Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-04-19
Southern News.
Interesting from MObilc---SOuthern
Views OF the Campaign--NIiscell
-.... neOus Items.
THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN.

ihE MILITARY CAMPAlGN.
The Mobile Register of the Doth ult has
the following remarks upon the military
campaign.
The Northern accounts represent Gen.
Grant as flying from the West to Washing
ton, and back again. and his movements are
chronicled In the Lincoln court journals in
such style rs to show that the rebellion
crushers have built all their hopes on his
luck or his genius. Meantime Grant does
not seem to be In haste to begin, nor have
the Yankee newspapers, which are sure to
blab, definitely fixed upon his plan of cam
paign. Furloughed men are going home
from the Chattanooga army in numbers,
and there are no signs Of very great activ-
ity in Meade's late command. Fremont is
to go to the Southern Atlantic Department
(Which Is to be stripped of troops, except
/ African and to die out of the way, as OPP
posing candidate, with yellow fever, as
Lincoln hopes. Lee or Johnston are ex-
pected to dispose of Grants pretensions as
rival in another way. Grant Is true to
his policy of only fighting the ''rebels"
with overwhelming force, and we suppose
Lincoln's inability to fill the bill is the true
cause of his delay. We should not be sur
prised If the Confederates were yet to map
out Grants plan of campaign for him, and
save him the trouble. There are unmis-
taxable signs of vigor and strength in all
the Confederate armies, naturally suggest
ing activity to enterprising commanders.
While we question the policy Of invasion
OF the North in the present aspect of the
war, because time and the Fabian strategy
would seem to be sure to win, we are not
unmindful of the moral power of aggres-
siveness in an army. The best troops be-
come disheartened by always Tending off
attack and fighting on the defensive. Boys
af nhnn nI .rt,Ia ot,I fkn O.th NJ fhaH
blow in a fisticuff, and military experience
recognizes the spirit and elan with which
attacking troops fight. We should be glad
to see our Generals taking the initiative in
the next campaign, for it would prove their
confidence in the effectiveness of their own
armies and the unpreparedness of the en-
emy. What is certain is that on the Con-
federate side, activity is to mark the cam
paign, and if Grant dallies too long, the
campaign will be opened for him. We
doubt If two better armies than those which
march under the banners of Lee and john
ston were ever Marshaled. The original
raw material was unequaled, and it has be-
come veteran in the crucibb of hard SER
vice, and exalted in the purest spirit Of
patriotism. To beat such troops as these
devolves upon Gen. Grant. We predict
that he will find that he is about to under
take the very biggest part of Abe Lincoln's
"big job"
What the Confederate plans of the Spring
campaign are we confess that we are pro-
foundly ignorant, and our brethren of the
press seem to be as much in the dark as we
are. OF course, therefore, we are in no
danger of conveying gcontraband intelligence
to the enemy. We only surmise the strength
we possess in the field will not be allowed
to grow rusty from inaction.
upnxt t,opI
The Mobile Register has letter from Fort
Gaines, dated March q, from which we
make extracts: W H~'bs
In military affairs everything isvery quiet
here since the enemy ceased their fire upon
Fort Powell. A steamer was seen moving
among the mortar boats yesterday, ap-
parently delivering supplies. The enemy's
vessels in the sound remain near their orig
inal line of battle. AS they have so per-
tinaciously maintained their position, and
have now been, apparently, supplied with
ammunition in abundance, it Is not unlikely
that their courteous attention to Fort Powell
may be resumed at an early day--wind and
weather permitting. ~ @
The troops here are in good health and ex-
cellent spirits, and are looking eagerly for
an attack upon this post, in which event
you may confidently rely upon their doing
their whole duty. In the meantime the en-
gineer corps is busily engaged in making
still further preparations to give the van
dals fitting welcome. The nature Of these
preparations it would be, perhaps, prema
ture at this time to indicate.
Upon the retirement from brigade of
Brigadier Gen. Higgins, on account of i'll
health the commander of this post, Col. G.
A. Smith, as senior officer, succeeded to his
position and duties.
GFrom the Mobile Tribune of the Goth ultl
ARMY MATTERS.
Nothing of Importance comes from our
s'Tennessee army," which, by the way, is
misnomer. Itisour Georgia army, although
we imagine, it will win after while right
to the name it bears. We have met within
few days number OF fiirloughed soldiers
from it. They all look as though they were
in the best of health. They lack no spirit;
and will return to the army buoyant with
hope, and resolved to give some blows for
the country which they ought to love and
do love.
We learn that a man named Timothy Ca
hill, sailor on the gunboat Morgan, has
been sentenced to be hung, on charges of
attempting to desert to the enemy. His
execution, we learn, will take place on Fri
day next, ON board the vessel, down the bay.
from the Charleston Courier, oath ut.l
SIEGE OF CHARLESTON.
The enemy's batteries, it appears, were
considerably damaged by the late Storm
The palisades In front of the water salient
Of Gregg were broken down for space of
three hundred yards by the surf Tuesday
night. The enemy were engaged in repair
ing Wednesday, and also In building palisa-
does In front of the middle battery. A
large increase of tents on Black Island is
reported. 1t appears that the Federal par
ty that came to Legare's Tuesday morning,
were piloted through by path to the rear
i Of our pickets by q deserter. They sue
ceeded in surprising and capturing two
privates named Scott, Of the Wellington
Rangers, with their horses, equipments, &c.
q The heavy firing heard Wednesday was
from our own batteries, which opened on
the enemy's working parties at Gregg,
New Spring Goods
y SILKS, izg' 0oI ps fJrs