New-York daily tribune., 1865-12-18

tAre tlmUft ntSOutF utttl'
luton. IL was therefore, necessary tO scatter the
troops over wide extent of county, and mar as
rapidly es circumstances would permit. This w-e ren'
sale Ivy the fact that Fores forces W. re at tbut
time near West Piut, Aiss.. $50 mile southwest OF
Esstport, while R"dd,'s occupied Montevals on the
| Alabama aud Tennessee River Railroad. neary tie
dst Ia the soutbrast By starting on diveig
ing roads the IN, left doubt MS 10 our real OBJ
jet. and compelled to waicn equally Columbus Iusca'
loo and S ma.
u, toms Division. followed by his train marched rap.
idly by the easier.y route. passing by Bsron's
station. fhrormorions Mills kus,plyiie. Mount Hope
nnd jasper. &c sanders Ferry ON the west ork OF the
Black Warrior River
| Longs Division marched by the WY ~ Cherokee
Sta ion ard Frnnkfor; but being encumbeIed by the
Ion'oon train and baviag mist ken the road by Which
n shunld have ascende the mountain wGs 90 sideraoy
del yed IN reaching Russo vlie From ti'ir p ce 1t
marched d ec,ly s'uib by tnc Tuscesss road TIL II
Upper Boar Greek thence turned 10 the east
ward by the head OF Bnt8hntchie Creek. crossed
Rylers road near Thorn hil' and struck Backwater
Creek a.ut 2j miles from Jasrar. he crossing o g."
si.G, 1t on,d aud te ioad Tor Fix miles tc,"nd
were - nsd ns coud h., but by indu-ty everything
vrs forced through Jaspsr aud the fod the Wai.
rior vi nth bni little loss ~ time.
NJ, COOKS Division pursued the route 10 Rear
Or. Elk tie Tuscaloosa rord but instead Of turning
the eastward ut that pac", c"ut uue q march toward
Tascaoss far dIidgr and thence cal oJa,pir.
Ia this order tie different divisions aiIv' Il at and
crossed the two folks uf the Is acs " AM River.
The ford on the west branch was eJtisml ly diff.
omit f appro O. veil Hs oi passage. The counffy on
bih sides. very rugged and GOO 100 feet above the
stream Itself at tie time likely to bccome entirely
impossible by the rain wic tire toned 10 occur 1T any
m"nett had also heard at Jnspor. on tie .7th . at
p"rt of FORESTS torce. under Cb,mers was mSrch
bt the way Brdgevnlp toward ru>ca ~, ana Knew
Il ai # the true direction Of "nr movement hd terR
discovered. 1t would be- but abort time till the b"lalcr
Oi The Rebel Try would push 10 the same direction.
l therefore directed Ty division commanders To fe
p!rnsh tho bnyeTsaoks. see tai the ak HLlmals we're
ial, sden. TO rave all the wagons .1cep the alllr'y
Gud oh with tho greatest possible rspiy ys yto,
to No tevas frt cot fdenl that the -nrwJ wuulIr'
reir qush las efforts to check tie movement Of The
tIc ps IN tie hope of destroying our sup, traiu.
therefore left 10 between the two streams. with IN truc
II ns 10 push ia ON. where II vou o-ve
further 0 dtrs by great eUrrgy ou The put of cOu.'
aiding ofhceis the two branches Of the Wa fior were
crrstd each division hsii few hOis's, at Do IA, n
Al L yt'n. OF the evening Of w 3Utb nect.d ten.
McCook to dciacl CfUxton's Brigade with orders 10
move on Tuscaloosa Ms rapidly as possible. bum tie
public stoIes IL itry sc"UOl. bridges oupdefirs ahd
factories at that pi oe r'trn toward the main c"un"
by the way If the Cenisvie ro'G and jn 1t II OF IN
III. vicinity uf Selma Beside covering cur tioi nnd
INJECTING heavy bow uIon the c"emy. hoped by ttis
detnc ncn o. devrlOp nIy movement Oh his part ih'
tenGed 10 tricept ny man colainn
Gen Upt NJ DIVISION encountered few Rebel cav
airy at Eyton. but pushed them rapidly aciOss tie
Cab wba River tn Montc,a.ls. The kcbes having
ied trees iuiO tie fnd and Otherwise ohs.rnced II
tie railroad bridge near Hills vas d"Ored over by
Gen. WiEsuw. Gen. Upton crossed hlr division ard
pushed rapidly 10 MOnleyals. where be arrive late
On the evening of The Jh. Long and McCo' mnI c!.d
by the route lD tins region Gen. tOns Di'i>-
Od Destroyed the Red Mountain. Central. Blob aud
Columbisrs Iron " orks, ahawha Rolhng Mil. tive
coil er.es and much valuable property. All "f thrse
establishments were Il gIen ertet and ~ full peraton
Hrfivnd az Mortcyn Is ON tns sfterDoon uf March 81
where found uptuns Division ready 10 resume the
march Directly afer the enemy mad" bis appearance
on the Se.ns road BY my direc ion Gen. Upton
moved his Civsion out at once. Gen. Aexandefs r'g
AIDE IN advarce. After u sharp fight ana hanosome
charge Gen. Alexander drove the Rebel eavhy
part Of Cross Hna's KrnIucky Brigade aud EocdYs
Div si0n, rapidly and great confusion toward han
do pb. The enemy epdeavoring - make ,ia"d at
creek four or five miles south Of Montevals On. UP
ton placed positi and opened fl kodnr, bat er,
Il" 4tb u. = ARTILLERY. AID pushing inslO1s Brig
ade n the froat tLey again beat hasty retreat closely
pUrsued md repeatedly chniged by "iasiow ADVANCE
About 30 prisoners we're T. ken with their ms and
accouie ment-. aud much other lose materials were
-binioned. The g,iiantry pf men and officers lad
becn most cohspicu"us throughout the uay ana had =
sured elrsady in the est 'biishment ,of moral supre
rHucy for thu corps. -.
