Newbern weekly progress., 1862-09-27
The Trup Cause Of the Rebel Nsrihwest

lhc growing and provision raising coun-
try which stretches from, the Potomac at
IIarper's Ferry TO Memphis on the Tenncs-
see, is now exhausted of its provisions. The
armies Of the South have consumed every
thing in the central portion of it; and the
joint armies of the two beliserent Powers
have consumed the supplies Of the exremes.
Much of the productive portions of North
Carolina and the Gulf States have been al
so exhausted, and the general scarcity of
all sorts of supplies is altested by tic high
prices OF everything eatable. Wheat is worth
two dollars and half at Bristol, in the
heart of fine. wheat country, and cattle
are bringing seven cents gross in Southwes-
tern Virginia, the chief cattle raising region
for the whole South. Pork isnot to be en-
gagged now of the pork raisers of East Ten
nessee at twenty-five cents, though one
fourth that figure has always been thought
a good price after it had reached the mar
keis of consumption, Hay, which used to
be hard of sale at fifty cents hundred in
the interior, now cannot be obtained in SUI
fcient quantities to supply the demand at
two dollars. Every article of farm produce
has been raised to these fabulous prices,
and the ready payment of these tempting
rates has exhausted the farming region Of
the South Of their supplies. High PRICES
now no longer command, in REQUISITE guam
titles, til, farm staples ofthe country.
The fact has resulted from the circum-
stance that comparatively limited region
Of country has been compelled to support,
not only its own population, but also the
armies both Of friend and foe. Tho ex.
haustion which has resulted is almost COM
plete, is shown by the fact that while doz-
en- eggs may be procured for three cents in
Boston, they readily command dollar in
I ichmond. AS our armies have now ad-
vanced into Kentucky and Maryland, this
scarcity of food will be relieved to the ex-
tent Of the army supplies; but the exhaus-
ton is SO absolute that it must he some
time before prices can subside to their &C.
customed rates.
There are two sources only from which
government and people can obtain the pro.
visions necessary for their support. The
first source is the cotton country, in which
unusual areas, heretofore devoted TO cotton
are said to have been sown and planted il
grain. 1t may almost be assumed that, il
respect to grain, this source of supply will
be ample for the emergency. But the rear
ing of animals cannot be increased with th'
same rapidty as that of grain crops anc
the cotton country will remain still onge
a consumer OF meats rather than producer
The deficiency in cattle might possibly hav'
been made up from Texas, and probabl,
will I've 10 some extent but the co,pman,
Of large portion Of the channel of tn
Mississippi by the enemy will seriously di
mlnish the supply OF flesh received from tina
quarter. ..... :,
Thegreat and true source Of meat sup
ply is the State Of Kentucky. If our ar
mics could pus, directly forward over tha
State and occupy it to the banks OF til
Ohio, the political advantages secured t.
the South would be Of even small accoun
compared with those she would derive in
sumpluary point of view. There are nor
hogs and cattle in Kentucky available 70
general consumption, two or three 10 one
than are now lett in all the South besides
and steps ought to be taken. by Govern
s,ent TO drive back these animals, as well a
mules and horses, MS our armies march for
ward, and place them within our lines. l
is not only positively important to us tina
these animals should be promptly secures
as they fall within our grasp, but it is neg
atively so, also, in depriving the enemy 9
the convenient supplies of meat for their ar
mics which they have derived from Ken
) lucky.
In this point of view, the campaign i
Kentucky becomes doubly important, an
assumes an interest as great as that in Ma
ryland. We must not disguise from our
, selves, however, the danger which exists q
those armies not being able to make thos
rapid advances into the State which are cx
pected.
1t will require several weeks for Brag
and Hardce, Buckner and Cheatham t
move the heavy columns to the banks of tn
Ohio, and the enemy may have time, froI
the prolific Northwest, to throw considera
ble armies in their path. The campaig
in Kentucky is not only for securing anoih
er State 10 the confederacy,' but for meu
and bread, and must parlake of those de
lays incident to vast and important under