The Daily Dispatch: December 17, 1864., [Electronic resource]

Our Southern exchanges give us some accounts of the progress of the war in that portion of the Confederacy. The Charleston Courier contains the particulars of the fight at Coosawatchie. It says:

‘ "The enemy, on Friday afternoon, made an attack on our lines at Coosawatchie, and were again badly repulsed. The fight took place between the Tilifinny trestlework and the Coosawatchie bridge. The heaviest fighting was between the enemy's troops, consisting of a brigade of infantry and artillery, estimated at about three thousand, commanded by General Hatch, and the Georgia troops, under the command of General L. H. Gartrell, on our right, resting on Tilifinny creek. The enemy attempted to gain possession of the Tilifinny cut and trestlework, an important position commanding the line of railroad at Coosawatchie. Our troops, on the enemy's approach, gave a cheer, and before they could come up, charged them with great gallantry. The fight lasted about two hours and a half, the enemy being finally driven back to their entrenchment.--The enemy's loss is said to have been very heavy, while ours will not exceed one hundred killed and wounded. General Gartrell was painfully wounded by a fragment of shell in the arm and side.

"From prisoners taken in this fight, as well as from some of our own men who were captured and afterwards escaped, we learn that the enemy estimate their loss in last Thursday's engagement at between seven and eight hundred killed and wounded. Our loss in this action was seven killed and fifty wounded.

"The enemy have evacuated Boyd's landing and established their base at Bee's creek, from which there is a direct road to the Coosawatchie railroad bridge. Their gunboats in Bee's creek command the battery in their present position, near the railroad. A dispatch from Major-General Jones, received last evening, reports all quiet at Coosawatchie and Pocotaligo.

"Of Sherman's movements we hear plenty of rumors. Our latest and most reliable intelligence states that he is moving cautiously towards the coast, below Savannah, probably for Genesis Point. Fighting was reported on Saturday at Monteith, about ten miles from Savannah. The Savannah railroad was reported torn up from the former point to the junction of the Central and Savannah railroad. A day or two will develop Sherman's intentions."

’ General Beauregard returned to Charleston from a short visit to Savannah on Sunday. He went up the river to the vicinity of the railroad bridge, and ran the gauntlet of the batteries which command the road, on the special train which had awaited his arrival, and which was the last that has left Hardeeville.

A letter from the city marshal of Atlanta, who has returned to that city, gives an account of what the Yankees and others have done to that unfortunate city. It says:

‘ "From the best information I can get, there have been from fifty to three hundred wagons per day in Atlanta, since the Federal left, hauling off iron, furniture, wagons, window- blinds, door-locks, books, lumber, etc., amounting to about fifteen hundred wagon loads. They came from fifty to one hundred miles in every direction. They broke open all the houses that were left, including the churches in which the exiles' furniture was stored, and plundered indiscriminately.

"Wesley Chapel and Trinity, the First and Second Baptist, First and Second Presbyterian and Catholic Churches are standing. The First Episcopal Church is standing, but badly damaged. The Yankees used it, I have been told, for a ten-pin alley.

"Every depot, railroad turn-table, water tank, pump, cross-tie, bridge, blacksmith shop (except one), and all the mills are burned. I think more than two-thirds of all the residences in the city are destroyed; but I can give but a faint idea of the destruction.

"The cemetery fence is all destroyed. The Yankees have buried their dead all over the city, and have taken the fence from around the cemetery to build some separate lots for themselves. They have put their dead into private vaults, and have stolen tombstones from Mr. Oatman's marble yard to put at their heads. They have taken the moss and shrubbery from other graves to cover the graves of their dead, and have robbed our dead in the vaults of the silver coffin-plates to make finger rings.

"We had an election for Mayor and Council to-day. James M. Calhoun and Dr. J. F. Alexander were candidates for Mayor, and we had a pretty good ticket for Aldermen. One hundred and fifteen votes were polled. Calhoun received ten majority.

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