Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-07

southwest. namely. JoV'J undef Ten. Taylor.
Hoods successor: %, 900 In Arkansas and Mis-
sour, under Gen. Price (somc correspondents Of
administration papers. writing from 8, Louis
and Memphis; say that Gen. Price bad p, 900,
20 600 ia Texas and Louisians, under Gen. Ma
grudcE: and 81. O0O 10 scattered detachments in
florids. Mississippi and Alabama including
The garrison a. Mobile
cEsERsL LfE's EEssUREs 70 AFFECT soScKSTR.-
Tfox
Thirty thousand Of these uOoDs were al once
ordered to report 20 General Beauregard In
South Carolina. Their orders were 70 proceed
first TO Atlanta and Macon, whore they would be
met by staf Officers of General Lee, sith specific
instructions. Tbs numbers Of troops vhs were
en route in pursuance Of these orders are stated
70 be-lO 600 from General Taylor: 10000 from
General Price: 5000 from Texas and 5000
from Mobile. which latter place is 20 be evacua
ted. Cut this number down one third. and we
have % 900 troops Fastening by railroad, to join
Gen Johnston for thew would all reach Atlanta
by rAilrosd. From Atlanta the route would be
70 Washington. in Wilkes county. Georgia. fifty
miles northwest OF Augusta. From thi. point to
Chesiervills. Chester county, South Carolina,
distance Of one hundred and twenty miles, a new
railroad is said 20 have been constructed aud 10
be now a operation, passing through Abbeville,
Newbeuy, and Ailstos. That part of the road
from Abbeville TO AIston vas completed and 10
operation as early a. 1863; 50 that there were
only the two links from Washington 20 Able
vile. and from hllstOn TO Chesterville. distance
OF sixty miles in all. to be built in 1864.
JoHxsToN's yoRcE AT LEAST 60 900 STRONG
IL these two links have been built, as stated.
then these 30 900 troops. coming all the way by
railroad. have Joined General johnson by this
time Ii not. they will have these sixty miles TO
march on foot. which will re,ard their arrival
tour days later. Besides them, il will be remem-
bered. General Johnston is in command of the
troops recently at Charleston and BranchvIlle,
20 900; those recently at Wilmington, GOldsboro.
and Hicksford. 1900; those recently under
Hardee at savannah, 10000; General Wade
Hampton's cavalry, 10000; and the troops re-
Gently at Macon and Augusta 5000; in all Co.
600. Cut this down also and call il only 10000.
and still, with the 20 900 above, General John
ston will have $4,000 troops Il Is with this
force which many we'll informed persons believe
is nearer 80 900 than 90 900 strong, that General
Johnston will fight The battle with Sherman
which will decide the fate of the latter. But he
will not have to fight il with these troops alone
pELusros N REGARD 70 LEES INABILITY 70 MOVE.
The great delusion with the north is laboring
under il, that the presence OF Gen. Mead's army
before Petersburg prevents Gen. Lee from send
ing away from Richmond any troops 10 reinforce
JODDstOn. ne truth uOt Only cOutu pcn
Lee do this without imperilipg the safety Of Rich
mond or Petersburg in the least, but be could
do IL without the nowledge Of Gen Mead. Eve
rs night for the last week, deserters have come
into our lines in front Of Petersburg. some OF
whom would say that troops were arriving 3.
Richmond FROM BeauTegard's army. while Others
would as stoutlv assert that Lee WAS sending Off
troops every night TO reinforce Beauregsrd or
his SUCCESSOR a Both class of deserters probably
lied, for both kuew nothing about what they
we're talking But the closest observation fails to
discover any increase or diminution in General
Lees numbers. No intelligent person needs to
be told that we cannot see the whole of Lee
army. The part Of that army that is visible to
the closest observation il not one tenth part OF
the whole. For aught Gen. Meade knows to the
contrary, Gen. Leo may have been reinforced
during the last ten days by az many twenty
| five thousand men. and Gen. Lee. after all. may
/ attempt to pierce Meads centre and defeat one
Of his wings before it can be supported.
how THE NASEJvER CAN BIZ INFECTED.
On the other band, does not every sensible per
| son know that skilful military commander cal
move troops silently, in the night, from point e
| point, and nigh. after night in succession, snc
| still maintain the same show Uf force, in front
neither more nor less Certainly, it can bG
| done; has been done, time and time again. bott
in European and in THE war. What j:
| there TO proven, General Lee from having thu:
transferred % 000, 30 900, or even 10000 Of hi:
troops from his lines to some points on the Dan
/ vile and Lynchburg railroads west OF Petersburg
and southxe est Of Richmondl Nothing. AnC
the stake in North Carolina il 30 high one, SO
| much depends upon the defeat of Sherman
| there that in all probability be has done IL How
is be to find out Only by an assault on som,
part of Lees lines, or by a fourth or fifth attemp
to reach the Lynchburg railroad. by again " ez
| tending the left"
now cAS THE TRUTH BE AscEKrAIyED.
! Suppose he should try either what would b,
the resultl | know the gallantry and skill o
| our officers; ] know the courage aud devotion o
/ our troops, bu; / know also something OF th'
nature OF the defenses of Richmond and Peters
| burg and Of the facilities which Gen Lee has fol
1 concentrating his troops at any point that Il
threatened with real attack. No troops in the
| world are Drawer than ours; but no troops in the
| world can accomplish impossbiities. The arm,
that was repulsed at Fredericksburg. and at thu
the mine a, Petersburg. and at every other at
/ tempt that has been made By Gen. Grant eithe
20 carry the works defending the rebel lines or e
reach the Lynchburg railrosd--that army would
have no cause to blush if success did not crown
| their next effort The defenses of Richmond ant
| Petersburg were erected with this end in view
that they might be hedby comparatively small
1 force a. a time when in case of need the matt
body of Gen. Lees army must be employed else
/ where.
| RICHMOND WILL NOT BIZ GIVEN IT.
| That period, Gen Lee probably believes, hs
| how arrived Gen. Sherman must be defeateS
| in North Carolina. lie can send Gen. Johnston
by railroad in very short time, thirty thOussn,
troops. and have forty-fve thousand troops lef
| for The defense Of his lines. There is every req
son to believe that he has done this But let n'
one suppose. because he has done so. either tha
| Petersburg will be evacuated, OF that Richmon,
will be yielded without a terrific struggle
| the confederacv falls now, it will fall at Rich
mond. and General Lee will fall with it. Whil,
tbs confederacy remains, Richmond viii remain
its capital. na
CRITICAL POSITION OF GIN. SHERMAN.
/ To recur to Gen. Johnston. If Gen. Lee hs
sent him only % 900 troops, he will have Go. OO
at the lowest computation, and with these it NEE
not be said that Sherman position becomes On
of great peril. Ii the reports which have reach
e. here. referred to above. be correct. il is eTi
dently the intention Of both Lee and Johsston 4
defeat Sherman on the Ysdkin, ard to risk mucl
10 order 70 effect that eod. They can afford &
DO so: indeed. they must do so. for the presenc
OF Shermsn's army in Virginia. cooperating
with Grant. would indeed place the confederac
in mortal peril. DEUID.
YNnY MA YENYCY ArYrDr