The National tribune., 1903-01-22

I
most critical point in the Atlanta cam.
paign, much to Sherman's qualification,
and put in his place the headlong fighter,
Hood, who proceeded to shatter his army
against the Union breastworks.
| jeff Davis had tried others-Hardee,
Beauregard, Bragg, Wade HamptOn-but
each one seemed worse than his predeces-
SCR and easier for Sherman to handle, and
| to march around as he pleased, to the
great destruction of Confederate cities,
arsenals, railroads, and badly-needed sup
| plies.
Unless Sherman could be stopped the
doom of the Confederacy was certain and
speedy. He was already in North Caro-
lima, but few days march for his swift
footed, uncheckable veterans, from Rich
mond. In less than six weeks he had
swept clear across the State of South Car
DINA, its cities falling like ten-pins. 1t
would take less than that to bring him to
the banks of the James.
| Bitter, cold-bloodad, unforgiving JEFF
Davis would have none of Joe Johnston,
though the Confederacy was to be
wrecked. But Lee was appointed Gen
eral-in-C Chief, with dctatorial powers, and
mand of everything to the southwark,
gather Beauregard's, Bragg's Hardee's,
and Hoods armies, and whatever else he
could assemble, and stop Sherman.
And Joe Johnston was fully alive to the
desperate need Of the work he was set to
do. He was performing wonders, in the
way of combinations of the forces which
had been marching hither and yon, under
the conflicting orders of the various Cen
erals, and still further confused by those
from Richmond.
And. high as is the opinion Sherman
has of his old antagonist, Sherman does
not comprehend fully what Johnston is ac-
complishing.
Johnston is preparing a bitter surprise
for Sherman.
Perhaps Sherman has been spoiled a lit
tie by his easy manipulation Of Beanre-
gard, Bragg, Hardee and Hampton. He
is now pressing forward, under the belief
that he has driven off Hardee toward
Raleigh, and has nothing to fear from
Johnston until after he can reach Colds
boro, and unite with the armies brought
up the Neuse River by Schofeld and
Terry. For once Sherman has been mis-
led. He does not know that when he
sent Ward off with a division to Averas-
suing Hardee to Raleigh, that Hardee
kept up the shan of retreating until he
got out of sight and reach, and then
turned sharply to the east to unite with
the troops that Johnston was hurrying
down to put between Sherman and Colds
borO. Nor does Sherman know that, while
Hardee was fighting in front Of Averas-
troops in front Of Schofdd, coming up the
Neuse River, to strike him a fierce blow
at Kinston, which halted that prudent
commander and set him to certifying, I'M
til he could find out just what was in his
front.
Having the inside track. Johnston has
advantages of communication and quick
concentration that Sherman, bringing
Schofield half way across the continent,
all along the Southern Coast, cannot have.
"Great Jehosephat." grumbled Shorty,
as they forged their way through the
soaked woods, in search of Fitzpatrick, 'it
rains harder and steadier in South Caro-
liny than it does anywhere else in the
world, and worse in North Caroliny than it
does In South Caroliny."
And the mud is deeper and stickier,"
agreed 81, even his unfailing cheeriness
sinking little under the dispiriting del
uge. "But that's scarcely worth mention
ing. kilpatrick's men are going ahead
over there, just the same as If it was
fine haying weather."
"Well," said Shorty, turning his horses
head little, to ride up on knoll which
seemed to promise better view, "observa-
tons on the weather are not now in or
der. The business before the house Is to
find Fitzpatrick in short meter with this
letter. Old Billy said we'd find him over
in that direction, and old Billy's say about
direction is the safest to follow of any
mans in the army"
'The firing seems heaviest over in that
direction" said 81, pointing a little to the
left, "and Fitzpatrick can usually be found
where the most Is going on"
"Come on" said Shorty, heading his
horse for faint trail leading into the
thick brush.
They pushed on rapidly, though their
horses hoofs sank over the fetlocks, the
brush whipped their faces and hands, the