Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-22
Iron the New York World. Correspondent
- -. 4 :

had been ntfusted 90 Geaefa Johnston. These
Letters were written 10y persons whose Official Pc
sition IN two Instances aud whose relationship ~
another. gives great weight and authenticity TO
what they saw. From these aud other recent
sources, have derived the following facts IN re-
lation to the present movements OF General
Johnston in Georgia.
The successive retreats OF the rebel army un-
der Geueral Johnston from Dalton 10 Resaca,
from Resnca TO the line OF the Eiowah liver, and
from the Etowah 10 Marietta and the line OF the
Chattahooche river (for il has been determined
that he shall eventually take that last stsp) gives
great discomfort 10 the people OF the South, but
IL is really what the southern leaders had deter
mined on before the campaign began. The re-
bellion 10 not on is hast legs yet, nor have the
rebels got ia their armies all their fighting
men. Still their armies have cost them too
much. and are raised with too much difficulty. 20
allow the lifesof single soldier to he thrown
away useessly, aud their Generals, therefore m
this campaign avoid AL engagements the results
Of which would only be the fruitless sacrifice OF
their men
THL RFBfLs AvERsE TO FIGHTING MORE THAN ONE
GREAT BATTLE n GEORGIA.
IN arranging the details OF the campaign in
Georgia, IL seen that at least one great bat
tie must be fought between Chattanooga and
Atlanta, but they hoped to fight that battle at
such time. aud under such circumstances OF
position. &c, that IL should not only be decisive
of the campaign in that it would deliver Atlanta
| from all fears of subsequent attack. but that it
would have these .wo further results: LIST That
Shermans army would be entirely destroyed. or.
at least SO severely crippled that retreat north
of the Ohio river would be all that il could do.
Aud ID. That Johnston's army. after securing
the permanent safety of Atlanta, would be in n
condition To move rapidly 20 the east and 10 join
General Lee in defeating the forces operating
against Richmond And they hoped that one
battle would be sufficient TO enable. themSo gain
these ends The only question then was. where
and when should this battle be fought Eyl-
IDENTIFY, where the rebels would be the strongest
aud the Federals the weakest; where the rebels
were nearest 10 their base. and the Federals far
thest from their base; at point whence the
rebel army after the battle, could be most speed
lily transported to Virginia aud at point whence
the Federal army, after being defeated or re
pulsed, would have the greatest difficulty, aud
the longest route to traverse, in retreatng to
Nashville. All these conditions, it is claimed.
meet, and are found in the rebel position on the
lett bank of the Chattahoochee river, six miles
northwest of Atlanta; and in no other position
which General Johnston has abandoned.
JoHNsroN's MOVEMENTS DEPENDENT UPON GRANTS.
The execution of this plan in the manner pro
posed depended greatly upon the progress of the
campaign against Richmond. And the rebel
leaders claim that the results which have fol-
lowed the adoption of the overland route by
Gen. Grant, his frequent changes at base. and
his final abandonment of "that line" and adop-
ton of the Peninsula route; and then abandoning
that route, and seeking to establish new base
on the James river, have greatly facilitated their
operations in the West. Nothing decisive, they
say, has yet taken place in Virginia, unless il be
a fresh demonstration of the impracticabity OF
operations against Richmond by the overland
route The obstacles TO the capture of Rich
mond which lay before General Grant when he
set out on his campaign lie before him now just
the same. lie has only lost, in getting to them,
50 900 men, whom he might just well have
had with him to-day; but for this very prominent
trait in Gen Grants character they rather like
him than not. Their losses in this overland
campaign have not been one-quarter as large as
ours The South could not stand the same drain
upon her population that the war has made upon
ours. If Gen. Lees army had lost half as many
men a. we have in the last six weeks, it would
to-day be completely cut up, aud utterly incapa
Die even OF respectable resistance. Ii the &C
counts of rebel losses that are published in Ad
ministration papers were correct, they would
show that the rebels have lost more men in battle
than they ever had in their armies.
JOHNSTON TAkEs HIS CUE FROM LII.
The rebel leaders claim that General Lees ma
-neuvers have been successful, in that with a
small loss to their army, and a very large one to
ours, they have drawn the Federal army far away
from its capital, and brought il to where it must
spend months after months in proitless siege op
erations Their confidence in the absolute i'm
pregnability of their capital Is unshsken, and 1t
must be admitted by those who know the facts,
that it is well founded The time has now come,
therefore, they say, when that part of the cam
paign which has been entrusted 70 General John
ston will be developed
WHAT THE REBELS THINK or SHERMAN
They understand the recent hesitation of Sher
man, at Ailatoona pass, 10 mean that that officer
comprehends their plans now, IL he has not done
SO before. and i striving 10 counteract them by
new combinations. Singular ast may seem, the
rebel leaders have much greater respect tor. and
far deeper dread of, General Sherman than
General Grant They believe that he is a soldier
of real genius. while Grant, they say, is distin-
gushed only for bull dog tenacty. and utter dis
regard for the lives of his soldiers Whatever
respect they may have had for Grant two months
ago, is now entirely obliterated by his giving up
his own plan for marching Richmond, and
adopting that of the President Ga fact which was
as well, and as soon, known al the latter city as
il was in Washingtou;) and then being compelled
in the end to adopt the despisel plan OF General
Mcclellan. They beiieve that General Sherman
is too deeply impressed with the gravity o. his
position (and il needs the study OF good map
10 IL in all is bearings that lac viii pause tor
awhile and wait for further Developments at the
east, While be lorIihes his present position, which
happens to be an admirable one for the purpose
GENERAL soHNsros's PLAN OF OPERATIONS.
General Johnstons plan is believed at Rich
mond to be, 70 pursue the same course at Mari
eta which he cid al Resaca, and then to re ire
behind the Chattahoochee. In order 10 attack
him and advance on Atlanta, General Sherman
must cross that stream. which Is one OF cOnsld-
cradle size. at some poi;lt The left bank of the
river i billy and steep; and the decisive battle IN
Georgia will either take place when General
Sherman attempts TO cross IL. or at some point
between il and Atlanta. Atlanta itself is very
strongly fortified Even ii the rebel army should
be worsted in the encounter. and be compelled 20
retire 10 the defenses of the city proper the siege
OF the place would require many weeks, during
the whole of which time General Forrest and
General Morgan. with their two divisions of cav
airy, would be operating in Shermans rear. cut
ting bis communications, and capturing his
trains But such a thing a siege of Atlanta
does not enter into the rebel calculations What
they confidently look for : 4 great battle on the
left bank OF the ChAttaho0chee. the defeat of
sherman. ard his retreat 10 Nashville, pursued
hy their cavalry In this case the rebel leaders
look 10 Johnston 10 send some powerful rein
iotcements to General Lee. These reinforce
men,s. however. are not looked for and thew