New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-27
THE wAn En- TaE WEST.


Gen. Grants columns are in motion from
Chattanooga toward Dalton, within three miles
Of which place they had arrived, with only de-
sultory opposition, on the evening of the 23d.
The dispatches which We print this morning
show plainly enough that the Rebels occupied
no line mich to the north Of Dalton which they
meant to defend. Whether they still hold In
force the line near Dalton ouce held so strongly,
we shall hear in day or two. SO far, We have
the history of two days operations, including q
movement about tyenty. three miles in advance
from Chattanooga. The Rebels occupied Tun-
mel Hill and Rnggold with small corps Of OBJ
soryation, and ihero was due amount Of Skin
mlshing between them and tho head Of Gen.
Thomas's column. The real lighting is to come
hereafter.
There can be no doubt that the campaign is
fairly opened. The separate columns Of Gen.
Sherman, oil Gen. W. S. Smith (caValry), of
Gen. Logan, and HOW Of Gen. Thomas, are al
well nnder way, each With work Of its Own to
accomplish, but all cooperating under the d.cec-
ton OF Gen. Grant. So little information has
been received, and the movements ard position
If Gen. Sherman are still so obscure, that We
ere left to conjecture the parts which he and The
rest arc to play in this great drama. Bat the
present advance from Chattanooga leaves only
one considerable force under Con. Grant
inact;ye-thGt in East Tennessee, which
still maintan3 defensive attitude. Leaving
that for tho time out OF the question,
enough appears in this latest news to show that
Gen. Grant has made up his mind that tie
campaign shah DO fought On his plan, and not
on such a one a. the Rebel commanders might
prefer to offer him. And if any one thinks
that @ slight consideration, let him remember
in how many Eastern battles our Generals have
fought when and whore thcir opponents pre-
fered. We rejoice to believe that the days OF
such strategy are past, at least in one nall Of
the country.
As TO Gen. Sherman, tho latest reports, twice
repeated, which place him at Selma, are neon
sistent with the Rebel news received few days
since, which announced his arrival q, Quitman,
ard anticipated his direct march upon Mobile.
Il Is remarkable that since the date Of that dis-
ipetch-T hieh was the lSth-wo have heard
nothing by wey Of Richmond, although there
has been time Cox much later accounts. II be is
really in Selma, then the force q. Quitman was
a detachment; but it is difficult to suppose that
Gen. Sherman would scatter his forces in his
present circumstances. Being without COM
munications, ard making no effort to protect
his rear except against attack, be is
probably followed at q distance by g
Rebel force layge enough TO keep
him from dividing his own-alrholgh, indeed,
the two halves Of Folks army are represented
IN one dispatch as running away from each
other. Possibly that accounts more picturesque
than exact. But lcg him be where he may, we
may conclude that he has met with 70 disaster
or check. Such 81 event would be sure to be
proclaimed at The earliest ncnent from Rich
moud. Whatever the truth Is, it cannot DO long
before we shall know definitely tho direction
and purpose Of his march.