Washington telegraph., 1864-08-03


SUMMARY We must confess that affairs in
'''orela are not SO bright as We would have
Wisn'd, and rrsor; to that very necessary pI,jIo-
sophv which We have endeqvcr,l 70 incu1cata
a'an. tiIue before. We must not expect nn-
Interrupted success. We eau cnlv hope. in rea-
son 10 succeed IN the end, with occasional re-
Ferses and di.appointri.tnts IN the progress of
ihT var Ne wars of Independence ARE triumphal
progresses, with everlasting songs of victory
None t'ui where the people remain firm ana de-
p'rnIned, uudeT whatever disapp0intmerts We
lear We have been disappointed in tin. defence
nj Atlanta. Possibly not Hood may Vet save
j hT somr sudden blow upon the enemy. hut
W n'ay reasonably expect that Atlanta must b.
evacuated
1t IS no time now 10 fall to ordinations and
rg'rllninatons. At this distanc. nom Of Us can
decide the question Of who S to blame, or rha-
ther any one at all The people and the army
have had the most unlimited confidence in zen.
Johnston. As Yet We cannot say that il vas
undyserved.
We can only look the matter in he face, and
like calm. hold men, Calculate our situstion.
u hat IS Atlanta worth} aud what will ~ our
loss N case Of its evscuation7
tntrinsIcaIly almost nothing. Il Is mistaken
notion that Atlanta Is the key u til. co,Dnuni
catlons between the kast and Wet There is
Al extensive railroad thoroughfare from Ope-
leika through Columbus and Macon. cnnnectinc
with Savannah. Augusta and Charleston. which
vii not be affected by the loss Of Atlanta. and
which will require Il new campaign TO take and
hold
Our stores and workshops at A AtIanta were i'm
Portant- All the former. and the machinery Of
the latter, are doubtless removed.
The principal Importance il the loss of At
isnta would be the moral etf4c: upon the. North.
ern people. For while they would be- bigblv
eI1ied with hopes Of our speedy subiuration
and time would be required Ia satisfy them that
Inc occupation OF Atlanta was as barren of re-
suits as that OF EicI.sburg. L., Us still HON,
thA; something NAY Vet be done to save It; bu,
Dc prepared to hear ot its loss
Inc raid into East Alabama : lit-,i, ., -.,,.,
upon the enemy very severely, IN the loss to
them Of Huntsville. The Federal papers saw
that on the 10th lsrg, rebel force. s,,pro.ad 70
be under Forrest, captured garrison Of 29o
men. on the Memphis and Charleston road .,
Brownsboro', and then moved On Hun-sviII.
driving in the Federal pickets. Huntsville i
said to be garTisoned by 5000 troops, and tho
rebel force Is estimated at from 600 "a ~ Onn
In case Huntsville should be taken. the raider,
Will be compelled u Join shernan's army. and
leave North Alabama in o,lr hands The waters
Will then be closing Oh ShermanS track. and
" neither he takc- Atlanta OF not. viii render mis-
situation extremely precarious
" e have vague accounts OF an attempt At
land attack upon Charleston some time ago by
Federal infantry, which was successfully re-
pulsed, and disastrously to the enemy. We can
get no detailed account of it. The shelling con-
t-nues at intervals. That siege Is chronic, and
10 one seems to pay much attention to it.
Grants lon to Richmond" hangs fire. He
seems still to be- sitting down before PETERSBURG
doing comparatively nothing. Several of the
Federal vessels have left james river. and no
doubt good deal of his force has been trans
forrcd 10 Washington, as a result of the Mary
land expedition
We are achieving successes in Mississippi, at
Iupelo and Portfibson. All goes well enough
thece.
The political elements at the North are be-
'oains still frrcer. The sentiment for peace
'E,th recognition still grows. Long made, a
speech 70 Al ir1rl-n mass r1retiu9 near Gin
oinnati, boller than that he made in Congress
Il is withering
The whci- field Of view presents houafdl
aspect We gain time with every day. and our
ludepe ndence looms nearer. We will still have.
our ups and downs and be at one time foolishly
esultsnt, and at another foolishly despon- |
dent; but IN the main all goes we'll and rap !
idly 20 the deaired consummation. Be of good |
:b,.r. Next week se NAV have joyful tidiucs /