The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1891-03-03
Gen. sherman.

y
gan when, early in 1864, lie assumed
command Of the Union forces at Chat
tanoogs, facing tic Cont. dcritie army
under Gen. j. L. Johuston. Prior ia
this time Sherman had held subollli-
nate positions, and his operations when
independent had nu' been attended
with more than partial success, as, for
example, his attempted cooperation
with Grant in the Siege OF Vicksburg.
a movement of small value by reason
of the aciWiiy OF tht Confederate COM
inander and SherniauS inability TO
successfully secure the positions de-
tired.
Then later he Eas sent against Bragg
in front Of Chattanooga, and mc4-T4'sl@s
a bloody rcpulse 1t Tnnncl Hill.
Sherman had always displayed great
activity, was prompt in his movements,
maintaining good discipline as an army
where discipline and celebrity of move
ment were noticeable. Thus it was
that Sherman acquired reputation as
a division commander who gave
promise uf great possibilities in hand
ling 4 large body Of men above all, he
secured the friendship of Grant, and
through his brother, already i promi-
nent figure in the Government at
Washington, lie had the favor of the
Administration.
Thus it happened HAT while Sher-
man had not the brilliant record of
Thomas, or had been a prominent in
successful operations, he was selected
to lead the Army Of the West, a great
Office to which Thomas seems by COM
mon consent to have been entitled.
It may be noted i'll passing, as a curl
Gus phase Of fate, that in after time
the great events upon which the fame
Of Sherman as commander rested
were made a success by the magnif-
cent tactics and stubborn fighting OF
Thomas before Nashville, when he
drove Hood, broken and defeated,
from his line of march into Tennessee.
In May, 1864, Sherman began his
advance South from Chattanooga, fol-
lowing the line of the Western and
Atlantic railroad, which afforded him
prompt and easy method of trans
portati0n. lie had under his COM
mand an effective corps OF some 49,
900 men, composed in fair proportion
Of all branches Of the service and all
in the highest state of drill and disci-
plinc, veterans Injured to all the hard
ships Of war. In fact, his command
was the very flower Of the Western
armies, carefully pruned and cut
down to a movable column that in
strength and efficiency was hardly
cqualled at any time during the war
Added to this he possessed a commits
SaIiat unequaicd in its resources and
management. Confronting this splen-
did column was the army of Johnston,
barely 10000 in numbers-vctcrans
it is true, but ill supplied in every
thing TO make war successful. Their
greatest reliance was in the yet I'M
dimmcd splendor Of their chief as a
soldier and tie stout hearts and will
ling hands, tattcred array Of gallant
men and bright muSkcts.
From first to last Shermau's adj
vance was fcrcely contested, and, III
spite Of the disparity Of numbers,
Johnston retired so carefully that in
the movement from Chattanooga to
the front of Atlanta he lost not SO
much as a wagon. But it must be
understood that Sherman'S tactics
were Of the simplest. He maintained
a continual pressure in front, and,
when developed into combat, he
would rest and then go at it again
No grand coup was attempted. There
was not even the pretense of manocu-
vcrs that would result in the capture
or disastrous defeat of johnson.
With the force at his disposal Shcr-
man ought to have crushed Johnston
long before he reached Atlanta. But
instead of this lie found that coveted
point guarded at all points by his old
antagonist, still watchful, wary and
ready to contest his further advance.
At this time occurred one of the chan
gas not uncommon in the late war
where too often political considera-
lions became paramount to the con-
duct Of campaigns. Fortune never so
strongly favored Sherman as on the
day Johnston was superseded by Hood,
unless it was shortly afterward, when
Hood began his forward movement to
Tennessee, leaving in utter defiance of
all rules of war, a powerful enemy in
his rear
From that day the "March to the
Sea" became a necessity. 1t was not