Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1864-03-30
REPORTS, sPECULATIONS, &c.
From the N. I. News.

st on ) orders, will at al early DAY lhVaue null
tncky. And it is not improbable that the rad
Of that daring partizan, General Forrest into
,ha eastern part of the State, is part OF the
general plan.
The amendment of Grant as Lieutenant
General and Commander OF all the armies OF
the United States, is not unsatisfactory 20 the
Confederates Southern officers 40 no. place
a high estimate on his ability. They admit he
possesses great energy and tenaclty puC tney
deny that his successes over those lhler IL:
Generals pemberton and Bragg, evnce null
lave that when he meets their favorite Gen.
Lee. he will prove but tyro in the art OF war,
Of which they deem the Confederate General,
the master. But if Grant and Lee meet 1t
will be on Virginia soil, for the operations OF
the latter will be confined to the defence OF
Richmond AM Virginia The Contederates 40
rot design an invasion of Maryland or Penn
syiyana. Notwithstanding all reports contra
dctory of this. ~
Although the invasion Of Kentucky will be
trustea to Longstreet and his lleutenants,
Buckner and Breckinridge still their move
ments is but a part of comprehensive plan
of Gen. Joe Johnston, who will act Inc concert
with them. And in connection, 1t seems
rather singular why such confidence IS repos-
ed in that officer Here are some OF the rea-
sons for that confidence, as given by an ofncer
of his staff. Hesays that Johnston deceived
and out generated Patterson, by which ne re,
enforced Beauregard, and those troops turned
the fortunes Of the day at the first battle OF
Bull Run. It is true, also, that Johnston
1earranged Beauregard's lines preliminary to
that battle. without which the Federals would
have routed the Confederates. Johnston and
Beauregard with less than 10000 men,
held McClellan's 200, 600 at bay at Manassas,
and the former subsequently SO maneuvered
his small army on the Peninsula as to check
Mcclellan and gain the time necessary to
throw up works around Richmond and pre-.
pare it for the defence which was afterward
made. Again: It was by Johnston advice
that the battle of Fair Oaks was fought; and
his friends claim that but for his falling wound
ed in the early part of the conflict that ne
would have routed and captured all the FEEDER
ais on the west side Of the Chickahominy.
When Gen. Johnston was sent West, ne
urged President Davis to eyacuate Vlckst6urg,
and rapidly concentrating the whole available =
force in the Southwest attack and crush no
sccrans, and thus regain Tennessee ana occupy
Kentucky. Had his advice been followed tne
disasters which afterwards followed, It IS sala
\. light have been averted. The publlshe1a re-
ports Of Gen. Johnston show that he clearly
,pn va the position Of Pemberton;
and and lad that officer adopted his suggestions,
or rather obeyed the orders Of his superior In IN
command, if he had not beaten Gra2 M3o,l ne
would have saved his army, although V,eks-
burg would have fallen. But recently, Sher-
man was foiled by Johnston massllng all bis
available cavalry under Forrest and prevent.
iug the junction Of the Federal cavalry under
Irierson and Smith with Sherman; without
cavalry Sherman could not subslst his army,
.,nI Tins the boldest movement Of the war was
.},.feat.d But the present campaign after all
nnst show whether or not he IS the great