The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-03-25
Military Prosnacts.

sweeps through the "shell' of the confederacy'
and no rebel power has yet been able TO stop
him in his triumphant course. His forces are
said to be in front Of Raleigh. Having planted
his guns in position to command the city, he
sent word to Johnston to surrender, ont
whether the rebel General complied with the
REQUEST Is not known. Johnston may deliver
battle here. but he has heretofore been SO
much accustomed TO marching before Sherman
that be may fall into bis cid habits, leave
Rllelgh to its fate and lead off toward Rich
mond. .g5.l :, ,se,r ,r
Johnston is cautious, prudent officer, and it
is not probable that he will risk a battle I'M
less he is quite sure that his forces greatly
outnumber Sherman's. In months past he
was taught many lessons and acquired some
knowledge olSherman's tactics, and therefore
we may safely conclude that he will not like
the dashing Hotspur, Hood, make an attack on
our forces under Sherman, but pursue some-
what the same course he did before Sherman
on his way to Atlanta. Such marches are
familiar to him and we are impressed with
the belief that this cautious officer will lead
Ou lOWaAuS OiO 1Ailu W All
be quite likely to follow him. rsa6s~
Gen. Johnston will not probably stop to re.
trench and erect many fortications on his way,
for he knows very well that Sherman has pc
GUITAR habit of passing by such entertainments
ard Notifications. Very much to the annoy
ance of Johnston, Sherman has habit O..
climbing up some other way" and avoiding
all traps set for him. Il is possible that Lee
may have sent large forces from Richmond
and determined to make some locality in
North Carolina the last great battle field
But to use a nautical phrase, Giant always
I keeps bis weather eye opeu," and we can
hardly believe that Lee could send from
Richmond any considerable force without the
knowledge of Grant. kSAyNtE VT
And again-it Richmond Is evacuated, or an
attempt made TO do so, Grant would very like
ly become a troublesome customer in Lees
8 rear, for he Wouldfollow him if it were, posi-.
BILE. Raleigh is an, important locality in reb
eldom, and Johnston will make stand and de-
fend If, if Lee has sent him reinforcements
enough to satisfy him that he can fight with q
good prospect of success, but not other wise.
Raleigh is beautiful city but not located on
the Neuse River,'' as the Argus has it, but
some ten miles from it according to the maps
compiled in the Engineer Bureau War De-
partment. It is at the junction of the North
Carolina and Raleigh and CASTOR Railroads.
A plank road also runs from this city to Cape
Fear River. The point is an important one
and will be held by the rebels, if they have
military power enough under Johnston.
But that is question Johnston must settle
for himself BE is too cautious to trust any
agent in such business. 80
There are many speculstions on these ques-
lions, hut there ia not much satisfactionto be de-
rived from them. Many have believed, and
do still believe, that Lee will mass all his
forces in front of Sherman and deliver battle
far away from Richmond and before GRAM
and Sherman can join their armies, others
are quite as sanguine in their opinion that the
rebellion viii $50 up" withouta general bat
tie. We hope the latter prophets will prove the
= true ones. And there are some grounds ftr
such faith. 1t is generally believed that the
Fedaral forces greatly outnumber the rebels
and no doubt such is the fact.
Gen. Lee seems to have the same impress
sion, otherwise his proud spirit would not per-
NIT him to call SO earnestly upon Sambo Tor
help as he has done. In the present aspect o
affairs we are prepared to receive startling
news at any moment. II the wires should
bring US the news that great battle has been
fought in North Carolina, we should not b.
q surprised, or, if we should hear that JEFF. Da
Wis had abdicated his throne and was on his
way to Mexico, that would not surprise us
and If report should come that Gen. Lee had
thrown up his command, and publicly pro-
claimed that our Government is too strong
and too warmly cherished in the hearts OF the
people to be longer resisted by the .confeder-
ate powers, our philosophy would not be upset
In times like these, we ought to be sufficient
ly schooied to bear with equanimity any dem
7 onstrations that may be made. The rebellion
had strange beginning; for, unlike all other
great uprisings of the people of which history
gives any account, it burst ubon the world
without any substantial cause that we have
been able to see. And it is equally marvel
lous that it could continue SO long; but so il
has been in the order of a wise and good
Providence. And now we should not be sur
prised if it ended as strangely as it commenc
z ed, andquite as suddenly, too, God knows, II
we do not, when the work is done and well
done. Every tree must grow certain time
before IL begins to bear fruit and the smallest
plant must have age before it commences to
bud and blossom. And so it may be in the
moral world. 1ss-aiss sas aas6s laso5
The rebellion has gone through several
changes, and lived much longer than our
wisest statesmen supposed it could. and the
end is not yet, although there are evident to-
kens of it in many directions. Offences must
come, but woe to them by whom they come
This mighty struggle has its uses in the great
: plan, and as soon as those uses are made avail
able for the accomplishment Of certain puI-
poses, it will end. The life of an individual is
short, aud every one now living must soon
die, but nations live longer, and one genera
ton suffers that another may reap the benefit
oil such suffering. Some trees of the forest
are struck down by the fury of The hurricane
'nae the foliage OF others may be famed by
pufer and more health giving breezes. "The
brightest bolt often comes from the darkest
cloud" Yet little while, and Peace will!
spread her white wings over our nation, and
rough hewn as our ends may now seem TO
q be, 1t Is the divinity that shapes them, In
ioulest letters fortune often writes her fairest
words, SO let US be Of good cheer and wait for
the blessing.
MR. Q. A. HILL.-This gentleman called
on US Thursday, while we were confined at
home with Illness, to make some explanations
10 relation to the New Orleans cards ON which