Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-09-22
Tns war in TN. tv..t.


chief Yankee armies to grief the best chance is pre-
sented by the distance of SHERMAN from any reliable
base of operations. The James River Is always open
for GRANT and his right always rests it, while his
left sweeps around Petersburg. Even when. beaten
and driven into bis entrenchrnents at Bermuda Hun
dreds Beast BUTLER bad always his feet to fall back
upon, sud thus saved from any srous risk OF to-
tai ruiz. A back door of retreat was always open
SHERMAN, on the contrary, has no gunboats to fsii
back upon and nc reliable waterbase rearer than Nash
vile. Tennessee. or Iuscumbia, Alabama When at
Atlanta be is 1873 miles from Chattanooga, Oh tie Ten
nessee River, and mainly dependent sipgle rail-
road He may draw some supplies from East Ienncs-
see but they must be small; in fact we know that his
beef cattle, horses breadsus and bacon come mainly
from beyond the Ohio, from which stream he must be
distant over FIVE hundred miles by agy practicable
route for transportation.
We need not here repeat the already oft repeated
expressions of establishment at the tame submission OF
five hundred miles of Southern country to the coatin
ucd advance of the Yankee arms, or to the maintain
ance of Yankee communications through five hundred
miles of Confederate territory. We call attention TO
tbs physical ard political situation there, with the view
Of. enforcing our first proposition, namely, that the
South Western seat of opens up TIE best field for
determination and energy, and that success in that field
promises far more remunerative results than in any
other field which the Confederacy presents
GRANT is at his waer-base now, and will not soon cut
loose from it, He has been alsd-he may be whipped,
but he cannot be destroyed placed al serious ncor
venience eqep for want of supplies SHERMAN is, az
we have seen, away from any base. Upon him any
blow must fall with crushing effect, and to strike that
blow should, We think be the great object of our mill
tary authorities, in which they should be sustained by
all our people. SHBRMAN's success keeps up the war
spirit Ia the Northwest His defeat might effect what
VALiANDIGHAM; and LONG, and voorhees,. and others
have failed 10 accomplish. To strike blow OF SHEE
MAN no half measures must be used and second rate
men must be kept in authority. The times call for tie
best the country efords. The papersuot the sensa-
ton papers alonegve utterance, think, to senti
nent whic ia rapidly assuming the form of demand
tive 10 the army of Tennessee BEAUREGARD and
FoRREsF. Give to the former what SToNEwALL j CE.
SON is said 20 have once asked for-more and nc
orders. Right or wrong, there is growing 6strus Of
my Interference with that army by General BRAGG-
1t hods 20 good to that army when he has anything to
say in ts management-so the great body Of the pee
pie 10 think. At any rate, it might be well to
y tie experiment Of separating its fortunes altogether
.cm Cven tie remotest Influence of General BRACES
ID74cky star. General WHEELER ought to give place
stern aud sturdy man like FORREST, if he did
.: graduate at West Point General WHEELER may
&c very good and gallant man, but it is not him we
thinking aA0C, it is the campaign. So Tar, IN that
caoPago, " tie war child - has proved failure.
Wien GEANr broke up from Cupeper Court House.
and fought this line," not " ali summer" but
Ill he LOST soIGo eighty thousand men, and found Rich
1lo0d hard road to travel, and this line wholly
;cabe lie rossed over to the Southside, leaving
& this line The result is that Northern Virginia las
quietly fAIco back into Cur bands; we gather its
fruits, and trap"port its harvests railroads
Is it not strange that nothing like this occurs on tLc
ae Of Invasion in the Southwest Are the people SO
Different, is the management so different? Is Viz
ginia managed by LEE, and the West by Aulic
Council ct Richmond? These questions are hard to
answer yet they will suggest Themselves and they are
asl,.d every day. They are important They ney be
7itai.