Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-03
FBE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES RIGhTs.
RICHMOND WH1G.
THURSDAY MORNING, DKO. 3, 1858.
Rrnnt's Intentions.

respopdspt of the "Dspa.oh teegraphing from RssA'
ca under date Of November %, states In substance,
that the wagon roads in horrible condition, that
the enemy cannot advances without the railroad, that
,bev 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 general confidence
in the accuracy of stltement and correctness OF udg-
ment of this correspondent, We should nevertheless
be exceedingly sorry to learn that his opinions de-
rived from the General now commanding the remnant
of BaEEs army and that they shared by the Pres
ident and the War Department at Richmond To count
upon the tArdiness of Grants movements, in conSe-
uuence of the condition Of the turnpkes or the rail-
roads, would be suicidal Grant has proved that he can
do what so few Of Generals have been able 10 &C
cOmpish-foloW up victory in spite of natural OBJ
saces and it Is certain that he will not permit himself
nov to be stopped either by mud by want of cara
These difficulties are by no means insurmountAble.
Every one remembers the sAnguine predictions Of the
iupossbiity of carrying the siege of Vicksburg.-
Gentlemen owning plantations on which Grants army
vas encamped before Vicksburg, declared that hS SOL
diers would perish for the lack Of water or die like
sheep with the rot from drinking such As they could
obtain. Moreover, We told that the mAlArious
diseases of the climate would deoimAte his army and
compel him to raise the SIEGE Further, it was stated
by the same reliable operator who is now at work in
Atlanta cheering with the assurance that the Yam
KEGS lost at least twenty thousand in the assault
on Lookout Mountain, that Grant had lost quite fifty
thousand OF the flower Of his army in the various ct
tempts to storm the entertainments At Vicksburg. How
utterly AAcious all these predictions and assertions
proved The siege Of vickSburE progressed steadily to
II l., far hava
any serious impediment whatever. In spite Of water,
climate, diseases and repeated repuses, Grant com
PEELED Pemberton to surrender in leSs than three
months from the day the siege began.
Shall We again be the dupes of our illfounded hopsss
Shall we rely for safety upon mud and not upon men
Shall we trust aud not to energyi Heaven for
bid The railroad from Nashville to Chattanooga il,
doubtless, now open, and trains running all the way
through On this railroad any quantity Of cars and en-
gneS necessary TO stock the road from Chattanooga to
Atlanta may be brought through in less THAI weeks
time. Two weeks will be all that Yankee activity
and ingenuity will demand to complete the rebuilding
of burnt bridges But doubt If Grant will await the
arrival Of cars and the completion Of bridges he has
plenty Of transportation and the whole North behind
him to supply horses and wagons fast they break
down. He has ten thousand men already mounted
He has cannon without limit, and ine1hausbls Ammu-
milton. In front Of him is army, routed, demoraIed
hslfdestroyed BY captures and BY struggling, poorly
provided with clothing, very many Of It's small arms
abandoned and most Of its artillery missing. Is 1t to
be supposed that he will wait . whole winter long in
ideness and not avail himself Of the splendid opportu
nifty to complete the dispersion of diSpiritsd and weak
ensd foes and to ensure the capture Of Atlanta TWsre
madness to think so.
In proof of the false hopes and erroneous coDecureS
which lured Bragg to his destruction need only re-
call statement made in letter Of "SAust" to the Dis
patch written just before the defeat at Lookout Noun
tain, in regard to ShermAns corps. Although the pas
sage of tee Tennessee by this corps had been announced
in the Richmond papers week or ten days before the
battle of Lookout was fought "sAus" states that it
vas expected that Sherman would not be able to effect
junction with Grant until February. And while the
people of Alabama and Mississippi we're Boosting that
Gen. Lees cavAlryjhad driven Sherman back and CON-
PEELED him to abandon the route he taking to reach
Chattanooga it turned out that Sherman under cover
Of ieint made by 05tsrhAus' division, was march.
ing to join Grant with great SWiftness and
without mOestAtion. Ia view of these facts,
We should be slow to build hopes upon the enc
mys incapacy to overcome bad roads and conceal his
movements from the not too piercing vision Of our
commanders. quicker and larger brain is needed In
Georgia strAtegist who bases his plans not upon
Wind weather railroads. but upon the known bravery
of hiI opponent.
Our great disaster Chattanooga be repaired
only by the which the enemy adopted TO repair
their defeat At ChickAmAuga What those means
Ge ali know The defeated General was displaced and
the Gbest men in their SERVICE Thomas and Grant,
put in his place. Three great armies concentra-
ted into one. Their Assistant Secretary Of War and
the lartermaer General took permanent quarters at
Nashville 70 be 10 easy reach of the commander,
and to render him al possible assistance The immense
resources Of the United States we're applied without
stint and with tina. and untrng energy for which
the Yankee may Justly claim distinction. They concen.
rated, worked day and night, and brought their best
talents into play and they have reAped the reward Of
their lAborS Fas est at kosts GOcri We only re-
trievs our misOrunes BY initiating the methods adopt
ed By the enemy to retrieve theirs Every rejecting
man perceiyes the VAsness Of the stake at ISSUE and
the imperous necessity Of energy and concentration.
None but the very first order Of military intellect win
answer the requirements Of Georgia; no army Of me-
dunn IE, will serve his purposes, and nothing but in
OesSAnt activity and good faith on the part Of the Gov
srnment In sustaining the new commander will enable
him to arrest the swift and steady march of the enemy
into the very heart Of the South. WHAT'S to be done
must be done without one moments delay, and much
must be given up in order that something may be saved
Grants goal Atlanta He will be there before Christ
mas and half the cotton remaining in the ConfedSracy
will be in his hands or destroyed, uuless truly great
General and great army are placed AthWErt his path
within three weeks from this day. .
our Defeat in Tennessee.