The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-13
GEaars Intentions.



worthy war correspondent Of the Dis
patch, telegraphing from Resaca, under
date OF November 20, states, in sub
stance, that the wagon roads are in q
horrible condition, that the enemy can
not advance without the railroad, that
they have no cars, and that the probabil-
ties are that no movement in force upon
Dalton and Atlanta will be made until
next spring. With great general conf
dence IL the accuracy Of statement and
correctness Of judgment Of this cores
pOndent we should, nevertheless, DO sx-
ceedingly sorry to learn that his opinions
are derived from TIE General now con-
handing the remnant OF Bragg's army,
and that they are shared by the Presi
dent and the War Department st Rich.
mond. To count upon The tardiness of
Grants movements. in consequences of the
| condition Of the turnpikes or Che rail-
roads, would be suicidal Grant has
proved that he can 90 what 50 few Of our
Generals have been able TO accomplish
follow up a victory in spite OF natural
obstacles and it is certain that be will
not psrmit himself now to be stopped,
either by mud or by q want Of cars.
These difficulties are by no means ins1r-
mountable.
Every one remembers the sanguine
predictions Of tho impossibility Of carry
ing on the siege Of Yicksbarg. Genlle-
men owning plantations on which Grants
army was eneaTnped before Yicksbnrg,
declared that his soldiers would perish
for the lack Of water, or die like sheep
with ths rot; from drinking 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 seige. Further, it was
stated by the same reliable operator who
is now at work in Atlanta, cheering us
with the assurance that the Yankees lost
at least twenty thousand men ia the as
sault on Lookout MountsiD, that Grant
had lost quite fifty thousand Of the
flower Of his army in the various at
tempts to storm the iptrenchments 81
VIcksburg. How utterly fallacious AL
these predictions and assertions proved :
The siege Of Yicksbarg progressed
steadily to it's conclusion, without so far
as we have ever learned, any serious i'm
pediment whatever. Ia spiteof water,
climate, diseases and repeated repulses,
Grant compelled Pemberloa 10 surrender
in less than three months from the day
the seige began.
Shall we again be the dupes Of iii
founded hopes? Shall we rely for safety
upon mud and not upon men Heaven
forbid The railroad from Nashville 10
Chattanooga is, doubtless, now open, and
trains running all the way through. On
this railroad any quantity Of cars and
engines necessary to stock the road from
Chattanooga to Atlanta may be brought
through in less than a weeks time. Two
weeks more will be all that Yankee acti-
witty and ingenuity will demand 10 COM
plete the rebuilding Of burned bridges.
Bat we doubt if Grant will await the ar
rival Of cars and the completion Of bridges.
DE has plenty Of transportation SD the
whole North behind him TO supply horses
and wagons as fast as they break down.
lie has ten thousand men alreadymounted
lie has cannon without Limit, and mex
haust bic ammunition. In front Of him
is an army, routed, demoraIized, half de-
stroyed by captures and By Struggling,
poorly provided with clothing, very many
Of its small arms abandoned, and most Of
its artillery missing. Is it to be supposed
that he will wait a whole winter long in
idleness aud not avail himself OF the
splendid opportunity to complete the dis
persion of dispirited and weakened foes,
and TO insure the capture Of Atlanta
'Twere madness TO think 50.
In proof Of the false hopes AID errOne-
Gus objsctures which Jared Bragg to his
destruction, We need only recall a state
ment made in letter of "Sallusl" 70 the
DispAtch, written just before the defeat
at Lookout Mountain, ia regard 10 Sher-
mans corps. Although the passage Of
the Tennessee by this corps had been
announced in the Richmond papers
week or ten days before the battle Of
Lockout was fought, "Sallusp says that
il was expected that Sherman would not
be able TO effect 3 junction with Grant
until February. And Whils the people Of
Alabama were boasiing that General
Lees cavalry had driven Sherman back,
and compelled him TO abandon the route
he was taking TO reach Chattanooga, IL
tdrned out that Sherman, under cover Of
a feint made by 05terhaus' division, was
marching 10 join Grant with great swift
ness and without moleststion. In view
OF these facts, we should be slow 20 build
hopes upon the enemy's incspacity 10
overcome bad roads and conceal his
movements from the net too piercing Wis
ion Of our commanders. A quicker and
larger brain is needed in Georgia-a
strategist who bases his plans not upon
the wind, weather or railroad, but upon
the known bravery Of his opponent.
Our great disaster near Chattanooga
can be repaired only By the means which
the enemy adopted TO repair their defeat
At Chicksmauga. What those means
were we all know. The defeated Gen
eral was displaced, and the ablest men
in their service, Thomas and Grant, were
put is bis place. Three great armies
were concentrated into one. Their AS
-sistsnt Secretary of War and the Q1ar-
teFmaster General took permanent quar-
tiers at Nashville, 10 be Ia ezsy reach Of
the new commander, and 10 render him
all possible assistance. The immense
resources Of the United States were APP
Piled without stint, and with that vast
and untiripg energy for which the Yam
kee may justly claim distinction. They.
concentrated, worked day and night, aud
brought their best talent into play, and
they have rsbped The reward the reward
Of their labors. Fas 81 al haste d0oeyf.
We can only relieve our misfortunes By
initiating the methods hdopted by The
enemy 10 retrieve theirs. Every rehsct-
ing man percsiVes the vastness Of the
stake at issue, and the imperious necessity
Of energy and concentration. None but
the very fret order Of military intellect
will answer the requirements Of Georgia;
no army Of medium size viii serve his
purposes, and nothing bat incsssant ac-
siVity and good faith on the part Of the
! Government in sustaining the new COM
mander will enable him TO arrest the
swift and steady march Of tie enemy
into the very heat Of the South. Whist
is 10 be done mast be done without one
momenPs delay, and much n Ist be & We
up 10 order that something nay be saw d
Grants goal is Atlanta. he will Be
there before Christmas, and bali the
| eoffon vanaininv IN the C0nfsderacy will