Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-12-23
Correspondents of the New YORK Nevs.l


Everybody who is behind the scenes" here is
making no end of fun at the Secretary OF War
because he does not send in his report to Con
gIess The reason OF this stragce retceuce Is
no secret The document was ready at the time
Congress met. But up to that time il was OILY
report of failures and reverses. As Sherman's
campaign seemed to be then approaching is ter
minaton, the Secretary thought be would wait
and see il be could not get in one paragraph. ~
least, OF real success
Ii the report, when made, is truthful, it will
afford melancholy picture of lavish means, and
OF men furnished without stint. all wasted in the
pursuit of vain chimeg;l The campaigns Of
the past year have been carried on bv armies
amounting to 200 600 men, OF whom 400 600
now survive, against Confederate force OF not
much. Il any over 275 900 troops: and yes what
is there to show Tor them? Where are the fruits
OF the victories of the spring and summer. and
fall of 1861 that were so loudly trumpeted
They are certainly Dot visible 10 the naked eve
Are tho Confederate armies annihilated
Certainly not. They are nearly as strong nu
mericaly, and certainly as efficient, now, as
they were last April But where, On the other
hand, j. our army, that started out last May, TO
march To Richmond Let General Hancock
answer FOR his own corps In reply 70 gentle
man who spoke few DAYS ago. of his having
rex tue oeCOnu OoFp-s 1ebtlii hhuSOCk. iepi gu,
with sad tone and moistened eve Left the
Second Corps. yes: lett them all the way from
the Rapidan TO Petersburg. and on the banks of
the james Riverl" Aud what is true of the
Second is true OF al the other corps. Not one
tenth Of the original material of each is left
alive
Have we captured Richmond Every few
weeks the public have been assured that that
event was on the point OF taking place. and then
grand assault would take place, bloody re-
pul,e woald follow, and ttsn would ensue long
weeks of weary waiting and OF hope deferred
How the public has been humbugged about that
Dutch Canal. about the iron clad feet and about
"the devils" that were going to take up the tor
pcdoes in the river ust below Richmond If the
Secretary tells the truth aDou; Richmond. hi. re-
port viii state that there is much less probability
OF is being taken now than at any previous
periods
The truth is, the failure OF Gen Grants cam
paign against Richmond never appeared in so
strong a light at present All that he has
done since the 18th OF May, has been 10 dash bis
men against the improbable positions of the
Confederates. and then 70 move his torn and
bleeding divisions 10 the left. in the vain hope Of
finding some weak or vulnerable point Even
th, movement to the left was stopped, after be
bad reached bis present position on the lJ;h os
June lt has been ia vain, since then, that he
has tried TO swing further around 20 the left
Hard fighting and strategy, (such strategy a. he
Is master OF, have alike proved powerless to en-
able him to get to any point west OF Petersburg
although he has been trying 10 do 50 ever
since the end OF June.
IL is enough 10 make one shudder to read the
flaming bulletins OF victory that Mr. Stanton has
recently teegraphed from here Is the public
regarded as thOughtless children destitute OF rea
souug powers that they can be nude TO believe
in victories like 'heseg l. t. so long since the
great victory of Sherman at Atantag that At
lanta that depopuated in order that t might
be made a fortified base for our operations for
ever! Atlanta, that was 10 restore the Federal
supremacy in Georgia? Alas whore j. Atlanta
TO dayl l. it 50 long since the great and bloody
victore, OF Grant over Lee. All the way from the
Rapdan TO Richmond, IN each of which the
rebel armv was annihilatedy When the public
remember the glowing accounts OF these victo-
ries, and how much was promised on account OF
them. and when they see new thai they we're Of
no account az all. affecting the general result
of the war. they be pardoned for incredulity
about Stanton's present victories
The reports that prevail here about the capture
on Savannah by Sherman are known 20 be the
purcst tibricauous IL il doubtful whether 81
vAuuah viii be captured or not. II certainly viii
not be before de- 'erate battle has becu tough,
The city Is well nded on all sides. aud there
il Confederate my there, fully as large as
Shermans MALCOLM.