Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-11-25

and by threatening Johuston's rear compel
that General to fall back from Dalton to At
lanta, and ultimately from Atlanta TO Macon.
The conception was grand enough; the execu-
tion up to a certain point was faultless; but at
that point the whole scheme failed in conse.
quence of the disastrous defeat inflicted by
Forrest on the CO operating column which had
sailed ont from Memphis under General A. J.
Smith. Sherman had come with only suffi Client
supplies TO last him till he could enter the fer
tile and productive grain. growing regions OF
Alabama, or until Joined by Smith, who was
destined to replenish the Yankee commissariat.
But system of we'll devised Instructions
1mpeded his march, and after crossing the State
OF mississippi, he found himself at Meridian
sui confronted by formidable force, while
his own diminished supplies and the defeat of
Smith warned him of the surely fatal conse-
quences of prosecuting his march. While 1t
was yet time he turned and fed, without stri-
king a blow, and reached Vicksburg again
with an army which, in this brief campaign,
had suffered as much as If it had passed
through bloody battle.
We refer to this episode in the history OF the
campaign of 1864 in order to exhibit an illus.
tration Of the dangers which beset the most
magnificent schemes and the most audacious
enterprises; and likewise because we find in il
the antelope Of Sherman's present movement,
admitting that report speaks truly, and the kew
to his actual designs.
The departure from Atlanta and abandon
ment OF the Chattanooga base imply an inten-
ton to seize some point on the coast for a ne "
base, and to effect in this way the coveted sew
erance of the Atlantic States from the Gulf
States. Whether that objective point is on the
Atlantic or on the Gulf, remains to be seen.
Be the course OF his march what it may, our
methods Of defense will be materially the same,
and our resources for that defense very much
the same in extent When Sherman was ca.
reering across the State of Mississippi. a prom
inent General in our service, with full knowl-
edge of the comparatively small and irregular
force left to oppose him, we are assured, felt
confident that with proper energy there were
ample means at our disposition in that quarter
for his discontinue, and to that end urged the
prompt collection and vigorous employment OF
heavy gangs Of negroes in telling the timber
across the roads, and otherwise obstructing the
possible lines of march of the enemy, not only
in his immediate front, but on his TANKS, and,
as far as practicable, in the rear
BY this means, his march might be DELAYED
until his supplies would be exhausted and a
force concentrated for the exigency sufficient
to insure his destruction. Added 70 this, our
light cavalry should carry OF or consume by
The torch all means ofsubsistence on his TANKS.
In this simple practicable way and by resort
to military resources, OF which we have album
dance In the threatened quarter, we doubt not
Sherman may be caught in the toll from
which there will be no possible escape OF
him, aud with that confident expectation we
shall look forward to his operations without
the least appreh ensiOn,