ild sally of speculation than an outline of operation, actually to be realized, or even in serious contemplation.
And yet, I venture to say, it is neither more nor less than what will be done this winter — neither more nor less than what will be an accomplished fact by the opening of spring.
In justification of this anticipation, the following considerations may be presented:
Putting aside, as settled, the question of opposition from the armies of the enemy, is an advance from the Savannah river, through the States of South and North Carolina practicable, simply as a problem in logistics?
In other words, is it feasible as a march?
Before Sherman made his march from Atlanta to the Atlantic, it might have been hazardous to answer this query in the affirmative.--But the master mind that, in the month of December, conducted his army from the heart of Georgia to Savannah, a distance of three hundred miles, without the loss of so much as a wagon, is equal to the task.
It is the pr
Sherman's Army gone back to the Savannah River. [Special dispatch to the Richmond Dispatch.] Charleston, January 14.
--The enemy's forces about Hardeeville have retired back to the Savannah river.
There is some doubt whether a corps had been sent to Beaufort.
There are no indications of an advance this way.
enemy, was to be expected, and especially in view of the amazing fact that the Executive of South Carolina refused to allow the militia of the State to cross Savannah river at a time when the militia of Georgia were fighting and winning the battle of Grahamville; but from Charleston, so differently situated, we had a right to exphere has been but little change in the military situation for some days.--Sherman has sent a corps around by water to Beaufort, and has marched a force across Savannah river to Hardeeville, having his outposts well thrown forward towards Grahamville.
The strength of this latter force is not known; but there is, as yet, no authentort will be made to carry the works by which Charleston is defended by a direct assault.
The attack, it is believed, will rather be made, by the west bank of Savannah river, against Augusta, or upon Branchville.
In other words, it is believed that the movement will be made against the line of communications between Columbia and
ormation that, on Thursday last, a fleet of vessels — men of war, gunboats and transports — came into Hampton Roads.--This is supposed to be the fleet which recently operated so successfully against Fort Fisher.
The report that the Tallahassee had been captured while attempting to run into the Cape Fear river is discredited by the War Department.
An official dispatch from General Hardee, dated on the 24th, says there are no movements being made by the enemy on either side of the Savannah river.--That is, that Sherman was not demonstrating against either Augusta or Branchville; but, on Wednesday, it was reported in Charleston that the enemy were withdrawing from Pocotaligo, and that a large column was moving from Savannah up the Augusta road.
It was reported yesterday that the President had appointed General R. E. Lee General-in Chief of the Armies of the Confederate States, and had assigned General Joseph E. Johnston to the command of the Army of Northern Virginia.
The g
enemy, with twenty horses.
From South Carolina.
There was a report current yesterday that Sherman had reached, and was destroying, the Augusta railroad at Midway, ten miles west of Branchville; but no intelligence in confirmation of this was received by the War Department.--According to official advices, Sherman was still twenty-five or thirty miles south of Branchville.
An Augusta paper, received yesterday, says that two corps of Sherman's army are on the Georgia side of the Savannah river.
Flag of the Confederate States.
The Senate, on Saturday, passed a bill adopting a new flag for the Confederate States, which will be passed by the House without objection.
The new flag is as follows: The width two-thirds of its length with the Union, (now used as the battle flag,) to be in width three-fifths of the width of the flag, and so proportioned as to leave the length of the field on the side of the Union twice the width below it; to have the ground red, and a broad bl
