The Goodhue volunteer., 1864-03-02
riIy SO much blind verbiass) should answer;
his question. Let US suppose that Sherman

this question. Let US suppose that Sherman
continues his present easterly march, lol-
lowing the Southern Mississippi Railroad
which he puts in order as ke goes, and that
he advances as far as Meridian, one hundred
and forty miles from Vicksburg. Suppose
that while this operation is under way.
Banks and Farragut strike successful blow
at Mobile, This accomplished, and we
have two forces planted at strategic points
of the highest importance, and connected
By the line of the Mobile and Ohio Rail-
road. II now from Meridian, Sherman
Epushes his advance due eastward to Selma,
Alabama, it will be seen that the result ol
these combined operations is to give US po-
1sessioEs-of region Of enormous Importance
|strageticaAy and Materially region whose
possession, iu fact, would settle the fate OF
the rebellion
The region into possession Of which we
shall come by the successful issue of the
operations now On foot, fo:r,s 9 grand STRAIT
egic triangle, whereof Meridian, NJ Mcb!e, Sc!
ma, are the three points. Its yalao il three
fold First, the grca. facility for inter com
munication it presents; secondly tie mate
ri. va'uo OF the district Of country Of which
1t assures us possession; and thirdly, tbs
military bearing OF this region on che whole
theatre Of war. We can DO no roSe than
glance at these three points i'll susc cession.
And first Of the communications, il IS to
To said that 10 region in the South il SO
admirably situated. both ne urai;y and ar
t'6sially, as that just indica,eG. For in
the district between Vicksburg, Selma and
Mobile, we have no less than three water
hases-on tho Mississippi :ad On the Gull :;
and four lines of comnun;catiou-name
two rai!roads, and two rivers.
From Vick>burg. We have tae line Of the
Southern mississippi railroad ; f,cn Mobile,
We have The Mobile and Ohio lailread, TO-
'gesher with the 'ro,nbi!bee and Aaaama
rivers. The Tonbigosc opens the State
Icf Mississippi up to Columbus and Absr
tdeen the Alab una opens the State Of Ala
bama up 10 Selma, Montgomery an beyond.
These points will ali be held and made pow
e1fully fortified depots of supplies. They
will form precisel y the secondary base Gen
Grant must hays in an advance in o the
Gulf States. The material impor anse OF
the region arises from the fact tina, it's river
bottoms ferns the riches: cotton district in
I:he south and 1t is there, also, that the
mass Of the di<lributi on of the slave popula.
ton shows its darEest hue.
We co.:- arrive O.; the strategic bearings
Of the region il its relations nth the present
disposition Of the rebel forces in the south
wes.. The value OF It, in .h:' view, cannot
he overes,inated. First OF eli, it vili rive
rs tire grand secondary line Q: rebel conmu
nisations. With the POSSESSION Of Cna,ta
nooga and knovllie. we tapped :ho first of
those linas, and t,ae CONFESSIONS oftae rebels
Themselves shcw terribly this itself c,ntar
.asscs .hen. Well, we shalt now seize n
only remaining lie. In tie na1t place, it
must cal! away cc7sidera tie portion, a,
!cas: Of tn: reteI army from Grants front,
and enable him to advance. Supplies vii.
soon be accumulated 20 make this possible
But finally, and most important Of all, it an
ticipstcs the rebels in tho possession o: the
.on!y remaining line Of defence which it was
possible :o- the rebsls to take Up. when
Grant should once advance from Ci,at.anoo
ga. military men have long recognized,
tha. If the rebels were once turned at At
iansa, tlse line OF the Tombigbeo was the on
siy avai:ab'e position left them, The other
line leads directly in o cat is-s1., ending
Iia Florida Il, therefore, tn prezent move
men.s are successful, it clutches this single
positioa At which the rebsIs could hay,
hoped TO make any prosracs ed stand, We
discern in these moves his marks ofa bold
brilliant, original conception. Fheir very
imitation must U tariy dis onears ali the
rebel plsns Of invasion in the YES There
is very little doubt that, Is their first resuIi
We shall hear Of Johnsson's pronp. re,rsa,
to Atlanta. @ l5zszz :
/ &ss --~>-->.