The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-11-22
shermAn's Grand Campaign.

Whlskey and freghts dull.
ShermAn's Grand Campaign.
In another column will be found statement
in relation to the. efficiency and prospects of
the army under General Sherman from General
Barry, chief Of artillery in that army, and who
has just come North on account OF illness,
General Barry is good authority, and his
statements that General Sherman has every man
that is necessary for his purpose, that his army
is in the most superior condition for effective
ness, and that The failure Of the movement is
hardly possible may be accepted and credited
to their fullest extent. These statements are
very pleasant ones for the country to remem-
Der in view Of all the possibilities Of this great
campaign, and in view of tae dangers that sur
round inevitably almost every great military
operation.
1t has been conjectured that this movement
was thought upon before the fall Of Atlanta,
and, indeed, that we sought the possession OF
Atlanta merely that that place might be used as
point dappM from which to deliver this
blow. Some color is given to this view by the
course of General Sherman Immediately sub
sequent to the battle that ensured the fall Of
Atlanta 1t will be remembered that that battle
was fought and won some twenty miles south
of Atlanta, and then General Sber-
man desisted from his pursuit of the
beaten and divided rebel army and
fell back to the city, Hood reporting Sher-
mans retrograde movement as a retreat Yet,
though Sherman Thus turned from Hood to
possess the city, he almost Immediately took
steps that looked to the absolute destruction
OF the place. We may, therefore, perhaps con-
slider that the capture Of Atlanta was but a
grand preliminary to this grander advance.
and may date the operation from September 8,
when ATLANTA was ours, and fairly won."
During nearly the whole Of the truce which
succeeded the fall Of Atlanta Hoods army re-
manned on Sherman's front and covered Macon.
Sherman's army meantime rested from its
labors in and around Atlanta, and all was done
that was necessary to m ike it once more fresh
and At for service. The truce expired on the
22d Of September, AID Hood had moved a few
days before that from the position taken to
cover Macon. Macon, it seemed, was no longer
in danger; it was given out that Sherman would
probably march on Mobile, and Hood moved
to position between that place and
Sherman. But, while Macon was thus exposed
that Mobile might be protected, JEFF. Davis. in
. speech to the soldiers, promised them that
their feet should soon press the soil Of Ten
pessee. On the goth of November Hood, with
his whole army, crossed the Chattahoochee.
Thus Macon, all Georgia, Mobile aud the
greater part Of Alabama we're left open to
while Hood marched away in the at
tempt to drive Sherman out OF Atlanta. Sher-
man bad under his command nearly one hun
dred thousand men-Hood had thirty thousand.
Hood had, by the abandonment OF bis posi-
tons in froAt Of Macon and on the road to
Mobile, simplifed the question Of Sherman's
advance, but he had opened another question,
and one which for q time suspended the ques-
ton Of advance. The military question now
was, whether forty thousand men used aggres-
sively were better than one hundred thousand
on the defensive, and holding mostly fortified
positions. Could Sherman with one hundred
thousand men hold Atlanta and the line that
led to it against force less than half his own,
compel Sherman to take out his teeth and 90
to TENNESSEE 1t would seem that the answer
to this would be obvious to any sane person
upon the mere statement Of the question; and yet
upon their absurd view Of this very question,
Davis, Beauregard and Hood together staked
tue States Of Georgia and South Carolina and
all the important cities and powers of those
States, while General Sherman and old Joe
Johnston looked on and laughed grimly at
these strategists Of the brilliant school.
Between the LIST and the 18th Of October
Hood aud Forrest we're busy on Sherman's
line. They did great deal Of damage, but
none that intsrfered with the effectiveness of our
army. Many bridges were burned and many
miles of railroad torn up, and that was ALL
Then Hood began TO concentrate for his march
into Tennessee and Sherman began to repair
bis line and get up supplies. All the line was
once more in order by November /. By that
time also Sherman had rclinquished partial
pursuit Of Hood. The latest military quss.
ton was answered-ths thirty thousand of
Hood could not drive the hundred thousand
OF Sherman out Of Georgia. On the contrary
Sherman saw that forty or City thousand men
under Thomas were quite able to manage
Hood and Forrest, and that thus there were in
Georgia Gfty or sixty thousand United States
soldiers to spare; and thus be naturally re-
sumed his plan Of advance beyond Atlanta.
Sherman had concentrated FIVE corps OF bis
army at Atlanta and Kingston BY the 10th inst,
and had them supplied with the bes! of all ma
terial for an active campaign, and with rations
for thirty days This force is stated at sixty
thousand infantry and ten thousand picked
cavalry. It's thirty days rations will,
with what Is found In the country, feed
the army for sixty days. On the 18th
inst. the line Of march for Macon was taken up
from Atlanta and Kingston, and ell public pro-