The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-01-08


Hitherto he could never be made to see
dark side to rebel prospects Even
when Davis, IN his Georgia speeches,
appeared gloomy, Druid vas foiI q
hope. 30 blow could be struck by our
troops. which could in any way irjure
the Confederacy, according 10 his theo-
-ry; and every victory won by Grant,
Sherman, and Sheridan. were but barrier
successes But the blows are coming
too thick, and heavy, now, for even his
stomach and under date Of Dec 29tb,
he tells the public "The present mo
ment is certainly the darkest, ia a mil
itary point Of view, that the South has
ever experienced. I have some news
from the South this morning which is
Of a gloomier nature than have ever
received The fall OF Savannah j. re
ally p great blow to the South, and 80
it is felt at Richmond It's not the loss
Of the city itself that is felt That is a
mere bagatelle It's the consequences
tlat must result from that capture
" lich gives the Southern leaders such
great concern. IN this view, the Con-
federate leaders are forced 10 admit
that Gen. sherman has done well in
abandoning Atlanta for Savannah. be.
cause Savannah, to the North, ia worth
dozen Atlautas"
Imagine the straits to which the reb.
els must be reduced, when even Druid
makes such damaging admission
Bat that is not all; be says.
"In the frat place, it gives us, If the
operations % secure il are conducted
with ordinary prudence, about 10000
or 10000 bales Of cotton. which are
stored at various points in Georgia and
South Carolina Or these $1,000 bales
only are at Savannah, $4,000 bales are
Augusta, 8 900 bales are at Macon. 30
CJU are IN half a dozen towns near the
coast south Of Savannah, and we're sup
posed to be protected by that civ. and
=, 900 bales are 1T certain convenient
points IN South Carolina, near the east
bank Of the Savannah river. This
stock OF cotton forms part of that i'm
mense store upon which the South has
been drawing sParirgly during the last
two years, ana which has been their
most potent ally IN England and France,
aI)rdlng them the means Of negotia
ting their cotton loans, Of keeping up
the Confederate credit in Europe. AMI
~ purchasing their muskets and can
non
now there is 10 use III denying IL
shy longer, the Confederate military
leaders admit the wisdom Of General
Sherman's course in not stopping on
his way 10 lay siege 10 Macon and Au-
guata. Those places, and all the other
Towns ID Georgia south Cf them are
ours, whenever Gen Sherman chooses
10 advance against them 40 the head
of 3 respectable force TIE railroads.
also, from Augusta nearly 20 At
iEnta FROM savannah II Macon
from Macon, 30 Americas and
from Savannah to Jbomasvi.le. are
at our absolute disposal, either to run
them or TO destroy them. In a word
Two thirds Of the State OF Georgia is as
absolutely co-quared as Louisiana
he whole 90 the State, except that
part north Of Atlanta, Is entirely at
Gen Shermln's disposal The troops
recently at Macon or Augusta either
have been, or viii be Withdrawn. and
viii join General Har3ee al Charleston.
The confederate leaders, therefore,
in view Of these facts, look upon GeOr
gla as lost TO them Tor the present Nor
Is that all They are well aware that,
either from Savannah or Augusta, Gen
eral sherman can transport his whole
army 10y railroad 10 Charleston. and
what they dread now, above al things
Is that he will do 50, and that city will
now b. attacked from the land side by
Sherman victorious and invincibie
army This Is the danger which they
are now employing themselves in guard
ing against with all their might For
the reasons mentioned in my last letter
they cannot afford to lose either VIII
mIngtou or Charleston, nor do they IN
tend or expect TO lose either one. Still
# General Sherman should lead his ar
any 70 Charleston, and sit down in ear
nest before that place, strongly FORTH
ed as it Is, the chances are thaJit would
fall This Is now the conyictio8 that
nils the public MUD at the South,
and the minds ofthe rebel leaders also.
and that makes the present hour, ga l
said above, the darkest in their his,
tory
But even here, after all this. Druid
couldn't get along without supplying
an addendum to his confession, in his
usual Munchsusen vein. lie tells the
world not to infer chat there Is any
thing Ike dependency ia the minds
Of thepeopie of the S5utb Adversely,
defeats and losses only serve 70 inspire
them with renewed determination to
tight on til their independence is Sc
cured. IN spite Of the loss Of Savan-
nah, the Confederate armies we're new
er more effective than at present.
Your readers VIII have Observed that,
although Savannah was lost, the army
that defended IL, twenty thousand
strong, was saved. They are now at
Charleston, and VIII probably remain
there until General Saermm's inten-
tons are developed
If this be true, what a commentary
sthis upon Druids tavo-its Generals.
Mcclellan and Buoli If the rebel ar-
mics are as effective nos, as IN 1862,
what an im6ec.ie must have been the
former of these men, aud what 2 trai
tor the latter The friends OF con
servative' Generals nay derive all the
comfort they can from this declatation
of Druid
Cabinet Changes.
Hon w = EossnnanI, $780,. ~