The weekly union record., 1864-12-10
The Darkest Days Over.

Southern Chivalry had managed to steal the
greatest portion of the Governments equipments
for war, and were fully prepared TO do battle
from the beginning. They had the advantage
OF nearly all the graduates from IVES; Point,
and the large majority OF the Generals Of expe-
rieDce. South Carolina alone boasted OF ten
thousand men, well armed, equipped and drilled
for the service, and ten thousand of reserve,
long before the firing upon Fort Sumter
Flushed with these advantages, they commenced
the rebellion with the utmost confidence, aud.
backed by Northern sympathizers, they ex-
pected easy victory and independence, and the
successful establishment OF an aristocratic slave
ol;garchy. We all remember those dark days
when the Lees, Beauregards, Johnsons. Jack
sops, Longstreets and Hills were repeatedly
outgeneraling our commanders, and iuhiciing
defeat after defeat upon our forces. The enemy
were plethoric with skiful Generals, while we
could not count upon one. Those were indeed
dark days. But il is all changed DOW. As
the war has progressed, and We have acquired
the experience and art OF war, our relative su-
periority has manifested itself, and it is now
the North aud not the South which has su
perabundance of able Generals. Two years
ago, General Grant was tie only officer who
exhibited any marked qualifications for the
field; but now We have such able captains as
Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Butler, Rosecrans,
Thomas, Schofeld, Badly Smith, Hancock,
Meade, Hooker, Warren, Gilmore, Howard,
Burnside, Dodge, Emory, Candy, A. J. Smith,
Steele, Rousseau. Wright, Franklin, and host
Of others. General Lee on the contrary, is the
only captain in whom the rebels now place i'm,
plicit confidence, and he once disabled, they
would feel that all was lost. OF those dashing
Southern leaders who loomed up so conspicu-
ously during the first year of the war. nearly
all have gone by the board. Price was early
deprived of a large command. Mccullough
and Mcintosh fell at Pea Ridge. Magruder
and Huger were disgraced at Malvern Hill and
sent into retirement. They both ought TO be
courtmartialed and shot, said General Lee,
soon after the battle. Lowell subsided at the
surrender OF New Orleans; Vicksburg finished
up Pemberton; Missionary Ridge buried d.
Ii. Hill, and put quetus on Bragg. Long
streets stock began TO waver like his troops
before Knoxville Sherman has laid Johnston
on the shelf, and Thomas and Scbo6eld have
administered the finishing stroke to Hood
jackson and Stuart were laid low on the Rap
idan and Chickahominy, and Albert Sydney
Johnston Tell at Shiloh, at an early period Of
the war. Barksdale breathed his life away on
the crimson field of Gettysburg. A rebel
paper says Wheeler "has played out" and
Early has followed suit, so that the rebels may
well ask, with dismay, Where are our leaders {?
The London Star speaks inteligeutly when it
says "The superiority of generalship is now
,ehoHy with the Federals''
Sherman has swept through the centre of the
"Confederacy" from Tennessee to the Atlantic
coast, leaving ample force and generalshp be-
b'oN " CSl'S oOSACeSiulll Win ulStid NeO
and demoraizcd rebel forces left in his rear,
as is proved by the defeat of Hood at Franklin.
In the language of General Grant, Sherman
has shown that the "Confederacy" is "mere
SHE'LL" by his unopposed march through it.
Daylight shines through the rebellious domin-
ion, and shows that the largest aud fairest
portion is now under the Old Flag. The only
army now possessed by the rebels, worthy of
the name, is only able to maintain strictly
defensive position within the Notifications of
Richmond ard Petersburg. General Grant
has established q perfect foothold with supe
rior army in position that cuts off partially
at least, Lees communications, and leaves the
only remaining hope of jeff Davis & Co. in
very precarious condition. After four years
of war to save the Niger" they are now
compelled to cmancipate and arm the "nigger"
10 save themselves. After four years OF war,
the Nations sky grows bright, and the sun of
rebellion is going down forever.