Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-31
RICHMOND WING.
Friday Morning, March 81. 1855.
YANKgE campaign was never known 10 fai |

A 1ANhtE campaign was Ae'o' NA'"" ~ 80
n On paper. And WHY should they iaii, these
splendid monuments Of strategical skillf 1t would
Be a shame TO mar their elaborate and harmonious
proportions By the introduction OF any disturbing
element. They look so fair they are so eaIti'at-
lug they involve so many and so delicate eomhi-
nations and movements, that they must be The work
OF genius, ana must Inevitably be successful unless
some Unforeseen disaster should intervene. 10 De
sure this unforeseen disaster has invariably hap
poned lust at the time when 1anRee hopes were
on thc point OF eulminatiou but rs such accidents
are not by any means 10 De considered IN the tu-
turc. however often they may have happened in the
past no account is taken OF them in those beanti
I'll plans which Yonkeedom is always SO busily
constructing. Ii the Conitderaey could have been
conquered by a programme, its fate would have
been sealed long ago. Nothing Was ever conceived
more perfect, more consistent, more logical, than
The varons programmes which have beoH construct
81 for the CAPTURE OF Richmond and the sHbjuga-
lion OF thi, obdurate Coniederacy. And perhaps
nothing has had greater effect in stimulating Yam
kee ,tged against rs than our obstinate perssten
ey iu marr,ns and bringing positively to nought all
these splendid.y conserved plans and these msSnih-
Gently ire sis,ible programmes.
feet, more Harmonious more Desutiful in design
than the grand plan Of last year Grant crossing
the Rapidsn with 10000 men at his back, and
marching straight on Richmond from the North
Butler with an army Of 30, 600 coming up James
River and attacking Richmond on the South, and
Hunter with 10000 sweeping down the Valley and
sezing Lyuchhurg IN order 90 OF the retreat o;
Lee and las fugitive army-by all Of which move
mentS the ''rebel' army of Northern Virginia was
10 be- entirely circumyented and bagged-driven In
10 trap as birds swept into the towler's net
How these incompatible plans were all spoiled by
the seRseless opposition Of the Confederate armies
il matter Of history-nOV Grant, after gaining any
number OF disastrous victories, and being driven
from half dozen triumphal fields, by Lees I'M
reasonable army, finally brought up South Of Peters
burg without accomplishing his part OF the plan
nos Butler, after marching boldly mp to Drewry's
Bluh, was abSuydly defeated and repell u by Gen.
Beaure ard, and could not carry ont his part OF
the plan and how Hunter did not take Lynchburg,
but succeeded in making magnificent escape after
break neck race across TIE mountains, and 81
could not consummate his part Of the plan-mankind
at large have become pretty well appraised.
But in spite OF these failures, are to have the
same kind Of thing over again this year-only on
not so large a scale. The distances to be trayersed
by the Yankee columns are greater, the lines Of
advance axe different: but the numbers are less in
proportion to tha diminution Of resources caused
by the sal. havoc which the years operations
made in the ranks of the Yankee armies 1t is
nov plain enough that the grand aim Of all the
Yankee movements is to capture Richmond, and
tat Sberulaus march cud' to this city as its ulti-
mate objective point. The plan at starting was to
sweep up The country, destroying all the lines OF
communication and SUPply, and finally, TO concen-
trate in immense mass before Richmond; when
it was supposed that the Confederate army would
b. compelled g. surrender II discretion and So the
war womb bc ended. IL computed that Sher-
would meet 40 opposition hut that he would
dive hc,urg Iim only the remnants Of scattered
armies aad Of fdgIiye garriSons, and that these
Eould only swell the gylad total of coptiyes A.
far as Chester he carried ont the lIan-perhaps
as far as Fayctteullc-hut after leaving this
place the blows inflicted him By Johnston
forced him to change Lis route. His march on
Gre nsborO was checked, and he was reduced by
tae prescLce iu his iroLj Of strong and welLhan-
died army, TO resort TO ordinary mauGuveriug ana
strategy, instead OF the 1lrect march Lees COM
muncar;ous which he had promised. He will not
fgG; Johnston in pitched battle ii he can help IT,
We |, not believe now that he viii try to take Ra-
leigh. lie viii try to pass Johnston by his (Sher-
uan'sl right. ana reach Weldon, ana finally, Pc
sers6urg by the lue OF TuIbo.o and the Weldon
R4ileoai7 ma king bases OF supply at Tlrborc,
Washington and Plymouth But when, finally, the
Yankee armies are concentrated in fIont Of Rich
mond, they Will not equal la numbers the force
~ - 4 al
say nothing OF Bu,ier'S army OF the James, while
General Lees win tLe addition OF Johnston's, will
be 80 per stronger than il was at the Wilder
ness. /, Lee could then whip Greut IN the open
fed, lie viii De much better able to do
il wi;h ali the advantages OF the defen-
sive works OF Richmond aud Petersburg.