Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-12-08


SOD, escaped.-Marion Star.
General Jossph e. johnston and Gsorefa Cana
| paign.
Our sole object in the suboined statement and re fec
tlons to deal honestly with the facts OF history no
10 praise or censure any one. The neratitude OF
R-puolics was theme for Roman comment, but our
CONVICTION is that the great ority of any enlght
ened people, we'll informed on the subsdence Of passion
will delight to do exact and ample justice to those who
have served or sought to thems Our confdenc=
in the ultimate popular verdict is exceeded only by
aosoiute SUBMISSION to the decs ees OF moral justice
and hence the latin maxim-Tor popuil vor Dei-is in
our Judgment, something more than mere rhetoric.
A man who has preoonceived and expressed erro-
neous or an unjust opinion partially informed or quaint
y nlsn formed rs 70 the face, WILL having his mis-
appreheusons corrected, exhibit noble ingenousness
of character by retraeDg errors, and endorsing the
truth. If any portion of people have pronounced
upon the Georgia campaign, unfavoraby to the late
Commander Chief OF the army Of Tennessee, we res
pectfuily invite them to confer Come, and let
together resurvey the field reexamne the facts and
| see il we can reach this same conclusion.
The Georgia campaign began on the 9th Of May
Gen. Johnston commanded the united, reorganizod
| re,vvihed fragments of army defeated and driven
back from Missionary Ridge under Gen. Bragg. Bet
ter material better soldiers never bFeathed the breath
of life than those composing the Army of Tennessee
but that army had been steadily driven back from Muir
freesboro' to North Georgia. The Federal Govern
ment bad gathered up its whole strength for one de-
csive struggle, tit was inevitably decisive agairst the
supremacy OF that vindictive power and had concen-
traed at two points east and one west of the Missis-
sppi. OF the two former points, both might be said
In an important sense to be vital to Our deences
we're conducted respec lively by Gen. Lee and General
Johnston. 1t the Federals could bear down Lees army
and cap ure Richmond, pushing ragmentary forces
back into Nor.h Carolina would be for us most dis.
astrous and perhaps neeessitae war for generations
or subsection.
If while Lee pressed by weight of numbers
Johnston could be defeated and his army DESTROYED,
Savannah Charleston nio fall
and no defence in Virginia would from threat
ened ruin.
This state of things rendered necessary the greatest
human foresight and the utmost possible caution. A
buuder-a false movement-a failure in the multitude
nous and difficult combinations of either Gen. Lee or
Gen. Johnston, as far human reason comprehends
the facts might have involved the loss of country
and the blight of all patriotic hopes.
Both Generals therefore, acted strictly the defen-
sive, Johnston till he relieved and Lee to the pre-
sent hour.
Gen. Johnston was confronted on the 9th of May by
the best Federal troops ever sent to battle-North
Western men, mainly and veterans in arms outnum-
bering our forces under Johnston, t,oo and half to
one! We now have ShermaL's official report of his
numbers certainls not overstated and people are
we'll apprsed of our strength when the fight began at
Dalton.
Now, what was best to be done ! If Johnston, act
ing the offensive, brought on accepted general
engagement with nearly three to against him, and
was beaten, it would amount practically to the destuc-
ton OF his army; and tnas would nave involved prODapY
the destruction of the country.
Under these difficult and trying circumstances, We
again inquire what course would now suggest itself as
the wsest and safest?
Every mind capable of comprehending the facts, and
reasoning justly upon them, must answer the army OF
Tennessee ought to have gradually fallen back main
tanning securely its base line taking advantage Of
every incautious movement of the foe striking him
where he fairly exposed economzing the lives of
solders and diminishing the strength Of The enc
my, leading him farther and farther from his strong
holds and thus equazing the relative strength of the
opposing armies, until heavy decisive annihilatng
blow could be dealt for tie destruction OF the Federal
army in the Southwest.
This precisely the course adopted and pursued
by General Johnston
When the campaign began the Federal strength was
nearly three times that of the Contederaes. After
scvenrytwo days, (wben Johnston was relieved) from
all acknowledged and reliable of information,
Sherman having lost so 600 men, and Johnston TO-
OOO the relative strength of the two armies stood as
about and half to one. Sherman had advanced
at the rate OF ID miles per day, Y days-90 miles
and had lost 684 men per day, in round numbes-50,
O0O Now at precisely this rate of advance and lose
sRpposing Atlanta to have been evacuated, within
distance OF LOO miles more, and period of eighty seven
days more, Shermans army s0oult haze ceased to e1l
mterly-not one man would have remained to tell that
Shernan'a army ever existed
Within the same distance and the same time John
ston would nave lost Q3e men per day. $4,000 men
and would have entirely relieved the Southwest of the
presence OF an lnVadlHg Zoe JOnDStOn6 army was
handled with consummate skill. He slaughtered the |
enemy when attacked from the front and when out
anked in the immediate presence Of superior numbers,
be quietly nose!essy retired bis command without the
loss OF O prisoner-a wag0n-a bucket and his ranks
dropped into Ind strong position. But General
Johnston was relieved that is, officially dsgraced for
having thus conducted this canpai IN, unparalleled
The history OF the present for the exhibition of the
highest qualities of Field Marshal and because be did
not act upon the offensive! Was he ever ordered to
assume the offensive. General Hood did assume the
{ tftnsive, Within lew days he had lost more than
fifteen thousand men!
sand the fore most of these the best Of his band.
Within few days he lost Atlanta, toge her with
immense stores of war and helpless, and broken he
tried to held his position at and held it only
by the retirement of victorious foe back upon Allan
ia. IT we did not believe that all evens-a results,
(uot human purposes acts of volition) are either
permitted ordered by Divine wisdom and for reasons
infinitely just and good, should pronounce the reno
val Of Johnston, and the appointment of Hood fatal
blunder-a suicidal misconception But as 1t was
wise, and ultimately beneficial for the Conederaes to
be beaten, sacrificed, humlating and atlanta to be
spoiled aud gutted and these results could not be
accomplished without the interposton of supernatural
causes, while army commanded and welded by
such splendid genius Joseph +. Johnston his re-
mova became necessary, and the agents at hand
to accomplish the designs of Providence.
The Federal army ia Georgia relatively stronger
than the Federal army in Virginia, and o1ar super or
Lee and Johnston pursued the same defen-
sive policy and bad Richmond, like Atlanta been sit
uaed in he midst of plain, the probability is Grant
would have compelled its evacuation long ago.
Had Gen. Johnston been permitted to work out his
own pans there those competent to Judge, VINO De-
lieve, whether Atlanta had been occupied by Sher-
man or not, that Shermans army would now be among
the things that were.
With all his stores with nearly all his army with an