The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-08-26
From the Washington Coast, Union.
An Armistice.


The situation of affairs is at the present
time gloomy for the Federal cause, if
viewed on either side. Taking out of the
question the forces under minor comman-
ders, let us look for brief minute at the
relative situation of the two grand armies
which the North has sent forward to
crush out the rebellion, and overwhelm
the Southern forces. The army of Gen.
Sherman, now lying in front of Atlanta,
is composed of western and southwestern
men, veterans of the war, who have con.
clusively proved their manhood ON many
desperate field. SO far as mere fighting
qualities are concerned, we doubt if the
world has ever presented finer body of
men in its history than this army. But
they have, in this campaign, undertaken
work that few armies have ever attempt.
ed-namely, to penetrate the epemy's
country, carrying their base with them,"
and marching steadily forward, making
''war feed war" Opposed to them is a
determined, aud, so far as the grand re-
suits of the war are concerned, an ivinci-
Bile foe.
The Fabian policy, which for so long a
time controlled the movements Of this
army, has been superseded by the Mar
cellian, and if Hood does not possess the
great genius and penetrating foresight of
Johnston, he undoubtedly has more nerve,
and will force his men with uurelentiug
obstinacy and without mercy to the "las
ditch for success. The armies have met
The result of their conflict rests, substan-
TALLY with the Confederates If forced
to retreat from Hood (and if the latter
with only forty-fve thousand men, which
we are told is his entire force, can check
Sherman's victorious advance with one
hundred and twenty thousand, what can
he do with the accession of the trained
militia Of Georgia, Kirby Smiths forces,
aud Forests cavalry, all Of which are
said to be approaching to reinforce the
southern commander he will find himself
in as bad a position as Napoleon when he
retreated from Moscow nay, worse, for
the great Corsican had kept his line of
communication with Paris totally safe and
intact A succession of defeats, disas-
trous retreats, and finally the entire disper
sion, if not total capture of his army, are
the probable fate, in such contingency,
Of the Federal commander.
And now, as the country, feeling itself
wronged in this war-knowng that its
vast resources and ineffable sacrifices have
been perverted to the destruction of its
own liberties instead Of the viudicaton of
its constitution and its laws-as the coun
try has grown tired Of a contest whose
whole result has been to beggar it in both
men and resources, and longs for peace,
why cannot we have it? Is foolish and
senseless fanaticism, luinous in its theory
and pitiless in its practice, to drag the
whole nation to the lowest degradation
and misery? Is a petty section of our
glorious Republic to reign undisputed over
the entire land and crush all the rest for
its own benefit? Are the people to re-
main stolidly blind to their own happiness
and interests, that the bloodthirsty dictates
Of foolish and despotic rulers shall be car
ricd out to the very letter of their inhu-
man and remorseless designs? Or shall
that people, consulting their own manifest
interests, and maintaining at all hazards
their blood-bought rights, demand that
their rulers shall give up their usurped
powers and become what they were elect
ed as, the servants, instead OF the masters,
Of the people?
Let us have an armistce. Let us put
away the sword-cease this bloody con-
test in which We have been worsted-and
meet our countrymeu in the spirit of
peace. The country demands the cessa-
ton of hostilities. Wrongly or not, it
has conceived the idea that an armistice
would be succeeded by peace and reunion.
Let us then have it. Let our !ulers no
longer oppose the demand of two,thirds Of
their countrymen. Let them propose to
the South an armistice, ere IL is tao late.
With Gods blessing upon US, we shall
surely then get rid of this terrible war,
and once more enjoy the happiness of
peace aud prosperity. In Gods uame let
US have an armistice.
on lho IaSt INC caupdiSu vi UeucIai
Grant is universally seen by friend and
foe, to be the most stupendous military
blunder on record. 1t was plan which,
undertaken in defiance of sound military
judgment, and of the fundamental rules
of the science of war, has been character
lied by senseless obstinacy and bloody
butchery in its execution, and finally, frus-
tration in its results. With the finest
army of the Nerth, an army trained-yea,
waade by the profound and brilliant geni
US of McClellan-Grant rushed on towards
the army of Lee, boasting of his ability to
sweep that great Captain in utter defeat
before his resistless prowess.. To over
whelming superiority of Dumbers.-in all
the munitions of war, and in perfectness
of arrangements, he had the greatest adj
vantage over bis adversary. The world
has seen the result. Disastrously repuls-
ed in his conflicts Of arms, entirely fOiled
in bis strategy, he finds the position of
the two armies is completely reversed,
and the great Captain of the South is now