The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-09-06
The Military Situation.
CH n 81 I1m
RIAL HoLLoNStss on TnE aEnaL.

ed ~ Thai NIih0at which Ii ie lmpos
sihle 60 carry ou sar--e1hausled o.
men. Tie field, in he impressive
, expression Of Napoleon regarding
: France after the three eouscnptions
4 IL rraped down TO the stubble 0ul
! of AZ available fighting population oi
upward oi lhrer-quarers OF n million
will nhieh the war was inauguraIed,
they have saved an effective force OF
one hundred aud City, perhaps two
tuudred thousand men. The rest are
10 their graves, ~ tie hospitals, disa-
bled, OF prisoners 10 our hands. These
are the toIlorn hope OF the Rebellion.
/ By mntcbless sagacity in the conduct
OF affairs, executing It's purpose with
despotic power, this force is still kept
on foot, and even made TO present "A
twmidable aspect. And without
doubt The Rebel chiefs will still for
some time be able TO oppose vigor-
ous resistance TO our efforts TO quell
armed opposition, and to the zeal de-
Stree OF the majority OF the Southern
p, ople for peace. They will certainly
do 50 while they have at the main
points OF contact force so nearly
proporiioned to our own. But il is
not hard TO show how, by an exertion
Of tie power we have il our hands,
the armies that stand between the
Coniederacy and their utter ruin can
be destroyed.
TUE SITUATION BEFORE ATLANTA.
The main forces of the rebellion
are collected in two armies the one
defending Richmond, the political
capital OF the Contederacy the other
defending Atlanta, the natural capital
oi the Confederacy.
Iu front OF Atlanta is planted the
superb army commanded by General
sherman, man OF unsurpassed mill.
tary ability. He has placed his army
IN that position after IN advance from
Chattanooga of nearly a hundred
miles, marked by a series Of brilliant
manGuvres and actions, in which the I
enemy 5 iorce ms been driven from a
succession d strongholds, looked upon
as impregnable. Arriving in front OF
Atlanta he bas been thrice assail,d |
hy an enemy willing to lavish every |
thing in tie desperate effort to drive |
him back. The Enemy has tlrice
met q bloody repul,e. Sherman is
now working slowly but surely round
on the Rebel communications. two
lines Of which he holds. He i com
plcting this by extending his force
around on their only remaining line
IA TASK which necessarily demands
some time for lis accomplishment
( Lister intelligence fays tins has been
accomplished. Wd that Sherman has
planned himself Oh The Macon road
Ids. duUr.) But there is no dead lock
~ -dttaRfa. and those who repr, sent
the situation in his light utterly fail
le grasp the true military significance
81 @hat Sherman is doing General
Sherman can take Atlanta any day
but he aims at more than that he
means he destruction Of The UeStern
army cf he Contcderocy. And, in.
deed, either that result or its early
flight ls 4 matter OF speedy certainty.
AZ the same time that he is thus
pressing With fatal weight on the enc
NY, Shermans own communications
are safe, which is much TO be able 10
say Of a hue two.thlrds as long as that
Of Napoleon's from the Nieman TO
Moscow. The Rebels who have been
counting on dislodgiue him from be-
fore Atlanta, by operations on his
lines, have been taught by the failure
Dt Their last attempt, made with their
whole available cayalry,lhe emptiness
oi these expectations while those
among ourselves who, looking at the
enormous depth of bis line, have beer !
'olic'ious fer his safety, may dismiss
heir fears. The substantial grounds
II tins security are not proper TO make :,
public; but il Is not unSeemly to say !,
his much-taat Sherman (who has
ytnins for SUPPLY ing his army une- !
lusiled 10y any commander in the
ield,) is practically iRdependem Of :
as hne 81 communication for any : :
me during rhtch Me enemy can pos. "
10Y interrupt iL This, therefore, !.
caves him free TO work out the great !
ask before him /; aud private adyices !, :
rom himself TO the Government give "
be assured hope Of its early accom- 7
llshment. y
OF the effect OF the capture of AT. !"
inta II is not TOO much 10 say that y
eoondary in is political Importance = =
that OF Richmond, yet in a material :
nd military point OF vieR--in is =
ressafe on tie issue oi the war--its "
Heel must be len-i0ld that oil The y
spiorr Of the kebei capital. /: once =
iore cuts tie Coniederacy IN twain. =
.d eomleis lhr lieOei srny, If ii BE- :
.iowed ie rttrrAi al all. TO make TO. =
ard onlsotneiy, in a hich case it i. - -
Fown of ecceitrically aud away
On ts CONNECTIONS silh the Rebel -
'rcv IA Nirginia, OF rise to move into
'e IA eianas, 40 which case the area =
lhr Coat deracy j, cabined, efJbbed =
"a conhhed within tie restricted I'm q
; u be pataiielogram u tbe Allan w
c srAhoard Siaie,. as
TBE slTuATfOS IN vrncfSfA