New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-31
LEES GENRRALsmfP.

March % that he considers the junction Of bis
army with the forces under Schofield and Terry
as closing the particular campaign which began
when he left Savannah. On the 21st, Johnston
was beaten at BentOnsylle on the same day
Schofeld entered Goldsborough, and. on the
same day Terry bridged the Neuse, $50
that" says Gen. Sherman, sour cam.
paign has resulted in glorious success.
After march of the most extraordinary
character, nearly 500 miles over swamps
and rivers deemed impossible to others, at the
most inclement season of the year, and drawing
our chief supplies from q poor and wasted
country, we reach our destination in good health
and condition" Henceforward the campaign
has new point of departure. New combina-
tons are to be attempted, and what Is unques-
tonably the final effort of the war, so far as
grand military operations are concerned, is to be
made by the united forces under Sherman in
cooperation with the armies of the Potomac and
of the James. But up to this point the work
assigned TO Sherman is thoroughly done
Auguries of the new campaign may be drawn
from tho events of the old. 1t is especially
noteworthy that the operations just concluded
have been opposed by several armies which, for
the frat time in the history of the Rebellion,
were exclusively under command Of Gen.
Lee. They supply test Of that leaders claims
to generaShip which is interesting and instruct
i've. What he has done or failed to do in this
| . IL &c hat a 10
likely to do, or fail in doing, hereafter.
And we have this remark to make of Lee:
that while he is prompt, fertile, and brilliant as
a tactcian, he is not strategiSt of frst-rate
ability-perhaps hardly even of second-rate
ability. He has fought many battles and
fought them well. He has conducted several
campaigns and has uniformly failed. Even
within the limits of single State, or when car
rying on on aggressive warfare which reached
beyond the boundaries of Virginia, Lee has
either omitted to seize the great opportunities
that lay before him. or has yielded TO
the superior genius Of his adversary, and in
many instances has demonstrated that he lacks
the comprehensive talent and breadth of view
which are essential to the commander whose
operations must extend beyond single battle
! feld--who has not merely to maneuyer troops
under fire but to order the movements of great
armies over wide extent Of territory. Hence
il Is that we have deemed the appointment OF
Lee to be General in Chief over the armies OF
the Rebellion as an omen of disaster to their
cause.
/ Gen. Johnston has been the nominal com
mander ofthe miscellaneous forces that constitute
the Rebel army IN North Carolina, but he has
been subject to the order Of Lee and has
I directed his movements in accordance with
orders from Richmond. Lee, therefore, must
accept the responsibility OF the Carolina CAM
paign-and what responsibility The MIL
tary Judgment upon that campaign VIII
~ tho, ,viv Jurt vIrv cnnncc Of succrss
to the Rebels, and that consisted in over
whclming Schofeld before his junction
with Sherman. Lee, therefore, ought to have
concentrated everything against Schofeld-
would thus have outnumbered him. and would
have had at least probable chance Of defeat
| ing him, md so Of disturbing Sheman's pur-
posts and checkmating his operations for the
| time. The dictate Of common sense as well as
Of military art was to bring everything with all
speed to bear against Schofield. What did Lee
do He suffered Johnston to detail fraction
Of his army under Bragg to assail Schofield at
Kinston The assault failed, and Lee thereupon
called Bragg of to unite with Johnston who was
hurrying east from Charlotte to attack an army
twice as large as that from before which he
had lust recoiIcd In disaster and dis
may The same hesitating strategy was
repeated An assault at Bentonsyllle
upon Slocum was attempted and failed,
and then Lee called OFT his forces from in front of
Slocum, and left an open path TO him for u final
junction with Schofeld. And that is the best
strategy which the chosen leader Of all the ar
mics of the Rebellion has to present against the
magnificent combinat nns OF Sherman aud Grant.
Sherman's march to Goldsborough has been de-
layed Just one day beyond the time he had fixed
for his junction with Schofcld. Meanwhile,
Lee has tried his best at Petersburg and failed
there also He clings to Richmond with o blind
Indifference to the fate that approaches him, and
will probably delay just long enough to destroy
the single chance OF success that might attend
L;, tiuotv withdrawal IA Dauvillr