The Camden daily journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1864-1864, 1864-07-21

and were moving Columbus with force OF fifteen
thousand, in three columns. Wo think tic party who
wrote the letter must have been misinformed' We
however give the statement as written.
The Memphis (A6anta) Appeal has learned from nm
authentic source that since our army Arrived in the
vicinity Of Marietta have captured prisoners from
onc'hundred and nincty-scven infantry regiments,
twenty-eight cavalry regiments and from soven bat
teres Total, two hundred and thirty-two commands.
--~>o~~@o->-----
Inc more we ponder the removal Of Gen JOHNSTON,
from the command ofthe Army of Tennessee, tho less
we arc aoe to discover any reasonable ground for it
unless indeed, Gen. JoHEseoN intended to evacuate
Atlanta which we do not for moment believe. On
the other hand we find 80 many reasons against tho
removal, that we arc more than impressed with
tho peei that it can not fail to work serious injury
zen. JOHNSTON, whose abilities as a consumlnae
strateGst arc conceded by every one had evidently
IN pursuance of some previously formed plau abandon.
ed to the enemy large extent Of valuable territory
It's reasonable to suppose that this sacrifice was
balanced ny corresponding advantages resulting from
It, ifGen JoHNsToN's plan of campaign s to ho car
RED out who 60 fit 70 carry it out it's author7 fit
is to be Abandoned then the sacrifice of territory and
position becomes, by sort of erpost acto action en-
trely useles The territory, material and men, lost
on tho retreat from Dalton. dead loss to us; and
the responsibility 10: it rests other shoulders than
Gen. toHNsroN's But the removal Of Cen J. sug-
geste another and important inquiry. How are our
campaigns drectcd2 Are our Generals iu- Ch cf real
~ genorns Or are they nero puppets moved by wires?
II the former why are their plans intctercd with IF
tho latter, who pulls the wires? When Cen JOHN
SToN, was assigned to the command Of the Army OF
tennessee tile alarm. eScie by The dsporab'c condi-
ton OF ahars in the west was in great measure octcd
because the military abilities Of JOHNSTON inspired con-
idcnce' But ifhe was to he puppct his abili-
tics were OF no uso. Nay they became snare an,l
deusion We nsk again.. who pulls tho wires The.
members OF the cabinet arc not military men, and it
would be ridiculous to make plan Of campaign cab
met question: We are therefore forced to the concu
sion that the President himself assisted perhaps hy
Gems COOPER and BRAGG, directs each particular ol-
eratli'n. If this conclusion be correct can ac-
cofnt Tor many of the disastrous hlundtrs wc! have
hcon made. Even If tho President and his military nd
vlsciS were military gcniuses Of the first order they
could not properly conduct campaign ut Il distance
ofnine hundred miles from the seat of active opera
tdns. NAPOLEON himself pronounced that feat OH in
possibility and wo would much sooner trust our fato
to the judgment Of a commander of ordinary ability
who was Oh the spot than to a. council IF
EAPoLEoNs hundreds of miles away from it.
But tho President has. never yet given evidence of
great military ability COOPER hasn't been in active
service for forty yoars; and BRACES military history
during the war, has been monoonous story ob]un
dern", disaster and defeat It our Generals arc thus
hampcrcd in the field by orders from Richmond it is
not wonderful that disasters happen; it is only won
der(ul that worse things have not belallen u.s.
We do not design, in what we have said, to attack
the purity of the Presidents motives or to question
the patriotism of his advisers he has any. Wo only
mean to urge that the policy ofhamperng our Generals
byspeca orders, is mistaken and that can not
fail to lead to unhappy results. General who docs
not enjoy tile confidence Of his Government ought not
to be assigned to an important command. Ifho does
enjoy it, he ought to be left free to act as his Judgment
based upon the facts asthey occur under his immedi
ate observation, may dictate And so believing, wo
think that JOHNSTON should haye been allowed to OK
ccute his plans, or-l,e should never have been sent
to Dalton
Midshipman Edward Maffit Anderson, son of
Colonel Edward G. Anderson, of Savannah,
commanding tho District of Goo.o;o -