The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-09-24
Atlanta Ours-Its Importance.

There is no longer any doubt that Atlanta is ours.
The taking of no other one city in the whole Confed-
eracy would iufict so great n loss upon the rebel
cause as this. Atlanta was only laid out in 1916 but
it's rapid growth attested the value Of it's position.
Before the war it was n very busy, active town; since
the war began it has been forced into extraordinary
growth. The rebels regarded it's position where four
railroads met in the heart of a cotton and grain
growing region, as the true centre of their realm. Its
distance from any river that a Federal gunboat could
ascend gave it additional Importance. The heights
about Chattanooga (which no enemy could take
from a resolved people, gave il immunity from attack
by way of the North. Altogether no other town of
its railroad facilities within so rich an agricultural
country, was anything like rs secure, and it was
assumed for the Confederate metropolis. There they
established their armories and turned out from them
rifles scarcely inferior in quality or numbers to those
of Springfield. There they erected foundries for
casting cannon. There they had factories for the
production of army clothing. There they stored i'm
mense quantities of cOttOn-tbe solitary exchange Of
the Confederacy for foreign arms, ammunition and
ships for piratical purposes, and grain and other pro-
visions, from which they drew for the support of their
conscripts in the field.
Gen. Sherman's advance from the north side of the
Chattahoochee was so rapid, and he so soon Cut off
all communication between the city and the rest Of
the world by railroad, that the great bulk of all
these supplies, stores and materials must still have
remained there when the Union army began, at 8
o'clock yesterday morning, to march into Atlanta.
If any one suspects we estimate too highly the
value of this new prize that Sherman has captured,
let us call in very earnest rebel testimony. On the
YIN oil July GoV. Brown OF georgia issued u pro-
clamation to the reserve militia of his State g Geor-
gians,'' he said, 80 you EIst reinforce Gen. john
ston's army and aid in driving back the enemy, or
he will drive you back &c the Atlantic. burn your
cities and public buildings, destroy your property
and devastate the fair fields of your noble State
He complained of the JEFF. Davis Government that it
wasted its energies in foolish raids into Kentucky,
while the long line of railroads over which Sherman
brought his supplies from Nashville remained I'M
harmed. He invoked the people of Georgia-he
begged them to do what the Confederacy would not
do. IF General Johnston's army is destroyed. the
Gulf States are thrown open to the enemy and we
are ruined. If General Sherman's army is cut off,
the West is thrown open to us TO the Ohio river, and
all raids into Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama will
at once CEASE On the l4th of July, the Governor
had learned that men of wealth and property would
not obey his order and report at Atlanta g to aid in
driving back the army Of invasion which now threat
ems to overrun our beloved State. which is the key in
the Confederate Grch.' We need not repeat the Ian
guage in which the Governor expressed his indigna-
ton and the determination that the skulkers should
be brou ght to the front. The - people of wealth and
property in Georgia did not rally, Johnston's army
was not reinforced TO such degree by the reserve
militia that he dare stand before Sherman, who push
ed on to Atlanta. isolated it, closed up to it, and yes--
terday, as this evenings dispatches show, entered
and possessed it. Atlanta was the key of Georgia
Georgia is the key OF the Confederacy.
Grant and Sherman employ the same tactics, move
by the same rules. operate in unison. The fall Of
Atlanta is the prelude to the fall of Richmond. Or
the two cities the rebels could better spare Richmond.
1t was of little account however which should fall
first for all the signs indicate that the reduction of
the two cannot long be separated.-S. F, Bulletin,
Sept. 3.