The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-12-28

A rumor, which we fear is of that de
scription usually marked as " too goot
to be true" has been in circulation eve
since the commencement OF the Christ
mas holidays, to the effect that the Pre-
sident has appointed General Lee gene
ralissimo of the land and naval forces O
the Confederacy, with all the powers ap
pertaining to that exalted office 1t was
alluded TO, in very pointed terms, by two
Of the morning papers yesterday other
wise, we should have forborne to mention
1t. Time, we suppose, will reveal the
truth with regard to this report.
No act which the President could per
form would have so great an effect in
cheering and stimulating the country, at
this moment, when, above all others that
have occurred, it requires cheering and
stimulant. Nor do we believe that any
other act of his, apart from the moral
effect, could so powerfully aid in the
prosecution o: the war General Lee is,
beyond all question: the greatest of liv-
ing captains. There is no other, indeed,
whose deeds admit of the slightest com
parlson. But apart from this, he pos
sesses weight of character, and an est
nation with the multitude, such as no
other man but one ever possessed in this
country, and that other was Washington.
The whole people look up to him with
respect amounting to reverence, and
belief in his capacity almost supersti
tlous They are unwilling to believe,
and cannot be taught to believe. that
anything he undertakes will fail-that
any course he recommends can be wrong
that any cause he may adopt can fail
Whatever might be the movements of
our armies, were General Lee the head |
Of them all, they would be received with !
confidence alike by soldiers and people.
Besides, General Lee is the principal
figure in the designs of the enemy. All
their aim, and all their hope, is to de-
strOy him and his army. They are the cen
tire against which he is combining all the
scattered fragments of his armies -
Every blow that has been struck by
Thomas, Sherman and Sheridan, has for
its object the destruction of Lee and his
army. The force thus used against him
IS concentrated in the hands of a single
man, who moves it at his will; while ours
IS disseminated over space as wide as
he Confederacy itself, and is lodged in
many different hands. Under these cir
there being no unity of ,,
command, General Lee is placed in /;
most dlsadvantageous position. 1t is but '
nst to give him all the advantages in the /
'ower OF the Government to best0w, since .
Re has to bear the brunt of the enemy's /,
ntire force. q
1t IS hardly worth while to detail the ii
normous advantages which a general II
assesses when he is the master and ~
lrector of all subordinate movements v
10 can then form a single plan and make b
Il the movements of the different corps IL
inform to that plan. Whereas, when h
lumber of generals act independently, it
icy all have different objects, and can tt
'ldom be made to work together for the &c
of one. He who is the -,
lief in responsibility should not only :"
I'VE the power to order movements, but Il
should have the power to appoint the al
ents who are to execute the subordi- II,
tie parts Of his plan. In the latter III
ar OF his command, Washington was, al
point of fact, a Dictator. After the 81
fortunate expedition of Gates to ~, "e
nth Carolina, Congress called on him 90
appoint general. 1t had exhausted co
elf, and had wrought nothing but rel
schlef Washington appointed Green, III
from that day took the war pretty o.,
lch into his own hands. In twelve tn,
'nths after he had done so, CORVALLIS chi
rendered, and Independence was Sc III
ed, We are told that General Lee an,
now about all military mat ID
s. That will not do The President no
doubt, designs well, and acts con che
But nobody except the r. r.
amander in the field can properly OK his
lse such powers as have become es- he
TALLY necessary to be exercised at
rOu