Year: 1865

as this but we will not trou5le our readers WITH
them We stated i. ous lGaE that Sherman was no
donht at that time at CheraE " and !: sesss nov
to be known that on Thursday last he was four
miles from that place on his way towards Fayette-
VILE Itis stated that part of his army crossed
the Pedee at Cheraw, and part lower down.
1t is also surmised that he had turned to the right
at Cheraw, and was passing through Robson
County to EIizabethtown, Bladen, where he
pected to form junction with Schofeld from Will
mington. Elizabethtown is some thirty fve-miles
below Fayetteville.


The Richmond Dispatch of the 1st says:


awe are still without official Intelligence Of
movements now taking place in the Carolinas and,
for reasons hitherto stated do not clre to repeat all
the reports that reach us. We heard yesterday
that Sherman was stuck in the mud in one of the
Southern States If it has rained half as much
there as in this vicinity, there be no doubt of
the truth OF the statement There have been many
widely different estimates of the strength of Sher
mans army. By some, his forces have been est-
mated as high as sixty thousand.


We learned, on YESTERDAY, Though trustworthy
source that General Hampton reported his force
consist of four corps of infantry, of seven thousand
each, and body of cavalry Of from four to five
thousand men. His artillery will, perhaps swell
the number of his main column to tEirty.ive thou
sand. If We give Gilmore, at Charleston, ten thou
sand men, and Schofeld, at Wilmington, fifteen
thousand we shall estimate the whole Yankee force
now operating in the Carolinas at sixty thousand
men. This we think, is not far, from the mark.
The Yankee papers make the figures much larger,
and give Sherman an immense cavalry force"


We think it hardly probable that Sherman would
! have attempted so long and important a march
with no more than thirty five thousand men. His
force is probably sixty thousand; and if he
should succeed in forming junction with Scho-
field, he will probably be at the head of eighty
thousand men. The point at which he is aiming
the O6ectiUe point, as it is called-iS doubt the
Piedmont Road. To reach that he will attempt to
make his way through Cumberland, Harnett, Chat
ham, Aamance and Guilford; and if 10 should
sweep over as wide belt of territory as he did in
his progress through Georgia, his right wing would
touch Fayetteville and Raleigh, and his left wing
the western line of Arson and Randolph. The in
dications are that he will be met long before he
can reach the North Carolina Railroad. A general
battle will most probably be fought in Cumber
land or~Harnett, or Wake or Chatham but the
decisive battle for the possession of the Piedmont
Road may take place near the Company Shops, in
Alamance 1t would not be proper for US to state





number or disposition of our troops, but we feel
sure that the "clans are gathering" and that a
powerful blow will be dealt to the enemy at some
point in this State. If Gen. Sherman force be no
larger than it is said to be by the Dispatch, he
will in all probability, encounter defeat and disas
ter in North Carolina. Our people are awaiting
the result with intense interest.


We have heard report for several days that a
formidable force of the enemy was marching en-
Kins:on on both sides Of the Neuse, from Newbern.
At the time of writing this we hear confirmation
of this report. The federals are said to be repair
ing the Railroad from Core Greek towards Kinston
and it may be that they have sent out regiment
or two to Core Creek preparatory to an advance


yards Goldsborough. The impression seems to


that Gen. Foster will advance soon, in consider


zee from NewbeTn, with the view of CO ope-


til Sherman. 1t is stated that the federals


Ging thirty fags and some sixteen pieces
Of ~ lat Core Greek. The latter point is
some fifteen miles NeIow klnstou.


Everything was 40: -the latest dates at Pc
tersburg and Richmond owing to the bad weather
1t is expected, however, that important movements
will take place in that quarter soon.


The federal papers seem to be of the opinion that
heavy concentration OF troops will be. effected at
some point IN North Carolina by the CQDlederates
We have report that the evacuation of Petersburg
is going on, but nothing is certainly known as to
this by outsiders


1t seems that Staunton, Va, is threatened by
federal cavalry. We hear nothing more of the ru
1nored advance Of Stoneman and AverlI from East
Tennessee with cavalry. But every thing seems
to point above stated to great battle in the in
terror Of This State for the possession Of the Pied
mont Road


We learn from the Richmond Dispatch that the