The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-03-19

| tn. r.b.I Ea,,,1.--g - anst Johnston vs.
Grnnt and Shermar, ~ ms 1Ao"atai~
Region or East TennesSsA>
Those persons In our midst WV Always see
rebel affairs In the most favorable hgnt main
tain that the rebellion still has one hundhed and
fifty thousand effective men under wma Il
quite certain that this figure il at least third
too large to be true; and that one hundred
thousand would be the extreme limit Of the
force that tho eonfederscy could concentrate II
all its armies now In Virginia and North Caro-
lima should be massed into one. Moreover, II
Is doubtful how effective even that army would
be, since Davis declares that he cannot feed
and otherwise supply his present force unless
the rebel Congress shall give him two millions Of
dollars in coin, or tho absolute power to seize
at sight all necessary supplies that may be in
the rebel States. The latter Congress viii not
give, and the former 1t cannot give.
But one hundred thousand veteran soldiers,
even very poorly supplied, is formidable
force. What will the enemy do with 1T WIN
he fight or retreat, An army Of one hundred
thousand men, posted between two other armies
of nearly or quite that number each, might,
under certain circumstances, cope advanta-
geously with both; but to do so it must be able
to prevent their junction; II must be SO situated
with respect to natural obstacles that 1t can
strike at one with comparatively little danger
from the other; and it must be commanded by
man of genius, while the others must be under
men of small capacity. But these circum-
stances hardly apply in the present case; for
the enemy cannot possibly mass shis force in
forces under Sherman and Grant, and thus
cannot possibly fight except against over
whelming numbers. If Johnston should stand
at Raleigh or at any point on the Roanoke, and
Lee should reinforce him there in the hope to
crush Sherman 1t Ii certain that Sherman, II
not able to fight, could delay decisive result
until Grant came up. Grant and Sherman can
concentrate as easily and but little less rapidly
than Lee and Johnston, and in any such game
we may fairly trust Grant and Sherman against
either Lee or Johnston, or both together.
As for the enemy's retreat, where can he go2
It Is minated that when the abandonment OF
Richmond shall become an imperative neces-
atty all the armies Of the oonfederacy will DO
moved through the Blue Ridge. and that the
world win soc the spectacle Of new Caucasus
in the county between the mountain senges
west Of Lynchburg and cast Of Knoxville.
That district Is highly defensible one. 10
full Of fertile valleys that will abundantly feed
the enemy's men. It's mineral products Of nitre
and sulphur are plentiful, and the sanguine
rebels suppose that by holding the gaps in the
ranges they can n this district keep us at bay
until the burden Of such war shall break us
down financially, and compel . peace. This 10
. very pretty programme. But Lee and Johns
ton are not in their happy valleys and mountain
Businesses yet, and the important question y
whether or not they can ever get Tiara .itA
sc-s.. .an1 sherman at thor heels, and probably
Thomas in front 49, @'''