The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1864-12-23
of another which has been still longer
under the degrading dominion OF the
Yankees, thus giving that also an oppor-
tunity TO rise and strike for its rights.

under tho de8fad1ng oominou VI the
Yankees, thus giving that also an oppor-
tunity to rise and strike for its rights.
It is not here meant to discuss the
strategic merit or dsmerit OF General
Hoods movement. nor to admit hisfitness
to use to the best advantage the magnlf
ficent opportunity which is now In ms
hands. To deal with population like
that of Tennessee and Kentucky In their
| present state, needs statesmanshlp as
well as military skill in the leader OF the
liberating army.s He should have high
military fame, to give them confidence
that he will accomplish what he has un-
dertaken, he should have those personal
qualities which arouse enthusiasm, and
that political divination or intuition
which sees at a glance the means and
agencies of all kinds within reach tor the
achievement of great purpose. tienerai
Hood undoubtedly will do the very best
and utmost that he knows the way TO do;
but it is not easy to Danish the Thought
that if Johnston or Beauregard were
now at the head of that army, new ar
mics would spring up under his tread
and the Confederate frontier would be
rectified on the Ohio, AS it is, we will
take il as very fair measure OF success
| if Middle and West Tennessee be thor.
oughly cleared of Yankee garrisOns, If
the two rivers, the Cumberland and Ten
nessee, be blocked up and permanently
commanded by Confederate batteries,
and if the line of the Nashville and
Chattanooga railroad be brought under
our control 1t is evident that, even with
this minor measure of success, the bal
ance of advantage, in the double cam
paign of Sherman and Hood, is with the
COnfederacy. 1t is true that we have not
been enabled, as Sherman has-neither
have Confederates ever been much III
clined-to spread woe and desOlatiOn,
hunger and nakedness through hostile
country and among a non-cOmbatant p0r-
ulation of women, old men and little
children. There, we admit, the Yankee
has the advantage of US. Our army goes
among the people living along its line OF
march, not to crush down their spirit
and trample them into the earth, but to
rouse within them whatever manly feel
inc may be left, and encourage them to
strike for the redemption of their native
land. Every bold and generous heart
among them will leap up at the sight OF
the Southern Cross upon our banner;
while in Georgia ruin and mourning
and famine, tears and humiliation
and outrages are the memories now
and hencefOrth associated with the telon
flag of stripes.
It is too soonE definitely to strike a
balance between the two extremlties OF
the campaign; because neither is at an
end yet In the present aspect of the
affair, however, the confederacy has the
advantage, both military, moral, terrific
rial and political But after all, whatev
er NAV be done or suffered, at Nashville
or at Savannah, we do not see that 1t
can be important and decisive enough to
exercise much influence on the result Of
the struggle. The destruction of the
Virginia salt works by Burbridge's raid
ing party would probably injure our
cause as much as the capture of Savan-
nah
Yet in Southwest Virginia aud East
Tennessee, there is no movement of very
vital consequence. Burbridge, having
done more or less damage, will doubtless
have another uncomfortable ride through
the frozen mountains in order to enable
him to escape; and the sluggish tide of
federal and confederate arms will 0scil-
late to and fro as usual in those long val
leys between the Cumberland and the
Allegheny. As for Richmond, which
Grant says he holds by the throat, the
citizens of Richmond have really almost
forgotten that there is such man and
such an army still grubbing and fun
bling about us Of all the generals who
have now, or whoever had, command of
the federal armies, Grant is the man who
can use the largest means and resources
to do the smallest work He has burnt
more powder and wasted more blood, and
uttered more fearful threats than any
one else; and has less to show for it. He
resembles those high stepping horses de-
scribed in jockey Language as being "all
action and 10 CO." and his mighty host,
though not very successful in assault OF
flank movement, can at least eat with
great eclat Thanksgiving dinner, and
then wait for Christmas one; being an
army that "judicious, drinks, and greatly
daring, dimes"
In fact, the war is making no progress
either one way or the other, near Rich
mond; the contrary forces are here so
eQnally balanced as to produce state
of repose; the war in this place neither
revolves round the two foci of an clips,
as in the Southwest; nor oscillates, as in
in the valleys of East Tennessee and Vir-
ginia, but stands stock still, as if Grant
were waiting for some miracle to destroy
Richmond, like the cities ofthe Plain, Oh
Jericho beyond Jordan.
Foote, in the Rebel Senate, Charges