The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1864-12-31

tary critics who have never spoken OF our gen
erals but to show how much better things could
have been managed, or of our Government but
to find fault with it, because it never took their
advice, in mercys name, let those wise men go
to the front and aid us in achieving our inde-
pendence. With their wisdom and strength
swelling our armies, I should have some hopes
tkss will not be corpse before our cause is Sc
cured, and that our flag would never trail in dis
honor, but would wave VIGOROUSLY above the
roar and smoke of battle.
Beauregard telegraphs to Richmond that Union
forces reached Decatur OH the 10th, and burned
a storehouse filled with prisoners. His officers
rescued from the burning building pontoon
boat and afterwards pressed the enemy closely
The Eood and Sherman Campaign.
When General Hood fanked Sherman and cut
him off from his base of operations, the Yankee
press informed US that it was exactly what Sher-
man wanted, and that he would now march I'M
interrupted through Georgia to Savannah, or to
Charleston if he should think proper. We con-
fess that we felt little uneasy ourselves, igno-
rant as we were of the steps taken by our gov
ernment to checkmate the designs of the Fed
eral Commander. We felt. however, that our
able authorities would never have permitted
Hood to advance Northward without providing
for the possibility of such a movement as that
which General Sherman has made. 1t turns out
that our Generals were not caught mapping, and
that Sherman has already been checked in his
grand march over the State of Georgia. If
proper reinforcements have been sent to Georgia
it is not improbable that Sherman's army may
be entirely destroyed. 1t is said that the militia
have been levied en- masse; that Congress has
suspended for sixty days the operation of the
act torbidding the sending of thesRfserve corps
beyond the limits of their own States; and that
many of Lees veterans have been sent to the
relief of Georgia But even supposing that Sher-
man should succeed in reaching the Atlantic
what does he gain by itg He will save his ar
my, it is true, but it will have to be sent by wa
ter to some other point, and the whole Georgia
campaign, which was to turn out so brilliantly,
will prove perfect failure. Georgia will be lid
of the presence of Yankee army, and every
thing will have to be commenced anew at a
point which was reached more than two years
ago.
In the mean time Hood is performing his part
Of the work most admirably. He has driven
the enemy under Thomas steadily before him,
and routed him in severe battle near Franklin,
Tennessee, on the 30th ultimo. details Of which
may be found i'll our news columns to-day. 1t
is true Correspondent of the Chicago Times
claims a Federal victory, but the Times evident
ly does not believe its correspondent. 1t cannot
see very clearly why Thomas should withdraw
his line of battle to within three miles of Nash
vile if he was victorious, and takes particular
pains to mark the words defeat and "repuse''
which occur so often in the letter of its cores
pondent, with quotation marks. Probably the
defeat and retreat Of Thomas to Nashville was
part of his original ''plan." A heavy battle is
imminent at or near Nashville If Hood should
prove successful there is no saying what he may
not do afterwards Let Sherman go to the sea-
coast and embark if be desires. For one we are
willing to get rid Of him on any terms. though,
we confess, we would rather see his army de-
molished. If he should 60 to Grant or Sheridan,
he would probably find on his arrival some OF
his old Georgia acquaintances in his front. At
any rate he would be turned over to the tender
mercies of one Robert E. Lee. and we wish him
much joy in his exchange He will have
Jumped from the frying pan into the fire." An
end would then be put to his "great victories"
and triumphant marches"
On the whole we think the Georgia and Ten
nessee campaign is progressing very favorably.
We shall expect to chronicle even more glorious
achievements before it shall proceed much fur
ther.-L0assiann Democrat.