Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-02

The latest reliable news We have Of General
Sherman's movements Is that on the 18Th be sas
At Winnsboro, S. c., on the Charlotte road. while
Beauregard vas retiring on Charlotte, y L q,
concentrating his troops as be reireated.
The report that Gen. sherman vas at Camden.
y c., mar be true, as from Winnsboro, IL would
lie directly in bis course to Florence. Hereafter
we must consider that.
GENERALS SHERMAN AND scHoFTELD ARE co.
oPERATISe.
On the 18th Gen Schofed advanced from
Smithville. y c., apon the west bank Of the
Cape Fear river, toward Fort Anderson. while
Gen. Terry moved up the peninsula. and Ad-
miral Porter. with his feet, up the river. On
the 18th Fort Anderson fell. and We have the
news to-day that Wilmington was captured on
the 23d.
There are several reasons for asserting that
Gems Schofeld and Sherman acting in
conjunction. The principal one is that the
corps of the former formed an intregal part Of
the latter in the campaigns in the west and
that il has therefore been selected by Gen.
Sherman to assist him 10 this grand campaign.
The corps did not leave Gen. Thomas branch
of Sherman's army until the present plan OF OPP
erations bad been agreed upon and In process Of
execution, and was then sent 10 North Carolina
evidently with the intention of assisting in the
final issue Of the present campaign. The move
ment of Gen. Schofeld upon Wilmington seems
70 have been timed to accord with that of Sher
There has been no period since General
SchofeId landed his army in North Carolina
when he could not have done precisely that which
he successfully accomplished on the Odd. But
an earlier movement than the one be did make
would have been impracticable. and have posi-
bly, Disconnected the plans Of Sherman by re
lieving Braggs army from the defense of Will
mington, and enabling il to reinforce Beauregard
before Sherman had severed communications so
as to prevent or retard il. With the fall Of Viii
mington on the 22i, General Schofeld was at
liberty to pursue that which we assume was the
original plan of the campaign. and push on to
form junction with his chief.
MOVEMENT ON FLORENCE.
Florence is lei miles from Wilmington on the
Manchester road. This is the point az which re
suppose that General Sberman's advance aimed
after leaving Winnsboro. Ii this was the direc-
ton of Sherman's column IL would have been
reached before the 22I, ard before the enemy
could obstruct the movement to any considerable
extent. Bragg. in evacuating Wilmington,
would not proceed south, but rather west or
north. and therefore General Schoteld would
find the road to Florence almost intact. so that
he could push on rapidly. IL is probable that a
junction between Sherman and Schofeld has
been effected ere this.
sHERMAS's OBJECT IN SEEKING BASE.
We must not estimate the present campaign by
the fruits of Sherman's famous raid through
Georgia. From Atlanta TO Savannah he found
productive country, well cultivated fields, and
abundance of everything with which to sup
ply bis army. He needed nothing, not even the
usual army rations tor his troops. The country
supplied everything. and more than it could use
His march in the present campaign has been diff
ferent.
During his stay in South Carolina te has ap-
parently been well provided. but we may assume
only after he crossed The EdistO. Before that
event be Was travelling through swamps, iordipg
small streams. and feeding his troops at disad-
vantage. His trains could not be encountered
with many stores, and those which we're absolute
~ necessary had to be we'll guarded, and thus
impeded bis progress. After be crossed the Ed
isto. however. and reached plateau of produc-
8 tive country, his army doubtless lived we'll and
had no occasion to seek base of supply. AS
he approaches North Carolina. however. the ne
cessity for a depot from which he can replenish
his stores becomes absolute. He cannot hope to
subsist his army off the country. for the middle
aud western portions of the state are mainly un-
productive of food There are strips Of land in
the valleys and at the bases of the mountains
which might furnish limited supply of pro-
visions, but these are not ready Of access. The
eastern portion of the state is productive OF
scarcely anything besides naval stores, and hence
. campaign in any part of North Carolina with
out base OF supply would be hazardous in the
extreme. For this reason he is undoubtedly
forming junction with General Sehofeld' upon
the line OF the Manchester road.
rHE REBEL HINTS At EXTENSIVE coxBIsATIoNs
IL will be remembered that while Gen Sher
man conducting his campaign through Geor-
gia to the coast. the rebel editors. after puzzlng
themselves and the people with respect to his
purposes and whereabouts, announced, very guar
dedly ard mysteriously. that certain combina-
tons were being formed which would overthrow
and annihilate the foe before he could escape.
The result showed that no such combination ex-
listed, and that Sherman was comparatively IN
opposed. The rebel papers now contain similar
predictions. and announce that certain military
movements are in progress. which will effectual-
ly check the course of Gen. Sherman. We may
conjecture that these rebel maneuvres the eff
forts of Bearregard TO unite Bregg's and Har-
dee's forces with bis own. and so present a for
mdable barrier to Shermsns further progress in
TO North Carolina. But the union commander.
IL he is seeking to effect junction with Schofeld
will avoid this obstruction. and place his army
upon the coast In a condition and position TO in
wade the state of North Carolina in oserwhelm-
ing force.
IEk NORTH CAROLINA kAILRoAD&
The principal roads leading out OF WILMINGTON, and