Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-01-13

The MmItary situalion.

really did not know what | meantl
trrom the Chicago Times1
The Military Situation.
The military situation at the present tme
presents little Of change or interest. At the
two grand military points-Chattanooga and
tbs Potomao-nothiDg whichever is being done
beyond the work of recognizing and prepar-
ing for the summer campaign, and re-enhst-
ing for the war those troops whose time ex-
pires next summer. General Grant himself
has loft the field, and is stopping at Nashville;
his Adiutant General-Genera John A. Rawl-
ius-has embraced the opportunity Afforded
by the cessation Of operations TO get married
and enjoy a luRe de mieI in the Northern
States. Majo. General Sherman is home on.
a leage Of absence; aud the regiments, as
soon as a certain percentage Of each re-enlists,
are allowed to 90 home in a body with a
months Through. The rebel army lately
commanded by Bragg, and now by Hardee,
remrins at Dalton, at the southern angle Of
the military and railroad triangle, whose
points reit respectively at Dalton, Cleveland
aud Chattanooga No effort is being spared
by the rebels to strengthen their army and
have it in a condition 70 meet in the spring
the most vital issue which has yet
been presented in the life of the Con-
fsderacy. They are perfectly aware that mat
tsrs have now assumed a shape in which a
single defeat .efore Atlanta will prove a blow
that will knock the keystone from the Confed-
eracy aud send the whole fabric tumbling to
the ground,
OF matters before Knoxville, we lave for
some time heard nothing. After Longstreet
turned at bay and beat back the pursuing
Federal columns, he appears to have quietly
taken up q position in the extreme corner of
Northeast Tennessee, where, in spite Of pro-
phesy, circumstances, and apparent impossi-
bilities, he still remains. 1t was supposed that
he received his coup de grace when Averil, ct
Salem, cut the only railroad that communi-
Gates from Richmond with his position; and
that, in consequence, his army would be starv-
ed out, or else broken into fragments in the
attempt to reach depots of supplies, Neither
result has followed, and, in defiance of all
rules, Longstreet retains his position, SEEM
ingly as impregnabls to attack, hunger, or the
want of supplies, as the Rock OF Gibraltar. 1t
Is evident that all this holding on ia not with.
out a purpose, and it probably means a deter
mination on the part OF the Confederate gov
eminent to retain a hold Of East Tennessee,
with a view OF using it in the spring for an at
tempt to regain possession of Tennessee and
Kentucky. The possession of at least the
esstern portion Of the former State is 80 nee
Sssary to the Confederacy that an effort to re-
cover it will warrant any attempt, however
desperate,
AT Charleston, matters proceed much as
usual. A portion Of the iron clad feet is I'M
dergoing repairs, aud the rest quietly block
ade the harbor and remain inactive, and prob
ably, BY thistime, uninterested spectators ofthe
pyrotenchnic displays Of General Gilmore in
his attempt to burn the city. As there is no.
body in the city, and as the buildings are
neither our enemies nor of the slightest use
to tho rebels, it is difficult to see what would
be gained, even if General Gilmore should
succeed in reducing the place to ashes. The
only result Of Greek fire is, simply to amuse
the Northern public; as we have often before
intimsted, Charleston, like Vicksburgh, can
only DO taken in flank or rear-all the navies
Of the world cannot take it from the front.
The Gulf Department presents nothing of
Importance beyond the fact hat Mrs. Banks
and the General are making New Orleans
lively with receptions and holiday festivities.
The Teche, from Opelousas up, and oil the
Red River country, seems to be given up 10
the enemy, while our forces are scattering
along the Gulf coast and taking possession OF
all the avenues to the interior Of Southwest.
ern Louisiana and Texas.