Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-10-20
From the London Times, Sept. s.
E4atalsa

From the London Times, Sept. s.
American Battles.
The singular proixity of American conflicts pro5a
bly, expresses something beyond mere parity of mill
tary force. 1t is perhaps, result of the tactics
ployed. -Four great armies, und,r many chosen
generals have been Ia close contact for weeks and
even months together, without any achievement which
can be regarded as decisive. The fighting has been
desperate but though each particular battle may bring
epuse oue side the other, there is nothing like
absolute discontinue. We applying these remarks
not to the actual march OF Grant upoa Richmond, or
of Sherman upon Atlanta, but to the operations which
have been reported since each of these commanders
closed bodily with his antagonist and commenced the
work on which he had set out Ia neither case does 1t
appear that the proceedings resemble those OF siege.
Grant is not formally beseging even Petersburg much
less Richmond, nor SHERMAN effect anything like
regular investment of AtIantL From the latter quar-
ter indeed, the ony authentic Intelligence represents
Hood as being largely reinforced-a sufficient proof
that his communications are completely open. Ii we
look however, little more closely at The accounts re-
ceivtd we snail dis cover circumstance which will
explain the position OF affairs. The truth s that both
in Virginia and Georgia both armies ntrrnched
alike. 1t is that Grant and Sherman keep the field
while Lee and Hood shut up IN their lines for the
Federals have thrown up esrthworks es We'll as the
Conftderates.
AS soon as Grant arrived at point where be could
make no more" flank movements" but must either
stand or CO. he constructed little Richmond of bis
and was presently found strongly intrenched thAt
Lee declined the cost OF assaultng MIN 10 his position
Exactly the Thing took pltc1 at Atlanta. Sner.
marched after Johnston IN esOlute pursuit until
be reached the city he wished to capture when he im
medlateiy threw up feldwOks and ensconsed himself
in his lEes The result is that in Georgia as well as
Virginia the main body of each army holds secure
possiton and they only fight each Other as it were by
sortes.
This is probably consequence of the improve
ments in firearms Breeeh leaders and elrthworks ap-|
pear to ern the strongest combination OF ofensvo and
defensive power and 1t Is somewhat remarkable that
the result directly opposed to tue theories rmerly
prevailing. IL q maxim OF military science tina,
earthworks Gould DcVtr stop good Intantry the mean
ing being that the slope at which sfch works ne
cessary constructed c1ud always be assembled by SOL
ders brave enough to face the fire of the deenders-
But it that the deadlinee5 ard rapidty OF
the fire maintained By the breechoadng rifles is
than be endured Grants heaviest losses have been
encountered 10 his attempts to storm the earthWOrks OF
the Cocederates and Lee toresaw similar danger 30
clearly that be refused the risk of it, and left
Grant undlslurbed within his lines That this is the
true history OF a4irs plain from the incident report
ed of the battle OF Cold Habor-that the attack lasted
scarcely ten minutes 1t much the after the
explosion of The Petersburg. Quarter Of an
hour Ct such IL good troops well armed Can now
MAINTAIN is enough TO stretch whole divisions the
ground. Grant, III OF his assaults the COnfed
crate lines, must have lost thousand men miuute-I
There nothing like this 10 former times though our
own attack upou New Orsans did foreshadoW these
modern tactics to some extent. la tact, the Auer-
cans i'll their civil war; appear to have betn perfciug
the original tactics OF Their countrymen. 1ney were
the first people 20 discern the value OF scientific
kerry aided by daeuefye works, aud they have now
carrid both principles to extent known be
fore.
1t must not be forgotten that though Notifications
enter thus Largely into the machne of this desperate
war, they must In some instances have been eXempor
lied. America was the one country IN the waole world
without strong places and fortified except the
sea coast. Even Richmond and Washington have been
fortified since the war began, and probably may
learn by and by something more OF a system which
fodleben introduced, but wbicn Beauregard and his
colleagues have developed. We assured that Rich
mond-as open town four years ego Brensford or
OrOydon-is one of the strongest places 10 the
world. We know that Vicksburg, hastily encirced
with defensive works, resisted every hostile attack and
yielded only to famine The very man WHO took it
cannot succeed though still at the head Of large
IN taking the little country town OF Petersburg. lis
not easy to see the design Of Grants late operations
but they appear be directed against the cOmmunica
tons OF Petersburg with the hope OF establishing such
blockade OF that Town may possibly 10 the end lead
to it's surrender aud thus perhaps open OF the roads
to Richmond The defences themselves are too strong
even for the reckless obstinacy of the Northern
mander and if be cannot eject his purpose indirectly
he must give 1t up altogether. Get these Notifications
had never been heard OF till the other day, when the
little place all Of sudden found to be an Antwerp
or Manua in strength.
hese remarks will help to explain the successful re-
sistance of the South against enemy superior in
numbers and resources. Without doubt, the chief
credit due to the energy and courage of the Southern
population but the Confederate engineers have sho Wn
that true mastery of science which consists turning
actual circumstances to immediate account. Begin
ming with oldtashioned muskets the Souherners ad-
Vanced to brecch leaders as rapidly as their means
would permit and then economic their strength ty
the adoption of fortlfcations every point. Grant
finds himself ID an exempOrlzd quadllaleral. Which
way he turns the defences the enemy are too
strong for him, and So in despair Of doing anything
else he attempts to reduce him to surrender by break
ing up the railroad. This, however is a work of
time, and the result 10 which 1t might lead would be
distant sill, whereas there is longer auy time to
spare. so long and SO skilfuy have the Cootcdeaes
their defence that the issue OF the STRIFE will
now probably be determined by the political quarrels
Of their assallans.
1t is strange that the Times should have fallen into
such odd mistake that breech- leaders. We
doubt if any considerable portion Of the infantry Of
either army have breech-loadrs The only breech-
leaders are carbines in the hands of cavalry.
COURT BALL All THE TyILBR3E's
Benteys Miscellany has the following sketch OF the
ruileries on the night OF q court ball. We quote:
The luilleries lock very imposing 1t DISTANCE on
he night of ball. The whole enormous fdcade
8 lit up from top TO bottom, and the Place du Ca
ousa there is euch tn ong OF carriages that it is diff
cult to comprehend how the equipages will be able to
yet down. For all that the most admirable order pre-
7aa and is most visible at the period of the guests de-
parting. The inner court Of the Tueries la eour
thonneur, ia truly splendid 10 the place of the gas
amps, you see everywhere the imperial n, or the i'm.
oeral lau;e wreath, blazing with light aud
this illumination s repeated al sides a. least two
lund. it is easy to form idea OF the splendor
ND brightness OF lie court yard which s large tna
en thousand men msr9lvre in it cOnvenientIy-l