New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-12
THE EXPEDITION OF GEN. sHEn-
MAN.
The Mystery beginning 10 Clear Up
What Might have been Accomplished
Why all was not done that might bnve
been done-Whnt has been Effected
The Reason for his Return 10 yicks-
burg.
Ernm Tha N..hxile rninn. March Q.

From The Nashville Union Marcia
The mystery which has go long shrouded the
designs Of Gen. Sherman Ia beginning TO be dispened
by the course Of events That he is now returning
eisurely ~ vcksburg without the least apprehension
OF danger appears TO be settled II 20 believe the
statements OF Rebel kilograms bearing different dates
and sent from diverse points, by different parties ana
their general concurrence Ia evidence oil th'H uu'hiu-
ness =,
The question. then. naturally arises-what were biz
designs and how far was he enabled TO accomplish MS
purposcst And preparatory 10 answering II VIII De
necessary TO briefly refer to the situation OF anais IN
Mississippi
The farmers Of the northern and central portions OF
tho state relying Union advance, and feeling Sc
cure accounSof their Isolation from Rebel impress
msns had planted largely, both OF corn and potatoes
bat Notwithstanding the hoped for immunity no sooner
had tho crops maiurcd than heavy cavalry force I'M
der Lee and Forrest was sent thher 10 gather them
and send them to railroad stations for transportation "
Georgia. The subsistence thus obtained was matter
Of the first importance 10 the Rebels and well did TIE
RiE0Rd Ha declare that to cut these of would be to
damage them moro than TO win victory. -
In the neIt place the railroad from Selma to the Big
Black was In running orderi and wo have reason to
. s ss 'ss = ~as snssa a. es.Gaa % Sole And
long enough 10 inteliapt communication for time
and perhaps 10 draw reanforeements om Arkansas or
In the s s ssy have IN order Gut
thwar. their designs Indeed, few thousand Rebel
TROOPS Judciousy distributed. might keep large army
employed in defending the banks OF the river
The expedition Of Sherman has not only cnt of the
Rebel supplies to which We have referred, but It has
afro rendered attack any point on the Mississippi
untenahe The destruction OF tho railroad TO tho Tom
bigbec IL better than defending force of 20 900 men
That road has been eGecually destroyed Bridges.
ties and cuyerts burned and rails bent so az 10
render them worthless and ali aware that there
are not facilities In Dixie TO replace them Indeed We
doubt H. under any circumstances. the road could DC
nut In running order In four months
But this was not all. The extension OF this road was
destroy ed far the Tombgbee and perhaps further
though we have positive information upon that point
and the Mobile and Ohio road was rendered equhIy
worthless as far south Quiiman, and to place ~
miles north Of Meridian. 80 ,
This will cgectualy cut Off the corn-fels Of North
Mississippi and will end all spprehensons OF Rebel
raid on the Mississippi River.
IL IL almost certain that Sherman would hayo pcnc-
traed far Montgomery had not the expeditions oil
Smith and Grierson failed. and rendered communication
with the Tennessee River impossible Much has been
lost by that faure but with this drawback Shermans
expedition has been productive Of as many advantages
az amy other since the began.
We will also refer 10 thing more II effected. 1t Is
moi now out opaee 10 refer TO hweakness Of our army
during the Winter account Of the absence Of two.
thirds Of the veteran furiough; the return OF
the greater portion of these troops with the arrival OF
large bodies Of recruits has rendered II useless 10 hold
tie secret longer The diversion created by Sherman
prevented Johnston from attempting to take sny nd.
vantage Of weaknessi and nothing but this had
been accomplished the expedition would not only have
been fully Justified but absolutely demanded