Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10
BULLER AND o SHERMAN.
A Comparison Drawn Between the
Tasks of the Two Generals.

a COMPANION UraWm Betvveen tine
Tasks of the Two Generals.
From the Chattanooga Times.
Buffers task, the relief of Ladysmith and
the capture Of Pretoria, is.d in respect Of
some Of the conditions much like the one
Sherman confronted when, in early May.
1864. he left this city with Jehnston's army
Of nearly 10000 men in front Of him, his
objective being Atlanta rSherman's route
was through narrow valleys,l across rivers,
over foothills and MOUNTAINS. Buffers line
of march for hundped miles and more
north Of Colenso is across the Drakensburg
range. mountain chain not unlike our APP
palachian. Johnston first faced about in a
strong position near Dalton. He was fanked
by Sherman's 23d Corps. Gen. Schofield.
and had barely time to pull back his left
to Resaca to check the federal thanking
column and fight it until his transportation
could be moved toward Kingston. The con-
federate general made no serious effort to
AGAIN check his antagonist until he reached
'Alatoona. There he was again fianked and
the next halt he made was on the high
slope OF hennesaw and the foothills ex-
tending OF to the west of that peak. Sher-
man fought his enemy with two CORDS and
sent third around to the left, forcing
Johnston 20. ls!s back to Atlanta Johnston was
TOO wise a general to attempt holding river
lines. atter the ancient style. of grand tao
tics. Modern methods of crossing large
bodies of men over streams quickly have
made them of small account as obstruc-
tons against larger army.
Shermans last strategical move was in
front OF Atlanta, after Johnston was re-
heved and Hood placed in command of the
confederate army. and it has been held by
competent critics as the finest thanking
movement of the civil war. Some have
ranked this specimen of grand tactics as
quite the equal Of the best generalship dis
played by Napoleon.
If Butler has men enough to keep his en-
envy busy, with strong division to spare
Tor Ranking, he can and will repeat Sher-
man campaign of the summer Of 1864. AS
Stunning that Joubert falls back from Lady
smith, the British general will have the
railway from Durham behind him open. 1t
Is 10 miles from Durham by rail to Lady
smith. That pace Is well fortified. an ex-
north by west lie Johannesburg and Preto-
ria, $50 miles by rail, nearly 800 to Krugers
capital, as the crow flies.
But Butler will not be the whole thing
In the aggressive campaign. Kitchener is
rapidly organizing big corps, made up of
infantry mounted troops. artillery, a bri-
gade of naval batteries. This force is being
put into shape at Cape Town. It will soon
be on the trek to relieve Methuen. who is
backed up to Orange river near Hope
Town. besieged by Cronje's Free State
army. This latter wing Of the Boer army
must be strengthened or Kitchener will
nave IL MS own way and beat Butler to the
objective. From Colesburg to Pretoria is
500 miles. The railroad is almost a bee
line. A dash on Bloemfontein, the Free
State capital, would force the abandonment
of the siege of Kimberley and Mafeking
To oppose the converging British col
umns. starting from points separated by
400 miles of South African mountain and
veldt, and moving to the meeting point,
Pretoria, of two great railway lines. the
Doors have probably $1,000 men fit for duty.
The British now have about 5000 in South
Africa or in trapsit. and $1,000 in reserve
at Aldershot or in more temporary home
camps. 1t is plain the campaign can have
but one end II the British are as deter
mined as ever to prosecute the war to
satisfactory conclusion"
But it will take time. It's no small under
taking. Sherman left his camps south of
Chattanooga about May 10. He forced the
Confederates back to Atlanta by July 10,
and they abandoned the city on September
/, after INJECTING terrible losses and dam
ages on the federal forces.
Butler at Ladysmith is nearly four times
as far from Pretoria as Sherman was from
Atlanta when he started to meet Johnston
at Dalton, and Kitchener will be almost six
times the distance from Dalton to Atlanta
II he finally concentrates his army on line
drawn east and west within striking dis
lance south of Orange river