Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-23
NEWS FROM rHE sOurR.
Further Interesting Rebel Speculation.
Concerning Gen. Ahermsu,s Msyeueats
Conditions of Peace, sc, he.
Shsrman's Destination Believed te he

Concer ming 6eb. Ahermsu,s Msyemeats
-CeRditions OF Peace, &e., Re.
shsrmsn's Destinations Believed 70 be
Mobile.
From the Richmond Whir, Nov.i9l
There no longer remains Any doub, that
Sherman has torn mp the Auantt and Chat
tsLocga railroad, bodily cut himself OF from
all connection with his base, ana plunged
headiong into the heart Of Georgia, depend
ing entirely upon the force be has with him
ard the weakness Of the country through
which he designs to pass. HIS aim is, beyond
all question, 10 secpre position upon the
seaboard, where he may receive reinforce
ments and supplies At leisure, and having
there established his base, TO prosecute farther
operations next spring or during the winter
II is not known for what point his course is
oirected-wheiher he has selected Savannah
OF Charleston as his base, or whether he aims
nrst al Selma, and afterwards At Mobile. We
are iatner inclined TO think that he will prefer
the Iat,er, being induced thereto no DOUBT by
the refnsai OF the Alabama Legislature, when
summoned by Governor Watts. to make any
provision Tor ths public defense, "a refusal
which the Yankee lonrnaIs have not
been slow to interpret into desire
on the part OF that State to return to the
"bosom Of Abraham" we may be excus sed for
adopting for once the profane express,ou of
Secretary Seward. 1t may be. however, that
he thinks il weuld rebound more to hi. ad van
tage to seize Augusta, the importance Of which
has been greatly over.estimated, ana thence
march against Charleston, which with the ad-
vantage of q water base, would allow free COM
States. From Charleston, be can lend a hand
10 Grant-who he hopes will, by that time, be
IN possession Of Richmond-in operations
against Wilmington, the result OF which, he
sUpposes, ill entirely shut us out from the
sea. The Yark-e papers several weeks ago,
announced the determination TO transfer the
winter campaign 10 the coton States, and this
we presume, is the preliminary movement.
Whichever OF the two movements sherman
has in view, it Is evident that ne calculates
largely upon the weakness OF the country
49,. ~hl%
loyalty to the Confecerscy. In both calculations
we are induced to believe that he VIII be great
Dy mistaken. 1t will be tn. fault OF the people
inhablting these countries If his army be not
utterly destroyed long before it shall have
reached either Mobile or Savannah.
Sherman Moving en- Macon.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Nov. l9l
We have no donbt that Sherman, with an
army of at least thirty thousand men, mas
moved south from Atlanta, with the design OF
attacking Macon, If Tie Georgians are true
10 themselves, they. not being prepared to un-
Gertake a IrotIaCtsd siege, must hurry past the
city TO open communication with some new
base OF supplies. The country cannot support
him, and it is impossible he should carry more
than ten OF fifteen days supplies.
sherman's Raid Formidable only Because
Novel.
From the Richmond Dispatch. Nov. i9l
We should be inclined 10 believe that Sher-
mans movement from atlanta 10 the south
was designed 10 draw Beauregard from Ten
Inconvenience, at least, TO the Yankees, were
II not that such q theory does not correspond
with the tearing up OF the track from Chitta-
nOoga 10 Atlanta The better opinion seems TO
be that he designs to Obtain possession of q
base upon the Atlantic or the Gulf, from
whence, with renewed resources and increased
strength. he a sy prosecute winter and early
spring campaign. In the former view. he WIZ
make tCr Augusta and Savannah; In the lat
ter, We may hear of him moving in The direc-
tion of Selma and Mobile. In either case his
Journey is long one, and we do not sea that
his success will decide any great question. BY
Withdrawing from Atlanta. and tearing up the
railroad, he gives us all the country between
the TWO places. BY going either 10 Mobile or
Savannah, he likewise aoandons all the in
termediate country, for II cannot be expected
that his force is large enough to spare gsrri-
sons, all along the route, snfhclently large TO
keep the country; and such garrisons must
inevitably be captured, wherever they may
be left.
This movement, it is very possible, may be
regarded as formidable only because II Is novel
In such a light we are disposed 10 regard IL, for
we cannot see any great object il would accom-
plish without losing something equally valua-
BILE IL the attempt TO secure IL. The similar
movement made by Sherman last spring ended
in roth!ng except the injury inflicted on the
population as he passed along. II the people
OF the country are only true to themselves, it
may be the means OF securing US a great
triumph In this connection, we are glad TO see
that General Howell Cobb is in the field, and
al the head. we should judge, OF quite 8 GEN.
siderable force Gustav us smith, too, is in the
service OF the State OF Georgia, and we hope
the means VIII be afforded HIM to show him.
self that great officer which he has every " here
heretofore had the credit Of being With such
men at the head OF such 70: ce as we are
informed Georgia can still furnish, il will be q
very difficult job to march to Savannah. we
should think. 1t cannot, at least, be done with
shouldered arms the whole march
We know not whether this march OF Sher-
mans was designedly so time. But we think
nothing is more certain than that Grant de-
signs 10 make q grand attack, ali along our
lines, at a very early day, both naval and mil
itary.
Grant II eceiving r achievements
From the Petersburg Express, Nov. Isl
All day Wednesday and Thursday brisk
firing OF artillery and musketry WAS kept up
on the lines south and southeast of the city, but
il was nothing more than practicing on the
part OF the cannenIers and pickets. Duriug the
latter part OF Wednesday night this firing grew
more rapid.
The Express is of the opinion that there ia
little doubt bat that Grant is receiving heavy
reinfoTcements. They are believed to come
from Shrridan's command in the Valley. Our
scouts report the arrival OF numbers OF troops
within the pact few days. 1t ia not improbable
that the greater portion of 'sCavalry" Sheri-
dams command will be brought up the James
TO CO operate with the armies Of the Potomac
and James in their final ass ault upon the brave
army OF Northern Virginia. in trout Of Peters
burg ard Richmond. Wednesday was OBJ
served throughout the army as q day Of wor-
ship.
Preparations Tor the Anticipated General
Assault.
From the Richmond Dispatch, Nov Iyl
hele We're indications ON the north side yes-
terday that the enemy were preparing for the
attack which it is pretty generally agreed he is
soCn to- make. Yankee troops, reported by de-
seTters 10 be Sheridans, We're being massed on
the line between Fort Harrison and James
river. Ii Buffers canal is completed, or any,
thing near it, this Will be one Of the points OF
assault; but if. as we believe, the canal Will
not tor months, il ever, be in q condition TO ad-
NIT the Yankee fleet, Grant must repeat his
attempts on our fianks. We have previously
given il as our opinien thai, iR his next effoxt
he will throw his weight upon our left, on ttE
north side. II it be true that he has drawn
Shsrldan's mounted infantry 70 him, we NAV
expect here a repetition of some Of those flank
movements that they practised with conside-
rable success in the Valley. Sheridan's men
will here, however, encounter an army Of vet
Grams, who have groWn old in meeting and