Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-09

Especial CORRESPONDENCE Of the Chicago Times.I
MuRrRKEsBoRo, Tenn. March 80.
There has been no advance of the army nor
are there any indications of such movement
On the contrary, the activity which has charac-
terized all the preparations for the last two
months, and which everybody supposed would
eliminate In another battle ut Shelbyville or Tui-
lshoma has just assumed precautionary phase
IL WAS believed that the enemy would make only
show of resist.nce. and would fall back gradu-
ally "a the Federal lines drew nearer, until Chat
tanooga was reached where. il was reasonable to
suppose. the next great battle would be fought
But within a few weeks the Rebels have evi
IDENTIFY adopted a new plan of operations, and il is
now not unlikely that the of
important and decisive conflict. All along the
front the enemy has become unusually bold max
ing frequent Reconnaissance. attacking our pick
ets at dozen several points at the same time,
displaying signal lights by night and. to all APP
pearances, endeavoring to provoke Rosecrans to
battle. In consequence Of these demonstrations
the outposts have been drawn in n considerable
distance. rendering necessary. of course, cor
responding retrograde movement by large por-
ton Of the army. Where the headquarters OF the
right grand division were located two weeks ago
are now stationed our infantry pickets, and the
Notifications north of Murfreesboro. and on both
sides of Stone river. which were 80 recently un-
occupied. are alive with troops. At the same
time. additional precaution. hundreds of
army wagons have been transporting the com
missariat supplies TO within the formidib de
fenses which | have just mentioned. The hos
pital buildings in the town have been Gle med so
far rs practicable and all sick soldiers who could
be removed have been sent northward. To guard
against surprise the picket detlils have been
strengthened. and every night regiment of in
fsntry goes out upon each pike and sleeps under
arms Meanwhile the enemy continues to feel
strength by constantly skrmi$hing along the
lines. Thus. while we have ceased TO anticipate
an immediate aggressive movement by this army
each day has incre lsed the probability of Rebel
attack. The impression is we'll grounded that
battle Is imminent, and | am disposed to adopt it
my own The situation is rapidly approaching
a crisis. Three months have passed away since
the battle of Stone River. without any important
event in this department. and the Rebels EVIL
IDENTIFY about To strike blow The odds will be
divided abont equally. The Rebels will prob
ably have the advantage OF superior numbers.
bnt the Federal troops hold a position rendered
almost impregnable by the exercise OF the most
consummaie engineering skill. The Notifications
cOver vast area on both banks of the river, and
if there j. other alternative the troops fall
back behind the breastworks and parapets, and
there defy the enemy
REBEL PROGRAMME.
Southern military leaders in their previous con
duct OF the war. no sensible person can dispute
that the approaching spring and summer cam
paign will be characterized by extraordinary
strategic shrewdness The Southern Contedera-
CIV has reached that period in the rebellion when
its military operations must be on the offensive.
Delay at this crisis cannot occur without rrepnra
BILE and fatal damage to the Rebel cause. Uni
versal destitution is prevalent all through the
cotton States. and the Richmond papers, in sick
ly tones. are compelled to admit the alarming
scarcity of the necessaries of life. The reality
of their situation stubbornlv confronts them in
every direction Their Capital il no longer men
aced. but Vicksburg. Port Hudson. Charleston
and Savannah are in danger. while they behold
with horror the preparations that are going on
in this department Charleston they deem i'm
pregnable. but they know well enough the ult
mate fate of Vicksburg. The South is prepared
for the fall of that favorite stronghold and the
most rational of their leaders no longer calculate
upon possessing the Mississippi river Thus
while the military cause of the Rebels in
ausplcuous elsewhere, they derive the most in
tense satisfaction from the situation in Tennes
and Kentucky Here all their hopes of sue
cess are centered. and here they are bound to
stake the fate of their cause This must he the
inevitable conclusion To any person who has stu
died the record OF current events in the South
ern States during the last three months And it
is evident beyond doubt that the Rebel pro-
gramme looks 10 concentration OF all the
Southern military strength and energy for the
possession of Kentucky and Tennessee To &C
complish this. the plan of the operation embraces
the following:
The invasion of Kentucky Twenty thou.
sand troops (the most of them from the Rich
moud army OF deieusel are already liking their
wav thither. The auaat courriers of the inva-
dcrs have been devastating Eastern Kentucky
for the last ten DAYS. penetrating a far rs Dan
vile. and driving our forces before them One-
third Of the State has fallen into the possession
OF the Rebels. who have but just made their ap
pearance The remainder OF the invading iOrce
at Knoxville, about ten days ago, and was
then about To start t. CHAMBERLAIN Gap. under the
command OF Gen. LOneStreet of Virginia fame.
These assumptions indIsputablv correct. The
Richmond Enquirer. several weeks ago, publish
ell the statement that Lnngstreet and the troops
of his command were then passing through the
Capital lin direction which it would not be
proper To announce ut present Another para
graph. however. predicted that "they were going
where they would SION be heard from Shortly
after this item made IL appearance in the Rich
mOnd journal. | c0nyerSed with very intelligent
Southern gentleman. just arrived inside lines.
who informed me that when he came through
Knoxville. large bodies of troops were gathering
there. and that Longstreet was momentarily ex-
pected to reach there and assume command As
anoth,r confirmation of the suppositiOn that
Longstreet had been assigned To the Kentucky
Department the Atlanta lntelligencer of the Doth
inst. had the following special dispatch from
Chattanooga:
"Rumor saws that RoSecrlns has sent large
force 10 prevent Longstreet's advance through
Kentucky
Hence there is nothing wanting 20 establish
the truth as TO what General and what forces are
pouring aro Kentucky.
, An attack upon Rosecrans simultaneous
with the arrival of L,ngstreet in Central Ken
tuckv The Rebels expect. naturally enough.
that part of the army here will be sent to the
defence OF Kentucky. rs soon rs the invaders
make their Appearance Gen. Johnston il then
10 make an attack NJ Murfreesboro. anticipating.
of course that the Federal army here will be
terially weakened on account of the absence of
reinforcements sent northward.
3 In the event OF victory ~ MurfreeSbOro.
which Johnson will he ordered TO gain at all haz-
arls. an advance upon Nashville.
The possession of fosts DOnelSon and
Henry
In the event of the forced evacuation of
Vick>burg the troops now there to be massed
with Johnston's army, which will swell its mum
oers TO sufficient strength 10 enable him TO
force RosecranS TO fall back to the Ohio river.
II the above plans should be successful.
goans'ou will effect junction with Longsrreet
a hentucky. and. with the aid of reinforcements
! ON the South. will march upon Louisville and
CINCINNATI, by which time il i hooel tho indie
pendence ct Dixie will be fully and completely