Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-03-02
> Close mp the Ranks.
TFrom Forney's Press, Feb. 2

. .
Some of our. contemporaries have taken
exception to the spirit in which we have
seen proper to comment upon the recent
great achievements in the Cotton States.
The more closely we examine the situation,
however, the more zoe are convinced thdt me
end of this acdr is not at hand, and that sce
must strike still greater blows before the rebel
lion falls. We endeavor to appreciate the
real value of our recent triumphs. In the
first place, we have had the consummate
bravery of our soldiers, and we have seen
General Sherman develop the first qualities
of a warrior. He has captured Savannah
and Charleston and has placed Georgia and
South Carolina at his feet. He now goes
forth to rescue and enfranchise North Car
olina. In this campaign he has suffered
none of the ordinary misfOrtunes of war.
Fort McAllister was taken by stOrm-the
work of one division-and Wheeler and
Fitzpatrick had a few skirmishes which
amounted to nothing. This has been all the
fighting that has taken place. Beyond this
the campaign was purely strategic, and,
therefore, what we admire more than all
things in Sherman's grand campaign is the
manner In which he outgeneraled ando
threw his opponents. or. .
The occupation of Savannah changed the
character OF the war. The rebels found
they could not maintain an army in the
Southern States able to cope with Sherman,
and so they have adopted the only plan that
was open to them-the plan of concentra-
ton. We believe that Lee is now uniting
all of his armies for the final contest. 1t
was thought by Southern and Northern
journals that Charleston would be made the
scene of great struggle. But those who
had any such anticipation depended upon
the dramatic character OF the Southern peo-
pie. 1t would have furnished good editori-
al matter for The Examiner, if Beauregard
could have defeated Sherman in the suburbs
ofCharleston; but Mr.. Davis has too much to
risk with his armies to indulge in any war
like theatricals. So Charleston was very
quietly turned over to the Union forces by
Mayor Macbeth, and Beauregard went on
his way northward. When last heard from,
Taylor was moving from Tennessee, Beau
regard was advancing over North Carolina,
and Hoke was retreating from Wilmington
They were all advancing to certain point,
and, as Lee is the commander OF all these
men, we have no doubt he has selected his
place of rendezvous. One or two points
present themselves. If Beauregard, Tay-
lor, and Hoke unite with Lee, he may give
Grant battle in front of Petersburg. I'm
less he does this, Richmond must certainly /
be evacuated. Sherman is advancing with
rapid strides, and will, probably, throw
his army on the other side of Richmond,
which would insure Lees destruction. I'm
less Lee fights and defeats Sherman, this
must be done; and if he should not do sohe |
must move his army to Lynchburg, or else |
have the best army of our nation in his
rear, There are rumors that Lee. proposes |
another raid into Pennsylvania. This we
do not anticipate, If Lee has forgotten An
tietam and Gettysburg he certainly remem- |
bers Sheridan, who is quietly doing on the |
Shenandoah, waiting for an opportunity to
spring at his enemy. We do not know If
Sheridan is strong enough to fight Lee, but
he can hold him in check until Grant
moves the Army of the Potomac to his aid.
As we have said, and now repeat at the
risk OF being misunderstood, these rebel
gentlemen are not disposed to throw down
their hands and abandon their game with
out another effort for victory. Grant
knows his business; but let us ask, Is Grant
strong enough to fight the corbined. rebel
armies? Is there no danger OF our armies
being attacked in detail? Let us dns1er
these questions By sending .foe hundred thou
sand more nuskets to the Lieutenant Generdt.-
By doing this we place the result beyond
contingency. We enable our leaders not
only to crush the rebellion, but to grind
it to powder. In the midst of this glare
of Union triumphs, while Savannah,
Charleston, and wilmington are Ialllng
one by one, while Union men are intoxica-
ted with these libations of unceasing tri-
umphs we look forward to the speedy fu-
ture, when all that we have gained must
finally be fought for. Let those who talk
about gala days and general illuminations
see that every man is hurried to the front.
When the battle is over and done, we can
divide the trophies, ring bells, and spend
all our spare powder in harmless cannon
aiding. Just now let all salutes be with
shotted guns, and let the target be the army
of Lee While we recognize the presence
of great reactionary party In the South,
we must remember that thisparty is con-
fronted by despotism; that the leaders of
the rebellion have the army and navy and
treasury of the South that they have pow
er to take every negro, and to make every
acre OF corn and cotton part of their COM
mssary department. We do not believe
that the reactionary party has the power in
itself to break down this despotism. That
must be done by Grant and Sherman; and
when it is done-when we have destroyed
the insurgent army and navy-we can ask
our friends to rise up and become citizens,
and place Union bayonets at their back.
Our duty is to close up the ranks and ad-
vance the whole line. Let there be rapid,
unrelenting war, and nothing but war.
Tbio ;e the Surpst and sWiftest path to peace,