Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-07-29
Something for Croakers.
A REBEL OUTLOOK.

pendent regarding the military situation
who are disappointed because the 4th
Of July did not witness the banner OF the
Union waving in triumph over Rich
mon6, and jeff Davis and bis satellites
flying in confusion, and the rebel confed-
eracy disappearing like the 'baseless fab
rio of dream we commend the follow
ing clear and comforting summing up OF
the operations of our two great armies
by the Georgia Constitutionalist of June
20. Let them read the words of the
rebel editor and take courage:
"The magnificent army of Sherman
has, without loss and without battle,
forced back one OF our best armies, under
a favorite General and if lie had only
intended a raid, the destruction OF the
vast agricultural interest of the granary
of our State, is loss which we are i'll
prepared 10 endure, and totally unpre-
pared to retrieve. The evil is, first, the
withdrawal from market of the essential
food I'd, the increase of the population
caused by refugees, which makes an in
creased demand on the producing capaci-
ty of the State Sd, the increased prices,
which tend to depreciate the currency,
which cannot bear another one.third re-
pudiation. Then if it be more than
raid, and Sherman holds his front by
Notifications and his rear by guards, it is
an actual loss of empire.
Therefore, with harm actually done,
and with Atlanta and the great railroad
interest involved in the fate of battle
that Sherman may or may not risk, is
it wise to tell our people that the inva-
sion of our State is but stupid blum
der of the enemy?
Just eight hours before the battle Of
Bakers Creek, general high in COM
mand told lady in our hearing, that
the crossing of the Mississippi by Gen.
Grant placed him at our mercy, and
that the only thing to fear was, that he
take the alarm and escape to his gun.
boats before we could make the attack.
Twenty four hours later our broken col
umns were burrying along the same
road in retreat, and the lady, who had
believed the general, could not save even
her wearing apparel. That general was
not named Pemberton.
Instance after instance of this kind
have we had during the war,--and yet
grave papers, with able editors, talk of
the certainty that Sherman never can
take his army back to Chattanooga, and
the country that he has
marched into a trap. We once had
some experience with an old rat that al
ways sprung the steel-trap from the I'M
der side, and always took off the bate
and never got caught. The Yankees
have peculiar faculty of marching into
traps and staying there. Our only com
mentary upon such writing is, that such
traps as half State, and the best half at
that, are so expensive as to perhaps a
waken smiles in the North and in Eu-
rope when we boast of them.
In like manner do we talk about Gen.
Grant, and amuse ourselves over set Of
facts which are far from amusing.
We are perfectly satisfied that the
commander of the armies of the United
States. might have reached the results
now aimed for with but small portion
of the loss he has now sustained, and
that with all allowance for the peculiar
confederate arithmetic, which kills Yam
KEGS SO rapidly-on paper.
Gen. Grant was greatly mistaken in
his idea that, having turned the flank of
Gen. Lee in crossing the Rapidan, there
would simply be foot race for Rich
mond. Bot two things have since been
demonstrated and, and both are serious.
First, that the army of the Union is so
large and powerful that the usual militia
ny axiom, thanking is more dangerous
10 the tanker than TO the fanked, does
not apply. The strategy of Gen. Grant,
which consists in simply Withdrawing
one wing at time behind the impregna-
BILE masses of the centre aud other wing,
would be fraught with peril were that
centre and remaining wing contracted
enough to be enveloped, or weak enough
TO be broken, but is perfectly safe as it
is. Therefore, he is at liberty TO play
tricks in plain sight and without peril,
simply because be is too big TO CATCH
Consequently, in a succession of tricks,
even by one of the only moderate ability
of Grant, there is danger that one not
seen or foiled at exactly the right time
may catch US. Such an adverse result
would not be destruction 10 our army,
for Lee also is too big TO hold, but it