General Sherman's Entry Into Columbia South Carolina, February 17, 1865

Appeared in Harper's Weekly Saturday April 1, 1865

Sherman has promenaded Georgia and South Carolina. The rebels have retired before him from Augusta. from Savannah, from Charleston, from Georgetown, from Wilmington and Kinston, concentrating as they have fallen back. The days of long marches are over, and the days of sharp conflict are already begun. The elements have been hurtling and combining, and now comes the storm. When SHERMAN'S columns were five hundred miles distant from where they are marshaled today the prospect was so vague and shadowy that the vain boasting and confidence of Richmond editors did not seem the farce which today it seems. The match was a long way from the powder which it is now about to explode. Panic knows no law, but it is not therefore always unreasonable. It is not wonderful that, with two grand armies—like those of GRANT and SHERMAN between the Cape Fear and the James, and already in cooperation, and with SHERIDAN rough-riding at his leisure about the Confederate capital, destroying three months' supplies in as many days, and cutting off both the line of retreat westward and of a possible march northward, DAVIS sends a frantic, clamorous message to the rebel Congress, betraying his sensitiveness of the peril at hand, and calling for men and provisions, which he knows are inaccessible, and for the suspension of the law of habeas corpus, which he knows will do him no good. It is not remarkable that those in Richmond who happen at such a time to have gold are reluctant to let it go, nor that the people generally have given themselves up a prey to their apprehensions.

A series of decisive battles can not long be delayed. ROBERT E. LEE will probably precipitate these battles himself. To stand on the defensive is to invite defeat. He must take the initiative, and trust to strategy for the result. His most promising scheme would be to rapidly and stealthily reinforce JOHNSTON very heavily, and then falling upon SHERMAN endeavor to repeat the success gained on the first day of the battle of Shiloh. He would strive to do this before SHERMAN'S arrangements for a base are permanently established. But it must be remembered that SHERMAN has fought but little on his long march, and has plenty of ammunition to carry on a great battle. He will soon be firmly established on the line of the Neuse with an army equal to any which by any possible combination can be brought against him.

If, however, LEE, and JOHNSTON decline attack, they will yet be forced to an engagement by the necessities of hunger. Standing still or retreating their communications are at our mercy; and in a battle they must fight at a disadvantage against men equal in courage and determination, and superior in strength and discipline to themselves. Were it not for those rebels who have already lost all, and who therefore listen only to the suggestions of pride or despair, we might hope that now at length reason would resume her sway and prompt to loyal submission.