The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-01-11
The Next Move of Major General sher-

The Next Move of Major General sher-
man.
The New York Times correspondent
writes as follows
The capture Of Savannah, which
forms the brilliant elimination of one
campaign opens another campaign, the
majestic outlines of which must loom
up on the mind of any intelligent stu
dent Of the military map. The march
from Atlanta to the seaboard-a march
as long as that of Napoleon from the
Niemen to Moscow-is impressive
rather on account of the wonderful
skill and success with which an enter
prise Of enormous difficulty was worked
out, than any positive material results
springing directly from it.
Before Sherman could begin effective
work, it was necessary that he should
secure a base and point FqppJ9 for his
army, and in the execution Of his
grand move he purpOsely postponed all
minor enterprises until he should have
achieved this.
Now, Of all available military lines
on which to establish base for ulterior
operations, that of the Savannah river
IS the very best Emtying into the At
lantic, its head waters touch the
great central mountain ridge dividing
the eastern and western theatres Of
war A glance at the map viii show
that the possession of this river sewers
every line of railway communication
between the Atlantic seabOard States
and those of the Gulf Much has been
said about the dissection of the COnfed
eracy but until this line was held by
a Union force, the South could hardly
be said to be really rent in twain.
General Sherman has planted him
self on this line, and is extending his
forces to hold, occupy, and possess it
To effect this needs but the capture Of
Augusta, and il viii, doubtless, be found
that this is his first objective. The pos
session of Augusta will complete his
command of the line of the Savannah.
because it will give him the interior
railroad. while its vast material impOr-
lance as the prime center for the man
ufacture of all munitions Of war, viii
make its loss an irFemediable blow to
the enemy.
Given the completion of these pre-
liminaries, it lies within the next ten
days, and Sherman, turning his face
northward, has before him a succession
of conquests dazzling enough to fire the
most ambitious imagination, and which
are destined TO annihilate the armed
force of the rebellion.
Sherman sultimats objective is nothing
less than Lees army, now held tight in
Richmond by Grant. But between his
present position and mis- ultimate desti
nation lie the States Of South and North
Carolina. Now whatever in these sup
ports the rebellion-whether seaports
which contraband Of war finds
entry from abroad, or depots of supplies
for feeding the rebel force in Virginia,
or railroads and rolling stock for the
of men and mztsTisl, or
capital towns whose fall brings destcuc-
ton, decentralization, and dismay to the
rebellious population, or negroes, which
form the working sineWs Of the rebel
lion-all lie prey to his conquering
columns.
From Augusta he can swing down
on Charleston, cutting every railroad
on which it depends, and enyeloping It
as he has enyeloped Savannah. This
OF itself, will be a pOFtentious blow at
the rebellion, for it will bruise the head
of the serpent of secession in lis home |
and Matching place. Butst viii not be |
all, he will have his heel on that h8ugh |
ty State, and on the stiff neeksof It's
rebellious population, who will be hum
bled and brought low. IL our prlso-
ne1s are still allowed to remain within
the confines of this State, they will be
released, if they are transferred fur
ther north, the rebels, becoming una
BILE to feed them, as they are presse ed
upon by Sherman's advance, restricting
the area from which they now draw
sustenance, will have to let them 20.
Nor does North Carolina lie less open
to our arms
And here we may confidently hope
not merely foy military cOnquests, but
for moral triumphs. If Porter and
Butler do not meanwhile take Viii
mington-if they are able to do no
more than reduce the forts ct the en-
trance of the water highway on which
it stands, which will Of itself be a great
gain in sealing il up for blockade run
ners-Sherman will certainly give it
the eoup dc qracs. But there is the best
reason to believe that with the capture
of the capital of North Carolina, Rl-
leigh. which Sherman viii take en-
route, we shall witness a powerful spoE-
taneous Union reaction and revival,
more fatal to the Confederacy than any
feats of arms, however brilliant Fin
ally. from North Carolina Sherman
moves up into Virginia, where he joins
Grant in dealing the drath blow at the
rebellion, and the head and front OF
which is Lees army at Richmond