Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-11-05

The gloomy tapestry of the skies the yellow
leaves drifting to the ground. the cold winds aud
shifting temperature admonsh US that we are
upon the verge OF winter Summer went long
since, and autumn has passed its meridian. so
that bat brief space separates US from the
-uows and rigcr of the winter months. So near
is the latter season that, so far as military opera
tons are concerned we may consider il already
here. and that all further operations of import
ance must necessarily be postponed until the
spring of the coming year The prominent
events which will give character TO the campaign
of 1864 have already occurred. Those which
NAV follow in the brief interval between to day
and winter will not be of "A character to materi-
ally alter the present characteristics of the cam
paign.
A careful retrospectiou of the events of the
campaign OF 1864 forces the unpleasant cOncu
sion that we have made no material progress II
we have gained at any one point. We have lost an
equal amount or more at some other; IN fact, a
careful weighing of our gains and losses will. we
think. show Il considerable preponderance in the
case of the latter In this connection, reference
is had to territorial acquisitions or otherwise
The balance with respect to this Is easily struck
Sherman has penetrated to Atlanta, and exer
ciSes pI ecsrious feature over "A narrow strip of
country living adjacent to the railroad, leading
from Atlanta to chattanooga.
the entrance to Mobile bay, is all the territory
that has been wrested from the Confederacy
during the present year. and this, owing TO the
present disposition of the rebel armies, Is a bar
rem victory. We are obliged 20 formidable
force of men to guard these acquisitions, while
at the same time We are unable TO use them for
further advance.
The footholds that we had 10 Texas and West
ern Louisiana have been given up. as have the
points held by Us in Southwestern Tenne- see, all
of which constitute an area very MANY times
larger than that captured BY Sherman and Far
ragut. Regarded az acres, the number held by
our armies at he present time Is very much less
then that which We possessed at the opening Of
the present campaign.
Nor have We been more fortunate IN other re-
spects. We have not improved the ability OF our
leaders. the value of our currency, our prospects
for ultimate success. or succeeded in dispiritIng
or demoralizing rebels
Terrific and u rss as have been our losses 10
preceding campsie $. they have been sll greater.
and, II possible, -tii more useless. In the season
which Is about closed The history of modern
warfare furnishes no parallel of greater sscrih
ces and fever results than those attending the
march # General Grant from The RApidsn to
Richmond.
The rebel capital Is 70 dsy as much in rebel
possession as it was in Nay last 50 that the Que
hundred and ffty five thousand men who have
fallen in the attempi TO take that place have been
Just so many lives completely, absolutely wasted
From ali indications, Richmond will continue TO
deiy our efforts for an indefinite period We have
thus tar made impression upon il. and. as 1t
has been able 10 sustain Itself thus far. there is
no reason Why II NAV not continue to 10 50 for
months. years longer
la the Shenandoah alley, Sigel and Hunter
nave both suffered overwhelming defeats. Sheri
dan. It i true. has won severA victories. bat.
despite these he holds less than halt the valley,
while rebel army sill exists IN his immediate
front
Our attempts in Texas. Western Louisiana and
Florida have al been costly failures. We have
been driven ANONYMOUSLY from all these States.
with enormous losses IA men. material AMI repu
tation On the ocean, We have "a otured 4 single
rebel var vessel, while at the sane time. our
losses N shipping are even greater than The eDor-
nous .osses Of ms preceding year On lard, the
rebels hold Richmond. Wilmington, Charleston
Mobile. snd, n short every place md railroad Of
importance which they held Al the beginning Of
the eig1. wiki single exception OF thc
railroad and position AZ Atlanta.
We sre forced 10 the conclusion that We have
made no progress tossrds accomplishing the oo-
ssss Of the ear Such conclusion nay be ha