Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-12-12
Grnnt,s InrenrIonn.
From the Richmond whig, Dec. g..

From the Richmond Wing, Dec. 8.
"Ssllust" the well-informed and trust
worthy war correspondent of the Dispatch
telegrsphing from Resscs under date ofNo-
vember 29th, states, in substance, that the
wagon roads are in q horrible condition,
that the enemy cannot advance without
the railroads, that they have no cars, and
that the probabilities are that no movement
in force upon Dalton and Atlanta will be
made until next spring. With great gen.
eral confidence in the accuracy Of state
ment and correctness Of judgment of this
correspondent, we should, nevertheless, be
exceedingly sorry to learn that his opin-
ions are derived from the General now
commanding the remnant Of BragZ's army,
and that they are shared by the President
and the war Department at Richmond.
To count upon the hardness Of Grants
movements, in consequence of the condi-
tion Of the turnpikes or the railroads
would be suicide. Grant has proved that
he can do what go few Of our Generals have
been able to sccomplish-follow up victo-
ry in spite Of natural obstacles; and it is
certain that he will not permit himself now
to be stopped, either by mud or by want
Of cars. These difficulties are by no means
insurmouptRble.
Every one remembers the sanguine pre-
dictions of the impossibility Of carrying
on the siege Of Vicksburg. Gentlemen
owning plantations on which Grants army
was encamped before Vicksburg, declared
that his soldiers would perish for the lack Of
water, or die like sheep with the rot, from
drinking water such as they could obtain.
Moreover, we were told that the malarious
diseases Of the climate would decimate his
army and compel him to raise the siege.
Further, it was stated by the same trust
worthy operator who is now at work in At
lants, cheering us with the assurance that
the Yankees lost at least twenty thousand
men in the assault Of Lookout Mountain,
that Grant had lost quite fifty thousand Of
the flower of his army, in the various at
tempts to storm the entrenchments at
Vlcksburg. How utterly fsllscious all
these predictions and assertions proved
The siege Of Vicksburg progressed steadily
to its conclusion, without, so far as we have
learned, any serious impediment whatever.
In spite OF wa or, climate, disease and re.
Pested repulses, Grant compelled Pember-
ton to surrender in less than three months
from the day the siege began.
Shall we again be the dupes Of our ILL
founded hoPes2 Shall we rely for safety
upon mud and not upon men2 Shall we
trust to ears and not to energy? Heaven
forbid The railroad from Nashville to
Chattanooga is, doubtless, now open, and
trains running all the way through. On
this railroad any quantity Of cars and en-
gines necessary to stock the road from
Chattanooga to Atlanta may be brought
through In less than q weeks time. Two
weeks more will be all that Yankee activi- |
y and ingenuity will demand 70 complete |
he rebuilding Of burned bridges. But we
1onbt If Grant will await the arrival Of |
'ars and the completion of bridges. he
las plenty Of transportation, and the
whole North behind him to supply horses
md wagons as fast as they break down.
ae has ten thousand men already mounted.
BE has esnnon without limit, and mex