% oa'. Division bvcuacked "A miles ,ontL Of Monte,
wallis aud nt dawn II the next day. Airi i pushed
frward 10 ksnGo ph Al this pObt, In pufrusboc oi
the o der of march for the day Gen. Uptoh urncd To
the east for tie puIpose oil gong oy the way I" .il
Gei Long Wns instructed 10 push forward on tie he"
road. ,,
lust from Centrevr, aDd nom bis pet son ok Two DIS
hatcher one fIoiu Bfig.-tien W. H jackson. co 10
nsndiug one Il fmIesi's DIVISION. aud one from Msl
nde, son, Forre.ts Chief OF stan From the hfet
leaoued thst fOrrest with part OF his c"'Dmnhd H
Ia front; tis lad also been obtained on priso"I
,b ~ sd nth his div isiOn aud all TIE Wagons ana
nrtil o , of fta Rebel cavalry marching FROM j sot
bose via Tron toward Centieyile had eDcanped IL,
NJ. hi before Hills paniai n, three mi es oe!o
ScottshoiO that Cru1tons. with tie brigade detaciei
n, Eiyron had struck JacAs MS rear guard ~ i'l"n
mi n exposed hims II b,tween II aud The Train That
"a tsJn lad discovered tins, and intended TO ata'A
oxton a. daylight Al ri learned iIJtn ne othef
dispb that Chalmers Ind also arrived at MatiOh Ala
I'D been oTosrrd to cru-s TO the eh,t Sioe OF the
CabeV b.. near that place, for the purpose o' )"u,
Forr Fl 40 nv front IN the works H. SELMA nlso
learned that a force Of dsnouBtrd men were stationed
at Centr,yilc with orders To hold the 9rdgc over me
CslawDa 1t that ace ns i'.s as P'esiDe ana III uo
event let IL fall into our hands
sbart ef or tie intefceptIon Of these dispatches
received disp,tch fiOm Cruxton written h"n non
tho ngnl befoe informing NE that 10 had 'lrues ya.h
ous rear nd o pus hing toward usceIo' a.
az he was ordered. Le would hdow ana ehdeh'or W
bring him 10 an Engagement hoping thereby W prevent
his junction with Forrest. a.,
Mcin,k 10 strengthen the battrion prey"uSy ied
10 Cenr, vide bv regiment and 10 o'io" al once VIZ
a(iranee's entire brigade leaving all pack trans ana
agons with the main column. ~ that he cou1 msIcn
With the utmost possible ceieri, and after s"flns r
Centrrve bridge AID leaving nhdsr pfotec,ioh oi
,ufi,eu, guard ~ the Cahn~ba hnd continue els
march b, ths Scottyb0Io road toward Ifi"n. his or
dets were " attack and break mp JrchSohs FORCES
form junction with CruTton u pfactcaOe ana i'J.ih
tle crus with his entire division. by Tue Centre'lHe
road 10 Se ue Although he did lot leave Randolph III
near II O'Clock n N and the distance ~ ScotS'l" was
nearly 30 miles hoped by THIS movement 10 40 more
IN IN secure the CentTeye bridge and prevent Jackson
tom joinng the force IN front of the main 60 umh
Having titus taken care Of the right gtnk and sutci.
pstrd Forrest in MS intention to ay ms oa gae OF
eeting upon the rear of his opp0neb gave dreet"ns
to Long and Upton allow hun no rest Dnt push MN
i"ward selma with the utmost spirit and rapisiV.
These officers comprehended the situatiob press"u ui
aJ win edmirafe zeal aud activity upon tho roads
Which have previously been indicated. Tue advanoe Of
both divisions encountered small parties OF ths enemy
but drove them back to their man force ~ hoene1e,
Chnrcb .ir miles north VI Plantersve. Forrest had
chosen position on the north bank Of Bogeis Creek.
and Disposed of hrs force fer battle his right resting on
Mulberry Greek and ais left on high wooded r,dgs.
= tlfnrv IN ~
road upon which Lon 70 Division war advancing, aud
,yr on The Msoesyille road. He had uDd9r hls com.