, 1865-02-14
A REBEL VIEW OF SElER
MANS MARCH.
Where He Is Supposed to be Going.

lie. On yesterday there was report In semi
official circles that he was moving column
on Augusta, atong the south bank or Geor-
ga side of The Savannah river. From this.
and other reports which, within the past week
have reached us from Charleston, we think 1t
most probable that he Is menacing both Au-
gusta and Branchville. II his army be as
great as the Yankee papers represent 1t, he
can send columns Of twenty-five Thousand
aguinst each place: Of our preparation to
meet The attack at BEanchyillc, we are not in
formed. Augusta Is well protected with
ea1th-wcrks. The enemy's present plan Of
campaign is obvious. He seeks to keep up
the pressure against Richmond, and to chain
the Army Of Northern Vlrginia to Its breast
works. II, in addition, o favorable moment
can be seized for sa1lying out upon the DAN
vile read, and cutting the avenue Of supplies.
he will surely embrace the opportunity to ef-
feet SO important purpose. But his aggres
important poiats In South Carolina namely:
against Charleston. SO long besieged, 80
prominent In the previous history Of the war,
20 conspicuous IN the politics Of the South,
and so chi trlshed in the affections of the Con.
fedcrate. people: and at BranclVille, mere
geographical point, but Important as being
the key to Charleston, and the gateway for
supplies which come from the States Of the
soulb,
This being the conceded object Of tho enc
my's P!esent opefauons, II Il NOT uAca'l 70
9cseEnue VIII VI ,uppto3mase ,ppa3 o g @ LILLY "
aestna1ioan o. lnomas, asmy, fepoFts %
days ago, We Ind intelligence that d detach-
ment Of Ii, coo men from this army had gone
down the Mississippi River, and. by the Gull,
tore1ntorce sherman, and no" We nave an.
: other report 1hat E,ooV Or more nave passed
Harper's FerIy, ~ the dltectfon OF Chesa-
both these ruInors are true. Each one. and
both, would be entirely consistent With the
enemy's present plan Of operations in Virgil
MIA and south Caroilne. II 10 very probable
that the object Of reinforcing Grant ut pres
ent, Is to enable him to make demonstra-
?n non nom nis !eit %ng aRoh @ Lees ans o. sap'
ments u South Carolina: inc add1tlons Of
Thomas' Amy to those OF Sherman and Grant,
may pnt It IN the power OF ootn commanders
to make formidable aggressive movements IN
earnest; each being much more than felnt IN
alq o. tne otner.
mere diversion in tayo! OF sherman, or
movement In chfef, will depend of course up
on the number from Thomas' army, which
shall be transported to the James-o ques:
tion rhich the developments Of q few days
will disclose. This transercnce Of the Federal
expeditions routes, to Virginia, OF Carolina,
OF to both localities, seems to be modiaca-
tion of the Original design of the present
ye1r's campaign. Until within the last fort
night, it was the accepted opinion that
1homas, at the head Of q large army, WIS to
cross the Appalachian chain from Chattanooga
to Knoxville, through East Tennessee and
Southwest Vifginia. and to bear down upon
Lynchburg, taking Richmond in the rear.
This design has been relinquished for several
potential reasons The distance from Chatta-
nooga to Lynchburg is more than 400 miles
The valley through which the line Of march
would be Is narrow, and lanked on either
side by mountains, which would be the shelter
ofinnumerable bands Of gucrfllas, who would
render It quite Impossible to keep up q rail-
road line Of supplIesfn tile rear, 80 long dis
tauce. without so weakening the main column
as to render it feeble at the last to push
through to its destination. The chance Of
procuring supplies along that long line Of
mountain country, would be hopeless for any
force large enough to overcome the obstacles
which would there oppose its march.
The performance Of Sherman in Gcorgia
movement over the route In question. The
length Of She1man's march was only 200
miles; here it would be 400. Sherman &C.
colnplished the feat with about 50 GOO men,
marching unohstructcd through champagne
county, filled with supplies. Thomas could
not venture without less than double that
force, and his passage would be along q mar
row valley, the greater part of it lying in
East Tennessee, and already desolated by
loDg-continued hostilitirs; another portion
OF that between Bristol and the New River,
The performance Of Sherman In Georgia
would augur nothing In favor Of q similar
movement oyer tue route In question. The
length OF sherman,s mafcn was only 2uo
mil va AHnt tYyHAF a.