The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-01-04
S9a6llrillG &AQioll,
VIZ. CAMERON 4 co.. Publishers.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1865.
A GIGANTIC CAMPAIGN.
The Next Movement Of Major
General Sherman.
B u,iDg The Serpsnl's Head.
Grand March AerOss Ihe CsFOli-
naStS Richmond.
From the New York Times Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Dec. %
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 ra-
ther on account of the wonderful skill
and success with which an enterprise of
enormous difficulty was worked out,
than from 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 daPpui for his
army, and in the execution of his grand
move he purposely postponed all minor
enterprises until he should have achiey
ed this
Now of all available military lines on
which TO establish base for ulteriOr
operations that of the Savannah River
is the very best Emptying into the
Atlantic, its headwaters touch the great
central mountain ridge dividing the
eastern from the western theatres of
war. A glance at the map will 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 COnfede-
racy; but until this line was held by a
Union force, the South could hardly be
said to be really rent in twain.
Gen. Sherman has planted himself on
this line, and is extending his forces 70
hold, occupy and possess it. To et-
feet this needs but the capture Of Au
gusta, aud it will, doubtless, be
found that this is his first oh
jective. The possession Of Angus
Ia will complete his command of
the line of the Savannah, because it
will give him the interior railroad,
while its vast material importance as
the prime centre for the manufacture
of ali munitions Of war, viii make its
loss an irremediable blow 70 tie enemy
Given the completion Of these pre-
il lies within the next ten
days, and Sherman, turning his face
olthward, has before him n succession
of cOnquests dazzling enough 10 fire
the most ambitions Imagination, and
which are destined to- annihiIate the
armed force Of the rebellion.
Sherman's uLtsm.ats object is nothing
less than Lees army, now held tight in
by Grant. But between his
present position and his ultimetedesti
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,sup-
plies for feeding the rebel force IN VIr
ginia, or railroads and rolling stock for
the & a alSpOTtstIon of men and mltsrisL
or capital towns whose fall brings dis
traction, decentralization and dismay to
the rebellious population, or negroes
wa ch form the working sinews OF tho
lie prey to his conquer
ing columns. From Augusta he can
! wing down on Charleston, cutting eve.
~ railroad on which it depends, and
enveloping it as he has enveloped Sa
Yannah. This of itself will be 9 por-
tentous blow at tae rebellion, for it
will bruise the head of the serpent Of
secession in its home and hatching-
place. But it will not be all he will
have his heel on that naughty State,
and on the stiff necks Of its rebellious
who will be humbled and
brought low. If our prisoners are still
allowed to remain within the confines
Of this State, they will be released; if
they are transferred further north, the
rebels, becoming unable to feed them,
IS they are pressed upon by Sherman
ADVANCE, restricting the srsa from
which they now draw subsistence, will
have TO let them 90 Nor does North
Carolina lie less open to our arms.
A nd here we may confidently hope not
merely for military conquests, but for
moral triumphs If Porter and Butler
lid not meanwhile take Wilmington
{ they are able 70 do no more than re-
luce the forts at the entrance of the
water highway on WHOA it stands,
which will Of itself be a great gain in
ealing it up for blockade runners
Sherman will certainly give it the coup
le grace But there is the best reason
o believe that with the capture Of the
capital Of North Carolina, Raleigh,
yhich Sherman will take en- route, we
ball witness a powerful spontaneous
MON reaction and revival, more fa,al
% the Confederacy than any feaLs Of
rms, however brilliant Finally, from
North Carolina Sherman moves up into
Virginia, where hej joins Grant in deal
ng the death blow at the rebellion, the
lead and front of which is Lees army
It Richmond
This programme may to some seem
'ather 9 wild sally Of speculation than
IN outline of operation, actually TO be
.ealized or even in serious contempla- 1
ion. Aud yet | venture to say it is
neither more nor less than what viii
% an accomplished fact by the open
ng of the Spring In justification OF
his anticipation the two following con- |
iderations may be presented:
l. What adequate military force can |
he rebels oppose to the advance Of
;herman over the lines indicated !
Within a stretch of several hundred /
niles there is absolutely no organized /
military force that can offer even a /
how OF opposition Hardees fugitive /
orce numbers but fifteen thousand /
nen, whereof nine thousand are raw
militia. With the force added 70 the |
tx thousand which Beluregard has At
,harleston, the aggregate will still be
to do more than compel
emporary halt before Charleston and
.erhaps at Wilmington: thence on
-ard the route is clear. Behind him
throughout the vast stretch Of the CEN
raj military zone lying between the AL
sghanies and the Mississippi, he leaves
othing that can harm him Hood 8
lrce, thanks TO the succession Of tell
1g blows administered by Thom IS,
as ceased to be an army, ceased % be
t for aggressive action. Iudeed, If any
remnant shsll escape the 7
snacious and remorseless clutch ot
'bor,aa Il vviit atiIl Be no more than