Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-01-04
Correspondence Of The New York World
R.rTta.opp DacaD,har 30

BALTIMORE December %
TERRIBLE BLOW TO THE SOUTH ~ THE LOSS OF
SAVANNAH
If il be true, that the darkest hour is Just be-
fore the dawn, then the hour when the confeder.
ate independence will dawn, must be close at
hand. for the present moment is certainly the
darkest, in a military point of view, that the
South has ever experienced have some news
from the south this morning which is Of gloom
Ter nature than have ever received. The fall
OF Savannah is really great blow to- the South.
and is 80 felt at Richmond IL is not the loss of
the city Itself that is felt. That is a mere baga
tele Ii Is the consequences that must result
from that capture which gives the southern lead
ers such great concern. In this view the c0nfed-
crate leaders are forced to admit that General
Sherman has done we'll in abandoning Atlanta
for Savannah. because Savannah. to the North,
is worth dozen Allantss
GREAT LOSS OF corroS TO raE SOUTH.
In the irst place, it gives Us, if the operations
10 secure il are conducted with ordinary prudence
about 100 900 or l50.000 bales Of cotton. which
are stored in various parts of Georgia and South
Carolina OF these, 32 900 bales only are at
Savannah, 25 900 bales az Augusta, IL 900 bale.
are at Macon, 30 900 bales are in half dozen
other tow6s on the coast south of Savannah and
were supposed 10 be protected by that CITY, and
% 600 bales are at certain convenient points in
South Carolina. near the east bank of the Savan
nah river. This stock of cotton forms part OF
that immense store upon which tie south has
been drawing sparingly during the past two
wears, and which has been their most potent ally
in England and France. affordiDg them the means
of negotiating THEN cotton loans, of keeping up
the confederate credit IN Europe. and OF purchas
ing their muskets and cannon.
rn~or-rSr or rur M cropcr.
Now that there j. 10 use in DENYING il aay
longer, the confederate military leaders admit
the wisdom OF Gen. SheEmaHs course in not
stopping on bis way to lay seige to Macon and
Augusta. Those places and all the other towns
in Georgia south of them ours, whenever Gen.
Sherman chooses TO advance against them at the
head of a respectable force. The railroads. also,
from Augusta nearly TO Atlanta. from Savannah
to IhomasyIlle, are at our absolute disposal,
either to run them or to destroy them. In a
word o-thrds of The state of Georgia is sb-
soutely conquered a. Louisiana. The whole OF
the state, except that part north of Atlanta, is
entirely at Gen. Sherman's disposal The troops
recently at Macon or Augusta either have been.
or viii be, withdraw, and will join Gen. hsrdee
st Charleston
DANCER or The Fall or CHARLESTON.
The confederate leaders.s therefore, in view OF
these facts, look upon Georgia a. los; TO them
for The present Nor is that all. They are well
aware that. either from Savannah or Augusta
Gen. Sherman can transport his whole army by
railroad to Charleston F.; and what they dread
now, above all things, j. that be viii do so, and
that that CITY will now be attacked from the
land side by Sherman's victorious ana invincible
army. This is the danger which they are now
employing themselves in guarding against with
all their might For the reasons mentioned 10
nv last letter, they cannot afford 10 lose either
Wilmington or Charleston, nor do they
expect intend to lose either
ore Still. If Gen. Sherman should lead MS
army to Charleston. and six down IN earnest be-
tore that place. strongly fortified as it il. the
chances are that would fall This Is the con
viction that now fills the public mind al the
south. and tie minds OF the rebel leaders also,
and that makes toe present hour, as | said
above. the darkest IN their history.
E'TKcTIvE CONDITION or THE SOUTHERN AsxIEs.
Do not infer FROM what have said that there
j. ans thing like dependency in the minds of the
people of the south. Adversely. defeats and
losses only serve TO inspire them with renewed
determination 10 fight on ill their Independence
/: secured. " spite Of the loss Of Savannah,