New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-20

the organization. and may at any moment eueet
junction with him. Those who are now more mmedi'
stely under his ORDERS are Wheeier. Wharton and
Morgan Morgan who was recently OF DanTile,
where bis family resides Is now recruiting IN South
Tennessee and Northern Georgia and will soon take
tie aeld Wheeler and Wharton are said to be some
where aboyt the railroad line between Huntsville and
Stevenson Eoch Of these officers has under him about
900 caysly Polk is st Enterprise Northern Missis-
sippi with TO- 900 men, recognizing that department
for future definite and important operation having at
the same ne the camps Of the paroled prisoners walt
iny for exchange Under his immediate command are
forrest and Chalmers with $500 men each operating
along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and
Crosby and WHIT Adams in the vicinity OF Nalohe1, and
akinc excursions above and below that city all along
the Mississippi River These forces are. it were the
prconration of Johnstons army, and may combine with
/; for future operations.
Finally tie third great Rebel army whose movements
ore rather difficult to appreciate on account OF the
distance and Of the doubtful character OF its operations
4 under command Of Kirby Smith. ii embraces the
whole Trans Mississippi Department, and includes
MagrIder's command in Texas Holmes and Price, IN
Arkansas, Dick Taylor, in louisiana aud some other
officers.
Although communications are opened between lee
AID Johnston, is obvious from the present distribu
ton Of the Rebel forces and the reduced figures Of the
armies that all idea Of supporting each other has
for the present been abandoned. Longstreet' who
according "a oil appearances will soon have an army as
large as either Lee or Johnston ia prevented from hold
n intercourse with the latter account Of the oocu
patton Of Knoxville and Cleveland BY the Union troops
A. 20 Lee his forces have been reduced by the with
drowsi Of Iorcsrect and Eary that lie has hardly men
4, tofu nd al Meade.
H. sncb position tie connection OF any Of these
three armies together in view Of some great military
combinations, Is almost an impossibty. Unless they
are drl nom their present position, aud compelled TO
occupy more central point they will not be able to
uitc In that case the falling back Of the Rebels would
pa.rray bring their armies closer modify the nature OF
the conflict aud render more terrible still the war they
srs wsging.
Bat II TIC Rebel armies IN position 10 oo1cen
srntc Or present. they distributed TO be more
efficient within the line they have selected for future
operations Prom The point they occupy now they can
either as.nnle TIE offensive remain The defensive
mee ossances far from their base and by means
o. GIN intelligence bey possess in the country bsrass
he FEDERAL armies interrupt their communication,
ed tapiase their trains Indeed circumstances appear
II indicate that they VIII adopt the first policy and at
tempt an aggressive movement upon our lines before
hey resolve 70 remain strictly on the defensive
Tins movement ear be carried either by system
o. oigan ICED gIeI1as operating upon our front rear
or far4, Oy br marching regular army into Tennessee
or Ke1mcty-lhs two States most exposed to invasion.
!; il said eud not without reason that the Rebels has
irg hard men enough 20 &c, the defensive, will not
be so m kes. % % rgrayae the difficulty Of their po.
s on 'y ASSUMING me offensive. An attack upon our
On. would coupe them 10 weaken or discover their %
,.ion both an Georga and Virginia aud make the IN.
yasion snd Occupation Of The South by the Northern
armies con paratgoy easy task. This belief j.
strengthened by the fact that the Rebels b. extending
their wings into the National lines. would endnnger
their center and expose their whole military system 20
certain de.trlc'ion.
This reasoning would be correct II the Rebels
needed IN orler carry successfully their plan of
Invasion 20 discover thor lines aud expose their Vital
poinis H. lor instance Lee Johnston were to sban.
don their positions % make en- nioad Into Tennessee or
Maryland But il IL il true the Rebels ray, that he,
can without npairing the safety Of their lines. ard IN
dependenily OF the forces employed in keeping them
obtain material enough from general conecrption 20
form orccnze and equip another army then their idea
q On aggressive movement may not be inpfaoicahie.
Tie materials BON which this army is 10 be
composed ege collecting around two Rebel leaders
who have hitherto played bU, secondary part These
two leaders are. Polk % Enterprise Mssissppi Long
street q. Beans Station OF thereabOuL in Tennessee
Pol ere now occupied in strengthening their respect
i've fotee. y, active recrGting and compulsory enlist
mea.s Poll. ~ have -aid, has now bbout ten thou
sand infantry and five Thousand cavalry, including
FORESTS aud Chalmers commands. Although b. no
ueans formidable that little army has already shown
iis efficiency by it, depredations in West and Sonh
Tennessee and eiong the Memphis and Charleston Rail-
rosd Ii has delayed md haTassel the Union forces, In
corrupted their commudcatong plundcred their trains
blown up their bridges, md made the RAILROAD which
connects Memphis with Corinth and cornth with Chat
terooga perfectly .mpractcohlc. H. as Is expected.
Polk succeeds in bringing mp his army 10 thirty or oy
fhousond men, .hie viii en0blc him 70 make forward
movement upon GTent's Increment which would
seriously eudanger BIS position and compel him TO delay
bis advance Into Georgia.
The one lors u Gen. Polk upon Grant rear are 10
be followed ! understand. by corresponding move
ment OF Longstreet In Eeat Tennessee. The latter IN
WIKI WIKI the nxsIqcerSmms give up that city end ad.
yslee directly upon Nashville ~ WY Of Huntsville.
Jasnes.ogn, Livingston and Carthage II he succeeds
IN reaching that point uuimpeded, lie viii take pos
seg,iou Of the railroad leading TO Chattanooga and
effect bs junction with Pos. WHO is TO wait Ion him
either ct Fayetteville. Winchester or Stevenson. In
ths way portion Of East South end Center TenDes-
see .ill be IN possession Of tie Rebels, who vii
inprov. their march that State by conGscsting
provisions and enllstng Gil the ablebodied men they
nest.
This plan, which & communicated to me on good
authority IL Of colr5e TO be subordinate to combine
ton Of circumstances which 10 Is now able TO fore