his
mind. The oft-tried theory of "drilling the heart of the Rebellion"--by
cutting through to the Atlantic seaboard--had never been lost sight of,
but in Grant's hands it was to be given practical power and direction.

To effect that object, it was essential to make North Georgia the
objective point; and North Georgia--now as ever--offered a stubborn and
well-nigh insurmountable barrier. But the northern War Department was
now fully impressed with the importance of crushing the spine of the
Confederacy; and the fact was as clearly realized in the North, as in
the South, that the vital cord of Confederate being ran from Atlanta to
Richmond! Therefore, every facility of men and material was furnished
the commander, who at that moment stood out--in reflected lights from
Vicksburg and Missionary Ridge--as the military oracle of the North;
and he was urged to press this design of the campaign to a vigorous and
speedy issue.

During the winter of 1863-64, General Grant incubated his grand scheme,
and with the month of February brought forth a quadruple brood of
ridiculous mice.

His plan--in itself a good and sound one--was to secure a permanent
base nearer than the Mississippi. To accomplish this he must first
secure Mobile, as a water base, and connect that with some defensible
point inland. At the same time that this attempt was made--and while
the troops guarding the passway into Georgia might be diverted--Thomas,
commanding the Chattanooga lines, was to advance against that point.

The plan was undoubtedly sound, but the general's want of balance
caused him to overweight it, until its own ponderousness was its
destruction. On the 1st of February, Sherman, with a splendidly-appointed
force of 35,000 infantry, and corresponding cavalry and artillery,
marched out of Vicksburg; to penetrate to Mobile, or some other point
more accessible, on the line of the proposed new base. Simultaneously a
heavy force approached the city from New Orleans; Smith and Grierson,
with a strong body of cavalry, penetrated Northern Mississippi; and
Thomas made his demonstration referred to.

Any candid critic will see that four converging columns, to be
effective, should never have operated so far away from their point of
convergence, and so far separated from each other. The enterprise was
gigantic; but its awkwardness equaled its strength, and its own weight
broke its back.

Sherman, harassed by cavalry and skirmishers--advanced in sol