The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-02-03
The Enemy at Bay.

aAS VI
have crowned our banners during the last
month, and the splendid promise OF the
month 10 come. make the prospects of the
oWon cause altogether brighter III this
moment than al any previous period In the
history OF the war Neither after Fort
Donelson and Roanoke Island i'm Fel,ru-
ary, 1862. nor after Island No. lo and
New Orleans in April of the same year,
nor after Gettysburg, Nicksbury and Por1
Hudson in July, 1863, nor after Chatia-
nooga. nor Vet after Atlanta, eren- did
the cause of the enemy appear - de>per-
ate as il does now We express the CON
yiction that. if our arms are managed IN
the future with the skill. Vi gor and pru-
dence that have lately gained, under our
three great generals, the three great rlcto-
rieS of Nashville. Savannah and Fort
Fisher. this wear of grace 1865 will make
the overthrow of the rebellion certainty,
and the difficult work of that overthrow
will he substantially accomplished.
When the cause of the rebellicn shall
be the most desperate. We must look for
Its most desperate and unexpected strue-
gleS. The enemy may Yet have un-
expended shafts i'm his quirer, sup
pose. for single example. ner,ed toy
"A consciousness that his cause WAS lost he
should stake all his fortunes on a final in
vaSion of the North. We mu>t suppose
he would abandon Richmond and Peter
burr, leaving only a strong picket line of
a few thousand men around The latter
city 10 blind his purposes These he
would sacrifice Then. suppose he should
collect all available troops from North
Carolina and Virginia. from the commands
of Bragg and Beauresiri, a> we'll as
from his OWN outposts- He would reduce
and mobilize these 10 a compact formida-
bile column. Then. stealing way from
Richmond, he mn ght gel several DAYS the
start of our troops before his movement
was discovered In our present position,
all the region Immediately norih and west
of Richmond i known 10 him. He
could march out from the - irlckiocr'
of the city. 80 10 speak. transport his
troops TO I.ynchhurs. or fy The Virginia
Central road TO Gorlonsrllle. and Ice in
Northern Virginia before We had pierced
his picket lines and found him vanished
Should h lac able 10 penetrate the She
nan,luah Valley. he would orerwhelm oGr
troops there a. fhey have been more than
once overwhelmed in similar circumstan-
oeS Then. Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Baltimore and Washington. might feel the
weight of this desperate -ircke. Mean
while. Grant would doubles he summon
ed in hot haste 10 the capital. leaving be
hind perhaps only troops enough 10 take
and hold Peter>bur" and Richmond. Or.
suppose Lee should turn into the k;,n;s-
;wha Valley from Lynchhurg, What
would stop hi> course 10 Wheeling and 10
Pilt>burr! Columbus and Cncinnatii
could be reached l,y him. and Ohio and
Kentucky might be devastated. Liz raiding
columns forcing their way in difier.n, di-
rectiuns.
Napoleon said thai 5o.oeo men. ably
led. could push through amy GORDON 90
600 men. ably he'd. need never be forced
even 10 fight "A rrt=si l;,itl-. if ihrv choose
only to move and Ia retreat I'm such Il
country :lS ours Sur'l an invasion of th,.
North would moi contemplate Il ~reat lat-
tie, except when Veteran troops are OPP
posed 10 emergency men. militia or one
hundred DAYS men. who would l,e called
10 meet IL Ii would not lac "rer-nice
about the rules of civilized warfare: hut
would plumber and burn every where.
leaving deSulaliun. and flaming towns and
cities IN lis trslil- Ii would he forced 10
keep constantly lin motion. io strike points
where il could supply Itself with prori-
sion>; and, if driven 10 expend il slmmu-
milton in hattie. il must ;iim also on points
10 where ammunition could l- obtained
But IL dc>i- would lc ii terrific >woap.
only: for the question "f supplies ui for
age. food and ammunition would nei per-
mil a deliberate campaign
If that theory OF diving In the la~.
ditch = is NOT idle talk. however. the Wa
terloo of the war MAY Yet, possibly. be
fought on Northern soil Perhaps a more
plausible silppc>ition may Ia. li,ai The rel,-
cl lca,ler>. when all l. oycr. Niil strive.
rather than submitting TO be hrimm,,l IN
at Richmond. 10 make their MIN with
their faithful adher,ni> {" some ,luar1rr
where, in 4 smaller rc@ion. and with such
advantages ot country a. may he had.
they may commence a lolg -iruerie l-ior,
eNtirl,aiion. >tri, H.. wlil- their uwn
lives last. al least, 10 play Il Si;alelnatc
upon Us IN this gi-:iniic -:,al- oi' WAR
-irmy aAd Nary ,Jown'Il-