The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-04-07

The Chicago Times of Thursday last has
the following article on the grand combi-
nations of GRANT:

the following article on the grand combi-
nations of GRANT:
The magnitude, intricacy and weight of
Grants combinations against the rebellion are
the grandest the world has ever witnessed.
They are on scale commensurate with our
great country like our prairies, they are broad;
like our mountains, vast like our rivers, they
reach across half continent
At the present moment columns of troops
are moving forward in various directions.
Some are going east, some west, some south,
and some north, but oil, in whatever direction
they are going are in reality moving upon
Lee in Richmond. Sherman, when he left At
lanta in November, commenced march against
Richmond Terry when he landed upon the
tongue of land between Cape Fear river and
the ocean and when his men swarmed over the
parapets of Fort Fisher, assaulted an Outwork
of Richmond. Richmond was in the mind of
the Lieutenant Genera! when he ordered Thorn
as 10 assault Hood at Nashville. Grant himself
has lain about th. rebel capital holding the
chief confederate army in his grasp, and has
invented and directed movements all having
for their object the securing of the game which
he holds within his tolls.
Today the public begin to understand ope-
rations which at first seemed isolated and use.
less attempts. The grandest of all these was
Sherman's; and vet when that commenced it
was thought by many retreat, and by others
fOOlhardy adventure, which, if successful.
offered no substantial and few moral advan-
tages. ButDOw we see its results and are pre-.
pared to appreciate its greatness. Before it
the railroad system OF the south-those formi-
dable interior lines has vanished, and in place
of confederacy whose distant and numerous
strategic points were united with bands of
iron. there remains only wilderness
When Sherman left Savannah and turned his
steps nOrthward, Richmond began to loom up
in the distance and people began to see that
he was not occupied simply in proving that the
roads that he had followed were seen to CEN
tire III the capital of the coniederacy. As he
advanced, he Obliterated the railroads of the
Atlantic States and cut off from the rebels all
lines of escape or of reinforcement. At the
proper moment an advance was made upon
Wilmington, and on the very day that Sher.
mau reached Goldsboro with his supplies ex.
| hausted, Schofield met him on line that he
had opened UP To the ocean.
The supreme wisdom of Grant is seen in a
Thousand Of The details which have been de-
velOped within the last two or three months.
He did not attack Charleston, because he knew
that Charleston would fall when Sherman
touched its flank ut Branchville He did at
tack wilmington because it could not well be
turned BY Sherman, and because its possession
was essential as base of supplies when Sher-
man had penetra.rd certain distance in his
northward march Aud exactly as Sherman
reached that pobi, he met the supporting col
umn, with their hard tack, and ammunition,
and reinforcemenGs. that had come by way OF
Wilmington.
To-day there remain two vitalized points in
the cis-Mississippi confederacy: Mobile and
Richmond. Around the former is gathered q
force that holds II, while column of 1000
men 10 bearing down ON its communications at
once cutting it off from succor or escape. A
few weeks at fartD at. and then starvation or
surrender. Around the latter place is Grant,
with .. grip Of s'eel upon the rebel army.
From the west, lhroug the mountains, there
comes force OF IS, 90 horsemen, who destroy
as they advance the western avenue of escape
from Richmond. From the south there ad-
vance 120, 900 under Sherman, who bar the
only avenue of escape or help for Lee. These
are Grants combinations, and they are close
upon contamination.