The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-02
THE MILITARY VIEW.

FROM TIE Tfnes.
To our view, the military situation never, on
the whole, looked so strong and so hopeful, in a
large survey, as at this moment.
In the first place, our two great armies never
were planted in positions at all comparable. as
regards their adyanageousness to those occu.
pied by them at this moment Grant is on the
south bank Of the James, or upon the Appomat-
toX while Lees army lies north of him, virtually
confined to Richmond, or hemmed in by the line
of the James.
Sherman's army is near the heart of Georgia
slmost within sight Of Atlanta. Even &c Grant
does nothing for some time, but stay where he
az, and operate upon Lees communications with
the splendid body of cavalry he now has with
him, he must bear with great, far-reaching and
finally fatal effect upon the enemy. Il is true
that some Of Grants combinations have lately
miscarried as regards their real purpose.
Hunters orders undoubtedly were to seize
fortify, and hold Lynchburg and the value
of success in his essay would have been yery
great. Had everything gone well, he would
have welded not only his own force, but would
have been aided by Sheridan, by Crook and
Averil, and by Wilson. Had he succeeded In
seiZng LynchbuTg with the force he had i'm
hand, he could have quickly fortified and held
Il against any force Lee might send against him.
just as Beauregard held Petersburg stouty for a
time against the attacks in force Of the Army
Of the Potomac. But though Hunters army,
and the bodies sent out to cooperate with him
did not accomplish their proper work they vet
did much service in their operations on the Rebel
communications, and much labor that will be of
value as preliminary to future efforts.
IL Lee has determined to hold his army where
il now is, and to fight outlthe war In the narrow
strip OF land lying between the James river and
the Appomattox, he will afford us the best oppor-
tunity we have ever yet had to operate against
him easily, economically, and effectively. We
have an admirable base at City Point, with short
ana excellent line of communication with the
of strategy as well as for hard fighting. We are
In little or no danger of an offensive movement
on the part of the enemy. Militariy viewed we
may be said to be in the rear of Rchmond and
we operate against 1t, for the first time, on the
line which all sagacious military men have
always asserted to be by all odds the best of the
lines of approach.
Look, again, at the other of our two great
armies-that under Sherman. We have just
learned that this officer was repulsed in an assault
he made on the Rebel Notifications last Monday
But look tohere that battle was fought. II was
an attack upon the works at Kenesaw Mountain,
only some twenty miles from Atlanta, our OBJ
jective point The Rebels have been steadily
pushed back until they have now reached this,
their last great stronghold defending the main
railroad centre of Georgia.
Here is concentrated their Southwestern army;
and ii needs but that they should get another
such drnbbng here as Grant gave them at Chat
tanooga last November, to secure their retreat
across the State of Georgia to the South Carolina
Ene-if there were then any organized army left
them. Indeed, a retreat to the Savannah river
has lately appeared to them so imminent, that
the Mayor OF Augusta has issued proclamation
in view of It.
We think a contemplation of these facts will
show how closely we have pressed the two Rebel
armies to the line of the last ditch. Asto Grants
army, it is certainly in position from which the
Rebels cannot drive 1t; and there seems no hope
OF their being able, in any event, to force retro
grade movement upon Sherman. 1t becomes the
people now, while feeling very strong and man
fully confident, not to give way to impatence-
not to be too eager for quick and great battles.
We press mortally on the hckeriHg vitality of
the great Rebellion, and every week assuredly
brings us nearer to the end which Heaven has
decreed.