Latest from General Hood's army.
There is very little doubt that General Hood, who is now across the Tennessee river, has laid hold upon the Nashville and Chattanooga railroad. We find in the Georgia papers the following intelligence concerning his movements, dated at Jacksonville, Alabama, the 26th ultimo:‘ We have news this morning that the river has been safely crossed, and that everything is going on as well as heart could with. Your can well imagine how those speeches were received, and with what alacrity ranks were formed, and how elastic the tread on the road towards the beautiful Tennessee. Up to that time there had been many doubts as to the destination of General Hood, many supposing that after he destroyed the Western and Atlantic railroad he would fall back to this place and Blue mountain and winter his army. This might have been his anticipations when he left Middle Georgia, but so successful had he been up to the time he reached Oadsden, that the whole army and the people, with one accord, determined that our standards, should once more be unfurled over Murfreesboro' and Nashville. Nor need you be at all astonished to next of the Cumberland being crossed.--Forrest reads the head of the column and Cleburne covers the rear.
’ General Hood enters upon this campaign at the head of the finest army ever marshaled this side of Virginia. It is larger in number, has better generals, and is in better spirits than was ever known before. It is, perhaps, somewhat deficient in shoes and blankets, but the men all believe that they are going to a land where an abundance of all these, and many things more, will be obtained.
As to the position of the enemy, we know nothing, save that Kilpatrick followed our army from Lafayette to within a few miles of Gadsden, and is, perhaps, still upon that line; all else is supposition.
We know, however, that Sherman will be obliged to concentrate in Middle Tennessee, and there fight a pitched battle; that is, it Hood does not seize Bridgeport and Stevenson and thus force him to adopt a more northern line of retreat. Hood is upon the interior line, and I think there can be but little doubt as to the result of the race for Murfreesboro' and Nashville.
Another letter from Jacksonville, four days later, says:
‘ Our cavalry officers immediately in front of this town appear to be in doubt themselves as to the force and designs of the enemy on the Coosa.--There is no doubt, however, but that they are in the neighborhood of Cedar Bluff, with infantry, cavalry and artillery. On last Thursday, a force of fifteen hundred cavalry, under Kilpatrick, advanced to Ladiga, thirteen miles northeast of this place, and in this county. They were met by General Ferguson's brigade, and a hard fight of ten hours duration followed. Ferguson finally drove the enemy from every part of the field and captured his dead, mortally wounded and three prisoners. They left twelve of the former on the ground. In their retreat, the enemy took the Rome read. Subsequent scouting parties failed to discover any force this side of the Coosa.
’ Many officers of General Wheeler's cavalry are of the opinion that Sherman will send a strong force down the Selma and Blue Mountain railroad, and that he is under the impression that Hood is drawing his supplies over that way. General Wheeler has received instructions to fall back in front of such a column should it advance. Nothing would gratify General Hood more than for Sherman to make such a disposition of any of his army corps while he is redeeming Tennessee.
