Sherman's expedition.
--A gentleman who arrived in Mobile Wednesday night, says the Advertiser and Register, of the 25th, confirms in general the accounts from Mississippi and adds some interesting items:‘ He reports, on the authority of Yankee prisoners at Enterprise, that Hurlburt's corps is retiring on Yazoo City and McPherson's on Natchez. The prisoners attribute the failure of the expedition to the fact that Grierson and Logan were unable to make a junction with Sherman at Meridian. We do not understand Logan's whereabouts, but Grierson came by Pontotoc. We are assured that Gen. Forrest whipped Grierson soundly at Tibbee, taking a considerable number of prisoners, and the latter retreated in the direction of North Alabama. The report of his being at Aberdeen is not fully substantiated, though there is a rumor that he has burned the town.
’ The damage done to the Mobile and Ohio Railroad extends from Lauderdale to two miles below Quitman, a distance of forty-six miles, all the bridges and trestle work being destroyed, and the track torn up for miles at intervals, as is elsewhere stated.
Everything at Lauderdale Springs was destroyed.
The Southern road is completely torn up from Jackson to Meridian.
Our informant states that the enemy committed few depredations upon private property, beyond helping themselves to provisions. At Quitman they took bed clothing, but their excuse was that they were misinformed as to the distance, and came without blankets, expecting to return the same day. They are supposed to have carried off about 800 negroes, selecting the likeliest, and in one or two instances driving back some lots that they did not consider eligible.
Some persons about Enterprise took the Yankee oath, and accompanied them on their retreat, but this was entirely voluntary, no attempt was made to enforce it.
The brigade that visited Quitman conversed freely of their plans, and inquired if there was not an attack going on upon the forts below Mobile — They understood that to be a part of the programme, the object being to divert the Confederate forces. They said they had no intention of moving against Mobile, and their excursion to Quitman was only for the purpose of destroying the bridge over the Chickasaw, to prevent troops from coming up the road. Their plan, as gathered from their movements and conversation, and from the statements of prisoners, was, after uniting with Grierson and Logan, to move upon Selma and Montgomery. According to the prisoners their next schemes is to hasten back to Grant and march upon Columbus, South Carolina.
