Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-25


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The Army Of the Potomac.
A furry Of expectation and excitement
In regard to the Army Of the Potomac,
within the pssi few days having passed
over the land, great many hearts have
sent up prayers for its sueesss. By almost
unanimous consent General Grant has be-
come the one man upon whom the fortunes
Of the Republic hang. BE has been in
vested with supreme authority, and will be,
in the estimation Of she public, alone re-
spOnsible for defsst. The President has
committed the entire control Of all the vast
military resources Of the nation iniO his
hands. His therefore will be the glory Of
triumph OF the dishonor Of defeat.
Having ihus supreme control and having
concentrated half of the available forces of
the army, splendid in numbers and equip
nsnts, there is 0 strong probability that
before midsummer comes, he will have
taken the rebel capital and driven the
rebel horde from Virgins aad North Caro-
Inns. As the resources Of General Lee
become better Understood, confidence in
the success Of Grant increases.
From present indications the rebels are
concentrating every man that can be
spared from other points, along the
south banks Of the Rspidsn. General Less
headquarters are ct Orange Court House,
while those Of Grant are directly opposite
at Culpepper. LOngstreet's force has re-
Gently been sdded to that Of Lee, but it is
barely possible that 3 portion Of Lees
army under Longstreet has been sent into
the Shenandoah Valley with view to di-
viding Grants forces With three large
armies operating sgsinst Richmond, one
southward from Washington, one up the
Peninsula, one through North Carolina,
against Weldon and Petersburg, is very
difficult to see by what strategy the rebel
Lee proposes to avoid falling back upon
Richmond and finally, routed and demor-
allied, through North Carolina. Indeed
unIess Les takes the offensive, we cannot
see why he will not be compelled in a short
time to fall back upon Richmond. Once
having fallen hack, no strategy can pre-
vent his hnsl overthrow. We therefore
look for speedy and decisive action in the
Army Of the Potomac. That army, made
desperately serious By mingled triumph
and defeat is yet to vindioate its glory
Initiating the more fortunate armies Of the
West it viii sweep sOuthward along the
Atlantic coast striking terror snd dismay
into the souls of the fugitive rebels.
A few more days Of favorable weather
will put the grand army in motion. The
President wants an advance, the people
urge it. and General Grant viii not fail to
meet this demand, like true, valiant sol
der of the Republic.
We believe, moreover, that q careful
consideration Of sl the strategic questions
involved in the capture Of Richmond snd
the destruction Of Lees army will be de-
cidedly in favor Of General Grant. We
Dy q smau army moving on Interior Hnes
over large one moving on exterior lines.
But that advantage comes from q species
Of military error Of which Grant is
not guilty. he viii not allow the rebels
to defeat cur army in detail As he re-
Gently said while riding along the Rspidsn,
which the rebels during the last year have
made the strongest fertilization on the
Western; Continent he win not butt
against it. He osn compel an evsous-
ton of this line. He can move upon Rich
mOnd by several routes already indicated.
We believe therefore, there is ground for
strong confidence in the success Of UneOn-
ditionsl Surrender Grant.