our forces attempted to burn the
railroad bridge at North East, niue miles from Viii
nington but were only partially successful. There
is reason to believe thar the enemy followed up cur
retreating troops. We do not now think that the
line Of retreat of our forces from the Cape Fear
will bring them ID this direction, nor that the
enemy from there will visit Goldsboro' soon; but
from what we have heard from Wilmington We
think it just about as we'll for people to keep
their oaon eyes open as to depend upon the military
authorities, who acting either under special orders
or from supposed idea of duty, carry out the
notion of military reticence to a ridiculous extent
They did so at Wilmington. Much of the public
and private property might otherwise have been
saved This sort of thing is foolish-iti is criminal
The time has now come when the government
m,ust trust the people or both are gone up.
About the sacking of the town of Wilmington,
and all that sort of thing We believe very little of
suffering but all those who are PEELED to stay
in Wilmington ought not to be- denounced They
there, and physically and pecuniarily they are
unable to leave. There are good and true men and
women among them. D.
Of course we have no mail or Geographic COM
municatien with Wilmington. We do not know
what has been done with the Carolinian the editors
of the journal are in Confederate lines. There
may be few bales of cotton, few boxes OF
tobacco in Wilmington, but not, think, as a
speculation Most probably soldier a public
leave his family, and he may have tried to fix
something that they could use to get something to
eat: With few exceptions, this we think is the
story of all the cotton or tobacco 10 Wilmington,
and we think our informant knows something about
it. Goldsboro Journal.
The gunboat in process Of construction at Will
mington burnt by the authorities. We pre-
sumo that like disposition was made of such OF
the public property as had not been removed-not
much, we suppose, having been left to be burnt.
Since the fall of Fort Fisher the capture of Will
mipgton has been regarded as merely question Of
time. More than five weeks our small but brave
army has managed to keep at bay the enemy s
greatly superior force by land and water; and is
believed to have inflicted severe loss upon the en-
envy whilst sustaining but little loss themselves
They have finally safely retreated, whilst yielding
the place which they were not strong enough to
hold-FayetevWe Observer.
pg- 1t is stated that our forces under General
Bragg have succeeded in checking the forward
movement Of the enemy, under Schofeld, On the
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad; and that they
have advanced, in force, further than North
East river, some ten or fifteen miles from Will
mngton.
1t is thought that Schofeld will try next the
Fayetteville route, or attempt to effect junction
with Sherman-Raleigh Confederate.