The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-11-18
Sherman's Mastery Operation.


Sherman has cut the Gorlian knot.
His movement from Atlanta towards
the Atlantic coast limo, already begun,
i the last news be true, is the most
splendid operation Of this great war
He no longer wastes the energies of
his army on the mere mass Of country
in the cotton States but he strikes
boldly at that part Of the coun ny
whore the life Of the rebellion lies
where be may hit consecutivoly, Mil
lcdgeyille, Augusta, Columbia, Charles
tom and Wilmington. He answers
grandly that common question "How
rill Atlanta pay for its capture " He
shows that place TO be an immensely
important one, IN view of the effect
with which its possession enables him
to deliver this blow; and he furnishes
sketch in outline Of the way in which
the comp dc grace is TO be given TO the
great rebellion. He has gained such
victory over Davis, Hood and Beau
regard MS viii make them examples
forever of military faulty. Hood
Beauregard, Chatham, Cleburne, and
the rest OF the pigmies are making
speeches in Alabama on their way to
Tennessee. They are going into that
State to compel sherman to evacuate
Georgia Their solcitudc is for Geor-
gia, Alabama and South Carolina
which States they desire above all
things to keep free from our armies;
and in their anxiety to drive sherman
from what he has, they have exposed
and laid completely open to him tie
whole heart of their country. Such
/ is the strategy of jeff Davis.
Sherman is continuing the advance
begun by General Grant on the Ohio
river, and intended then to cut III
twain the part Of the confederacy on
this side Of the Mississippiliver. The
/ FIRST success in that advance was the
capture of forts Henry and Donelson.
The advance was continued thence to
Nashville, giving us possession Of Ken
lucky and hold on Tennessee. From
/ Nashville it was carried forward by
Rosecrans to Chattanooga, thanking
Bragg out of his strongholds at Shell
/ byvillo and Tullahoma. At Chatta-
nooga affairs were again taken III hand
by Grant, who annihilated the rebel
army that had brought Rosecrans to a
bloody halt. From the position gained
by Grant the advance was carried on
by Sherman to Atlanta, and now the
same great soldier has started to. carry
it to the Atlantic 1t is his good for
tune to have charge of this advance
that will appear most effective in the
history Of the war-that may even
prove the most decisive operation OF
the war-and which yet has in it less
difficult and danger than there is IN
any part of the same advance through
Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia t.
Atlanta, 1t is not even probable that
he Will have to fight Il battle; foi
through the whole district that he is
to traverse the rebels have no force al
all, and there is no able-bodied popu-
lation. He has TO make a march o
three hundrd miles througha pleasant
country, that his army can live upor
if necessary, and he strikes and in
wolves in Il common capture the cap
itals of Georgia and South Carolni
r and Charleston He will hold, there
fore, those two States definitely anC
positively. And to gain this what doe
he risk? Nothing His immediate
command is not risked in the least
nor can it be supposed that he risks
/ the safety of Tennessee. Hood cal
do no harm. Hood, Forrest, Tayloi
and all the Southwestern rebels to
gether cannot muster more than iift'
5 thousand men, and Thomas is I'm
: doubtedlv able to defend the Stat
from such force
Georgia and South Carolina, the cap
ital and the principal cities of thos
two States once firmly held by Sher
, man, and what is there left of the SC
e called confederacy Not a singh
State. Richmond and Wilmington
will be all that will be left Of the grea
rebellion. How long will Wilmington
: the only seaport of the confederacy
|. remain in hands of the rebels witt
j. Sherman only hundred and eight
= miles from it and that great squadro
that troubles the Richmond papers s
: much, battering at its defences? Sher
U mans march will also be equally dc
cisive of the fate of Richmond for
), Lee, in view of this advance, does nc
suddenly divert large force to NEE
Sherman he will, in two months, b
e Theoretically sealed in his capital; an
s. if he does divert such force his capi
t. tai will fall under Grants persisten
v efforts. Looked at in any light, Shel
: mans movement promises to be
most decisive one, and there is ever
9 probability that it will be the decisiy
l. operation of this war-Ne1o Yor
If He,uid
l. Hss- 1t is said with emphasis thu
Mr. Sfapton Saerntorx az \Nor VIII |,