THE AMERICAN POSITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 264, 16 September 1864, Page 4

THE AMERICAN POSITION.

The following resume of the military operations of the past few days, and of tho present position of affairs, and the probablo turn they may take, is "'om the Altn California, of the 13th Jo 1 )" : — a suitVKY or Tin; fiki.ii. Tho great and distinguishing: feature of this summer's campaign is that all opeiations east of the Mississippi are connected one with the other. AVo have had this year no independent campaigns fo report. Tho Aiiny of the West has not been resting upon its arms while tlie Aimy of the Fast was lighting, and rice versa. This is to be attiibutcd to the fact, that by the creation of tho ollico of Lieutenant-Ghneral by thelast Congress, all the armies of the Republic were placed under the command of one man.

Under these civcumttances wc can only arrive at an accurate knowledge of the military situation at this time by regarding all the fighting now going on, from Atlanta to the I'otoniac. as parts of one great whole. Taking Atlanta as tho initial point, we find that after a couple of months of hard fighting and skilful mamouviing, Wieiman has at length reached the environs of that place.

The despatches of yesterday, though setting forth that he could enter and take possession of the city in two hours, if ho so desired, announce tl.at a legi'lar siege and investment will be i esoi ted to, for the Comnianeler of the gallant Aimy of the Cumberland wants moic than Atlanta, lie aspires not only to take it, but the anus which defends it.

To cfleet this object, he lias sent cut cavalry expeditions in all directions to se;ver and destroy the communications of the devoted city. AH these expeditions but one have returned in triumph. The one sent out to eli stroy the raiJroad leading to BTaeon has nut vet reported at he ael-i]i:ai ters, but no elcubts are' enteitaineel of its success.

AYith this statenient of the "situation," Atlanta might lie passed by, but lor a nimour that a considerable portion of the' f'oices with which Johnston originally confiontcd ijhi'iman has been sent to leiniorce Lee. It is true that this lumenir has not been verified, but still it is e xtreniely pie.bable;. It may be that uolu that quarter'the icbel chieltain charged ■with the defence of Richmond, received the sticngth which enabled him to si nel forward seveial divisions of his own aimv lor a laid into Maryland.

From Giant for si me iime past wo have had nothing voiv definite. To all appearances he is doing nothing, but the country may rest assured that his fertile brain is at work. !~oon we shall hear ot a sudden and crushing blow in a quarter where the enemy least of all exjie ets assault. AVe may leave this pert of lhe gnat theatie of the war wilh confidence in the skill of the General in command. AVlieii the proper time arrives, the cui lain will lilt upon as grand a scene as that enacted at Yicksbuig on the -lib of .luly, lfjCU.

iMoanwhi'o the rebels have entered Maryland in strong foice and gathered up a great deal of plunder. Our forces charged with tin; duty of pursuing, were indiscreetly divided up ir.to separate columns. The raiders have within the hist week turned and beaten some of them in detail. "What objects they now have in view are only matter of cr>njecture.

One theory is that tliev tumid upon their puisuors only lor Uie pmpose of securing lime for the safe transportation ot their plunder lo Richmond; another is that tlicy desiie to gather tile Clops in the Yaliev of the Shenandoah, and for that pui-pose have ma e an ril'ort to expel our foi cos : a third is, that the Maryland ] lender was cniried only a short di.st.unce up the Valley, and is to be used io supply another and still laigcr invading force, of which the oiiginal laiders are but the variguaid. In a wold, that another invasion on a larger scale than ever, is meditated.

lo decide wl ich of these theories is tl.e correct one is impc ssible with the lights before us. Jill that can be said on the matti r is that the invasion now threatened is taking precisely the same course as all its predecessors. On the first day of such inovr im nts great alaim is always expressed ; on the second it is pionounei d a humbug, and confidence is partially rcstorid;on the tliiid day matters begin to look .•■crieus again ; 011 the fouith, all doubts are removed, and it is discovered that invasion in really intended.

i-'o far in this moment we have got to the .second day only. 'J lie despatches received ycsteiday forenoon set. fort h that there are but little, grounds to tear that the rebels aie going to cross the I'oti mac again. If the usual loutine is tollowid this time matters will wear a veiy d tfercnt atpcct before twinfy-fcur bonis elapse.

.lint suppose another invasion in prut force is meditated, what then r The Government lias, or ought to have, or it it has net, tan easily raise a sufficient force to repel it witli case. The ( lily th : i:g that the. country ha? ii right to expect is that it -will incut the invaders at or befoie the crossing of tho Potomac, or thM it they cross at the fords ol the Upper l\'t< niftc thi ir mi ther ] r< gvo.-s will ho hailed at the V.luo liidgc. IWcanwhilo Grant will have fewer rebels to fight ill the vicinity of the rebel capital.