Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-07


The position Of General Sherman Is q
subject Of sore vexstion to those who are
either apprehensive for his safety, curious
70 hear solution Of all tho recent demon
strations, or anxious to have some light
thrown upon their own particular pet
scheme Of military criticism.
The telegraph continues to be uasatis-
factory in answering the question. Its
daily reports from Cairo and Fortress
Monroe are stale, fat and improbable" :"
Saturday nights dispstOhes represent
hin IS q military shuttle. The plan Was,
It seems, for him to fly Eastward from
Vieksburg,, then baCksgain, then East once
more.
One military gentlemen, in the far East,
On Saturday morning saw Sherman on the
defensive. He had travelled all the way
from Chattanooga, via. Memphis and
Vieksburg, to Meridian without accom-
pIshing either Ofthe purposes people ex-
pected him to accomplish. He had neither
made huge flank movement on Johnston
nor attacked Mobile. BE wRs on the de-
fensive and slresdy bsck again at Yioks-
burg. The eul de sSes military trlsngles,"
HWster bases, SC, had sll taken fight and
Sherman was no longer the fierce NapO-
leon of the Southwest, shooting like 6
comet across ths country.
Another military critic in the far West
takes 8 more hopeful view. The Western
Jonini issys Sherman is yet between Msr-
idian and the TOmbigbee river. He has
fortified himself, being too shrewd and old
. fox to be caught struggling around the
country. Having established himself either
ct Selma or at some point between that
place and Meridian, our Western man says
he must be looked after and then proceeds
70 REINFORCE him with men and supplies
in . highly ingenious manner.
Only three routes. One is by the way
Of his advance from Vicksburg. Another
route is down the Mobile and Ohio Rail-
road. Notwithstanding the failure Of
Smiths Cavalry to unite with Sherman
b. that route, yet, continues our Western
Solomon, 1t could be done with double the
number Of Smiths Cavalry. Quite true,
Bir, very true, indeed. The third method
Of reinforcing is from Chattanooga, di-
reotly ACROSS the country.
This remarks our occidental critic,
sould be done If Thomas would only dis
pose Of Johnston ct Dalton and Atlanta.
Very true again. Thou art an apt scholar.
Grant can re-snfOrce on one condition,
providing he can't.
5 But in case Thomas does not succeed at
Dalton, there is yet another possible way,
continues our Western msn. Fsrragut is
4 Mobile. he is bound to get into the
Alabama river, and if he does, then sher-
aau Is safe upon the river valleys Of that I
tate. b
But before any Of these blessed contin-
,eneies msy occur, Sherman may need
OOd. Most wisely said, o Western joni
1. Bread, not brass buttoned Lieutensnts
nd Captains, is the staff Of Sherman.
This food may come in two ways: 1st,
ia the the center Of Mississippi from
TiokSburg But otherwise from the ooun-
y in which he yet is. The probabilities
Re that thstregion is blessed with abnnd-
nee Of corn and bacon, and if Sherman
N lsy it sufficiently under tribute, he
~ yet surviOs oi
Still smother answer to the question oi
here is Sherman, comes from Washing n,
n. After reaching Meridian and halting lii
ere three days for Smiths cavalry
at came not, BY 3 rapid movement he
rned Aberdeen and Columbus, leaving 10
en- on the left, an by Tn audscious
sOks Of strategy placed himself within tn
9 hundred miles Of JOhnston's flank ar
" msnseed by his advance. Ali the II. IN
Il sbout Mobile and Selma was q splsn- M tes
1 rEss TO beguile the rebels while sher- fit
IN inysdes Georgia somewhere between pc
snton and Lafayette. q
While Sherman is thus striking blows me
LET Us listen with eli patience WI
the Establishments of the telegraph, un- an
the truth is revealed. IN IN
Hi