Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-03-31
Gen. Lees Plahs.-- Austerlit2 or Water
loo.

!
The New York Mercury, Of February 26,
has an editorial article which possesses par
ticrlar interest at this time. We copy it
entire:
Wilmington is ours. Charleston is ours
Columbia is ours. Without struggle, with
out an answering blow. One after. the other
ofthese. but lately the chief strongtolds Of
the rebals, have yielded to what the govern
ment organs would have us believe was an
MEMORABLE necessity. For nearly four years,
bold and impregnable, they have defed at
tack, laughed siege to scorn, and withstood
bombardment, want ofsupplies. and suffered
all the taiseries ever endured by weaker
| power contending With stronger.
And now why is it, that in this, their last
extremity, they have so tamely yielded to
the foe they have defed and held at bay so
long Why this sudden departure from the
titles which, IN the earlier days Of the wa.,
they SO stoutly swore should never be desc
Grated BY the presence of the ''accursed
Yankee" unless he chose to walk through
the heaps Of ashes, smouldering ruins. and
desolate streets? Why are the ''vandals Of
the North" SO easily victorious? Why al
lowed with Haunting banners and the clash
of regimental bands, to march without op-
position into these places Is the cause
weakened9 L. it a promonition that resis-
lance would be humiliation That the con-
quering legions Of the North cannot beheld
in check, and the vast, and as yet but par
TALLY developed combination Of our Lieu
tenant General are irresistible
Let us regard the subject calmly, sobcrly
Justly.
| We do not consider it treason, we do not
speak it as disloyal, when we say that Rob>
ert =. Lee, the commander Of the rebel for
ces, is, all that constitutes strategist, in
all that goes to make a general able to dare
| and fight down even fate itself-the first
and foremost 10 the country. While we ad-
nit the talents, the genius and the great
| ness of 1t. General Grant, it ID not only
unfair but unjust, chat we should refuse to
acknowledge the grandeur, the sublime he
roism of-that grey haired genius, tie des-
-cendant GA line Of patriots, which battling
against the combined opposition of almost
an entire world, still stand firm. unyielding,
and held at bay the most formidable armies
in existence, and has. in defiance OF defeat,
SILL held him to his ground, nor wavesed
even when hope itself seemed lost forever.
Let us yield the NEED Of praise even to our
enemies. They were once our, brothers
once hand in hand with u.s. Whata yer their
errors, their crimes, they are none the less
men.
Charleston, Wilrstngson ana Columbia
keing our, cui Bonoi Beyond the mere
! fact of obtaining full control ofthe seaboard,
Land thereby relieving our -blockading feet
Ifrom tedious, tiresome service, and gaining
tpossession Of cities deserted, there does not
Ilseem to be any material advance toward the
termination Of the var.
Those who have studied tbs career Of Lee,
and observed his plan Of. campaign. knew
| that his system is that Of ,ncentration. To
mss his troops, and attack til elemy's d.
visions in detail. one after the other, is his
strategy. Wary, circumspect, yet possess
ing and using at times the dash and reckless
audacity in attack Of the FIRST Napoleon. he
never loses chauce, and SO far has left no
record Of mistake.
| Since bis appointment to and assumption
Of the supreme commend of tho rebel army,
the whole method Of operations has beer
changed, Concentration is now ths order.
&c is carrying out his favorite plan Of pros
ecuting the campaign. He we'll knows the
4 strength Of his antagonists tenacity, of pur
pose and immence rssourcss. And knowing
them, be is ct this moment gathering the
scattered forces Of the rebel domain into
one compact whole, with the intention Of
deciding the fortunes of his cause at or neal
Richmond. There. upon the already blood
soaked soil Of the Old Dominion, will be
fought the Waterloo Of the rebellion.
: Sherman's victories and almost entirely
unopposed raid from Chattanooga to Allan
ia, thence to Savannah, Charleston and
| Columbia. with whatever Of devastation be
may have created, has not 10 the least dis,
concerted Lee. It may rather be consid-
cred part snd parcel Of his plan. And wher
the true history Of affairs at the front il
| made known, It will be found that Charles
ton, Columbia and Wilmington were evac
uated only that the rebel commrnder il
chief might withdraw all the available fore
4 stationed at these garrisons, to be incorpo
4 rated With the army around Richmond.
| Il is useless to talk Of Grants combina
tions and tremendous schemes of which W
are duly and daily rminded by army cores
pondents and the telegram. These gran,
com binations and that wonderful strategy
4 Of which re have heard SO much. havs beef
! capturing Richmond every day for the las
si2 months. Yet the beleaguered capita
is as far from our grasp as when our armie
under Mcclellan were driven from til
Peninsula Con to Richmond p but neye
/ into it. With the record Of the last at
! tempt beginning in the Spring. and as ye
! unended-f the Kapidan, through til
awful carnage Of the Wilderness, and to th
present base, a hecatomb of dear lives hav
been lost, the blood Of our kindred has fow
: in torrents, happy homes have been mad
desolate, and grief brought.to thousands .
r hearts. in order that the glory Of one ma
might have its holocauat.
To crafty the logged pertinacity Of
General who, whatever. his genius, an
Whatever past success he may have blum
dered into, cares as little for the lives Of b