The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-12-12

THE ATLANTA CAMPAIGN.
COLONEL cHEsNEY's ESTIMATE OF SHERMAN,
JOHNSTON AND GRANT.
NEW World. Nov. 2z,h.l

An article by SO accomplished a soldier
and critic as Colonel Charles c. Chesney,
having for its subject two such books as
the memoirs of Generals Sherman aud John.
ston, could not fail to be interesting and
high as expectation may have been raised,
the Colonel's paper 10 the Fortnighhy Re
UieW must be admitted to have fully realized
it. The publication of these two books ia
quick succession, says the rerierer, affords
an opportunity never before offered in the
whole range of military literature, for
never before have two great commanders
who were opposed to each other in cam
paign of the fret magnitude cent out to the
world their iDde pendent records of it's
whole course. The freedom and publicity
of American lie add value to the works,
which are published at an era when, though
prejudice has not been completely bauished,
a more truly historical aud more generous
spirit is coming gradually in
The characters Of Sherman and Johnston
are fsirly drawn. Each. says the reuie,cer,
besides being hard bitter, unsparing of
the feelings of others, regardless of contro-
versy and criticism, and gifted with strong
confidence in his own personal infallibility,
" was fired with the belief that the desti-
EIes of people were in his hands, and each,
with trust in his own powers of general
ship and the fighting qualities of his men,
had a just respect for his adversary" And
now each comes forward as much bent as
ever on making the best of bis cause, but
having out!ived the political passions of
1864, seeks to justify his actions on the
purely professional ground of soldier.
POSITIONS AND PURPOSES OF THE ARMIES
Colonel Chesney begins by briefly but
clearly stating the positions aud purposes of
the two commanders as they confronted each
other at Chattanooga and Dalton on the
55h of May. and notices With justice the
advantage of Sherman, who was per rmitted
with full confidence by Grant to carry out
the details of the general plan prescribed
for him, while there was no happy union of
thought on Johnston's side, where Bragg,
whom he had superseded, was Jefferson
Davis's chief military adviser. From day
break of the 9th of May till the middle of
July there was waged without pause
struggle which took form unknown here
tofore in modern war. Sherman had to
combine the double purpose of pressing his
adversary back and keeping intact in bis
own rear the Ifne of railroad to Chatta-
nooga by which alone he could subsist his
forces. Johnston had only to do his best
to resist, whether by obstinate opposition
in front or injuring the great mmunica
tion on which the Federals depended, and
which if interrupted, wouldistop their ad
vance at once. His tack might, therefore,
at first sight seem simple. But on the
other hand, his forces were far ioferior, as
he never bad more than one half the num-
bers commanded by Sherman. The latter
ity, and was prepared to lose two one, if
necessary, in carrying out his design, but
on finding Johnston covered at Dalton,
as at almost every halting- place subse-
quently, by intrenchments as dangerous
to assault as q permanent fort, he took coun
sci from the frequent bloody repulses
which the Federals had met with in Virginia,
and resolved from the frat to risk no open
attack, but to adopt on a grander scale the
old War of POSITIONS" of the days of
Gustavus and Turenne, when both armies
protected Themselves on their fighting
ground and sought for advantage in either
on dankiug the enemy or cutting off his
supplies. With main force equal to
Johnston's, it would be always possible to
cover and watch the latter's front, whilst
one or both wings, steadily extending be-
hind similar works, must in the end get 80
far hey ond or round the Confederates as to
make their communications unsafe, if their
fanks were not already laid bare. Either
danger must drive them to a retreat, since
the only alternative would be sudden pas
sage to the offensive and attack on the
Federal intrechments.
The ten weeks campaign which followed
resembled the combat of Two skilful fencers
with the fols, where one by greater lenght
of arm, almost by physical weight, grad
ually presses his antagonist backward.
Though the pressure on Johnston never
slackeped, being as energetic and con-
took more than ten weeks to force him back
distance of eighty miles, Sherman's ad
vance being at the rate of mile day.
SHERMAN COMPARED WITH GRANT.
For Sherman Colonel Chesney finds in
Grant very fitting standard of compar
ison. He took the personal leadership in
Virginia with half as many men again
more in his fighting force than Sherman,
and trains fully proportioned to their need,
an advantage which compensated for the
greater difficulty of the terrain. Lee had
about as many men with whom to cover
Richmond as Johnston had to cover At
lanta. But though we'll aware of his ad-
versary's resources, Grant had not the pa
tience of Sherman in accommodating him
self at once to the system, of warfare
that circumstances imposed Oh both alike.
He threw himself again and again on Lee
to force direct passage to Richmond,
only to be beaten back with loss, and after
losing over fifty thousand men in attempt
ing to beat his adversary's guard by main
force, was compelled to cross the James