New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-24
CAN THE REBELS OyLRWHELM
sHEsNAN,

The fate Of the Rebellion now obviously hangs
by a thread, which decisive Union victory
would snap. Practically, its territory is re-
stricted to North Carolina and Virginia; since
South Carolina he's been abandoned without a
contest, while Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi
have been left far in the rear of Sherman's fear
less, triumphant advance. According to all
recognized probabilities, that leader must be
speedily fought and beaten, or the Coniederacy
is no more. Hence, the confident and general
assumption that the abandonment Of Columbia,
Charleston, Fort Anderson, &c, ere details OF
apan which has for it, object the concentration
Of nearly all the remaining Rebel troops near
the southern border of North Carolina, there,
under the command Of their Generaliss.mo, to
fail upon Sherman and crush him before he can
be re niorced by Grant
Surprising this to he the latest Rebel pro-
ramme, what are the chances Of rs successful
execution
In answering this question, we must consider:
| l. Sherman's army consists mainly OF the
bronzcd veterans who have carried the flag OF
restored Union in triumph from the Ohio to
the Atlantic victorious on many hard-iought
| fields, and worsted on bat one-that OF the
Chickamauga where they were outnumbered III
The proportion of at least three TO two. Since
they started from Chattanooga last Spring, they
have been checked only in assaults on impreg-
nable positions in fortified mountain passes.
and have hardly encountered an enemy strong
enough TO compel them to form line of battle
in the last six months. Having unbounded
faith in their leader and themselves they CON
stitute this day the best fighting force of their
numbers ever embodied on this continent.
III. The strength of that army is yariously
computed at 81, 900 to l03, 900 men: we cali 1t
10, 900. All this is fighting muscle 1t traverses
country essentially friendy-for the remain
! ing population Of South Carolina is essentially
negro, and is unanimously imbued with enlhusl-
astic, uncalculating devotion to the Union
cause. 1t wastes no strength in ganisoning
posts or keeping open lines of communication,
but moves right on, with emphatic celerty and
confidence. 1t has already emerged from the
mOrasses Of the Savannah and the COmbahee,
and has attained the middle ground between
the Alleghenies and the lowland marshes, where
the rivers are mainly iordable, the climate at
this season temperate, and the roads generally
firm.
III. In cavalry, Gen. Sherman is especially
strong, so as completely to mask the movements
of his infantry and keep the enemy perplexed
and dubious with regard to his intentions. Thus
he took Milledgeyille without blow while the
Rebels were looking for him both at Macon and
Augusta, and enyeloped Savannah wmle they
were insisting that he was intent on "cscap-
ing" by Brunswick, Darien or Hilton Head.
They were watching for him again both at
augusta and Charleston when he Disconnected
tAem by turning up at Columbia. Now they
say he is moving on Charlotte and Raleigh,
when it is quite possible that he is making for
Florence and Wilmington. They have so often
had him lust where they wanted him, that
he is very likely to accommodate them just 50
once or twice more. And so long as his
superiority in cavalry shall be maintained, ii
will bother them to crowd or starye him into a
fight which he would rather decline
". South Carolina is Union by large ma
jority, because that majority is enslaved by the
minority; but North Carolina has Union ma.
Ijority Of Whites in addition 70 all her negroes.
Of her able.bodied citizens who are to-day out
of the Rebel ranks, at least two.thirds are
Union, especially in her Western Counties.
Such inveterate Wing stroDgholds as Arson,
Montgomery, Richmond, Moore, Stanley, Ca.
barrus, Randolph, Iredell, &C., Lie in the way
of his advance to Raleigh, and their people are
eager to welcome him as their delverer from
the ferocious despotism which has too long
drank their Likelihood. There is not Rebel in
Richmond who does not know that North Caro-.
ina will declare overwhelmingly for tie Union