Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-12-29
The National Cause In 1864.
BY HORACE GREELEY.

Ilc luSC ShnuS VI lODt are Iuuuluk Outi !
md we may now fairly measure the pro-
yress, for good or evil, that has been made
in the great struggle which still convulses
our country. Let us rapidly survey the
whole field, and judge whether the results
of its various operations and developments
augur triumph or defeat for the cause Of
cur National integrity.
Tho earlier movements of the campaign
ended inauspcously. Gen. Banks at
tempt on Texas by way of the coast and Rio
Grande died out inglorious|y; while his sub
sequent advance through upper Louisiana
on Shreveport cventuated in positive and .
apparently needless disaster. Gen. Steele's /
CO cooperating movement from Arkansas was |
Of course failure; and his subsequent tor ,
por at Little Rock, in view of Rebel ad
vauces and effective demonstrations on every |
part of the State, not commanded by the
guns of the central stronghold, is incxpl-
cable on any hypothesis which comedies to
him hearty loyalty and average capacity
His recent disposition is the tardyexacuticn
of verdict which the public had long since
rendered. 1t should have been made months
ago.
The struggle in Eastern Virginia has
been arduous, protracted, bloody, and Ito
superficial glance !. indecislve. Gen. Grant
had but fairly crossed the Rappahsnnock
when he was attacked in flank while on the
march by Gen. Lee, who preciptated his
entire army successively on the van, center,
and rear Of ours, expecting to cut it up in
! detail and hurl its shattered fragments back
| on the dcfenses of Washington. This ex-
pectation was doomed to disappointment
During three days desperate fighting, he
inflicted and endured heavy losses-so
heavy OH his part that he has since stood
carefully on the defensive. In the many
sanguinary though partial contests which
followed, during Gen. Grants steady ad-
vance, by successive fanking movements, to
the James and the AppomattOx. Lee fought
within inlre nchments and behind breast
works, which rendered his losses much in
feror to ours, save in the single instance
when his right wing was surprised and
several thousands of his men captured at
Spottsylvamia Since Richmond has been
beleaguered 10y our main army, there have
been frequent sharp encounters, with di.
verse results, but in no instance has Lee
been tempted 10 assume the offensive, nor
even to invite battle on open and equal
ground. Practically he is still defending
rather than covering Richmond; with gal
LIANT army, doubtless, and with uubounded
confidence in his own ability, yet without
the numbers in his ranks that would Justify
him in risking decisive measuring on equa
terms of the strength Of his command
against that of the force directed by Gen
Grant.
Gen. Sherman, commanding large ane
gallant Union army, mainly of Veterans, il
; good part Western, advanced from Chat
tanooga 10 May, through difficult, noun
Q famous region, intent on the capture of AT
Q lana, the most important fosus Of railroad
: and Rebel manufactures in SeceSsia. ii
y! WAS opposed by Gen. Joseph f. Johnston
u at the bead Of less numerous but bravo an
o disciplined force, which Sherman skilful
G and resolutely pushed back by main strength
Y through successive attacks and Rankings, I
o tho vicinity Of bis objective point. Ilel
r Johnston, being adjudged too cautious, va
B. superseded by Hood, one-legged Texar
e who signalizcd his accession to comman
d by resoutc and repeated attacks on She
e mans lines-attacks which were uniferm
le repulsed with terrible slaughter. Atlant
" was thereupon hafinvested and bombarde
D. o. for weeks to little purpose, when Sherman
Dl making a feint of retreating, swept arOur
p Atlanta, severed Hoods main line of con
), munications with his reserves, and con
PEELED him to evacuate the city, which w
cs thus gained with little blocdshed. Hard
OF any other achievement so important h
at been so easily effected during the war.
IT, Hood, after pause of bewildermen
II marched swiftly and noiselessly to the re
fS of Gen. Shermaa's position, striking b
al line OF railroad half way to Chsttanoog
&C, capturing one or two insignificant posts, al
9a only falling at the more important one
id Allatoona through the signal courage al
IN resolution ei its commander. Gen. Sh(
ell hnllinn fast IN A tl.nto pnnidlu \
OF traced his steps with most of his army, al
Oh chased Hood (whsse stomach for ighti
% seems to have ore this been cloyed) We
re- ward inte Northern Alabama, here leavi
'r' him in furried expectation of further a
y, energetic pursuit But Sherman, leavil
.eer Gen. Thomas with a competent force
lly confront Hood in Tennessee, had alrea
I'M quietly countermarched, and was again
= Atlanta, preparing to resume his advun
OF through Central Georgia to the sesbsal
rn cleaving tho Coniederacy q second tin
ms and liberating (iS possble) our famishe
tortured, dying prisoners, as well as tho
ie- sands ofable-bodied, effective slaves. Bef,
nc Hood had OWNED his purpose, ho was ,
ne ready so far on his way as to defy any eff
an Of his late antagonist to bar his progre
at Meantime, Gen. Sheridan, commando
pi' the Union force in the valley ofthe Shen
ier doah, had, on the 10Th ofSeptember, rou
re- his antag agonist, Early, in a pitched bait
en- swiftly followed by another, and, on
es' 10th of October, by a third. with unilo
en- results. The loss to the Rebels in tn
pie three conflicts must have exceeded ours
tu not less than ten thousand men, with
,hd least fifty cannon aad immense quantities
TX small arms aud every material of war. A
OF or the campaign in that valley appears to h
la,' virtually closed, with the prestige of unifC
lel' success gliding our arms.
u' nf Gsn. Candy, who succeeds Gen. Bank
Io W the command of the Gulf Department,
IA IA by CAPACITY and good conduct, retrieved
~; prestige in that quarter, and has intiie
,om m several damaging blows on the Rebels.
,on achievements Of Farragut in Mobile Bay
~. Gillsm in East Tennessee, and the cele
VI wherewith Price was pushed out OF \
g.. souri,, when he should have been interceI
'.ss 's ana captured or crushed there, all e0ml
.om Un to attest the decided superiority Of force
mt mt. our side and the inability of the Rebel
tba withstand H. Missouri was never befol
~. ~ heartily Union as she now is, and the
= 10 ha