The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-03
SOUTHERN NEWS.
The Aggressive Policy"
REBEL INVASION Of MARYLAND
The True Cause Of the Rebel North
ward Move.

lFrou Tie ri hmoui Fxamu,r, y ~ I2l
The grain growing and provision
raising country which stretches frUm the
Potomac az HsrPer's Ferry 70 Memphis
on the Tennessee is now exhausted of its
provisions. The armies OF the South
have consumed everything in The central
portion Of it, and the joint ARMIES Of the
two belligcrent powers have consumed
the supplies Of the extremes Much of
the productive portions of North Carolina
aud the Gulf States have been also ex-
hausied, and the general scarcity Of all
sorts Of supplies is aitested by the high
prices Of everything eatable. Wheat is
worth two dollars aud half at Bristol,
in the heart OF iinc wheat country, and
cattle are bringing seven cents gross IN
Southwestern Virginia, the chief cattle
raising region for the whole South.
Pork is not TO be engaged now Of the
pork raisers OF East Tennessee at twenty
five cents, though one fourth OF that fig
ure has always been thought good price
after il had reached the markets Of con-
sumption. Hay, which used TO be diff
cult of sale at fifty cents hundred in
-the interior, now cannot be obtained in
sufficient quantities to supply the demand
at two dollars. Eteyy article Of fum pro-
duce has game up IN these fabulous prices, and
the ready payment Of these tempting rates has
exhausted tse farming regions Of tie Soah Of
their supplies. High prices now no longer
command, in requisite quantities, the
farm staples Of the country.
The fact has resulted from the circum-
81. I.t 4
gion of country has been compelled TO
support, not only its own population, but
also the armies both of friend and foe.
The exhaustion which has resulted is al
most complete, as is shown by the fact
that while a dozen eggs may be procured
for three cents in Boston, they readily
command dollar in Richmond. As our
armies have now advanced into Kentucky
and Maryland, this scarcity of food will
DO relieved TO The extent of the army
supplies; but the exhaustion is so abso.
Lutte that il must be some time before
prices can subside TO their accustomed
rates.
There are tuo sources only from ,cdich
Government amt people can chain the pro-
vis ans necessayyJor n.hesaPport. The first
cource is in the cotton country, in which
unusual areas, heretofore devoted to cot
ton, are said TO have been s1wn and
planted in grain. 1t may almost be as
sumed that, in respect to grain. this
source of supply will be ample for the
emergency. But the rearing of animals
cannot be increased with the same rapid
| ty as that of grain crops; and the cotton
country will remain still longer as a
consumer Of meats rather than producer.
The deficiency in cattle might possibly
have been made up from Texas, and pro-
baby will be TO some extentJ but the
command of large portion of the chan
mel of the Mississippi by the enemy will
seriOuly diminish the supply of flesh de-
rived from that quarter.
The great and true source of the meat sup
ply IS tie Satesof Kentucky. If Our a'7nies
could push directly forward into that State,
and occupy IL 10 the banks Of tie Ohio, the
political advantage secured 10 tie South ,oould
be Of no small 0ccOl0a compared lCiH those she
UouH de- iUe GA SuHlptudvy pointof Uielg
| There are more hogs and cattle in Ken
lucky available for general consumption,
| two or three TO one, than are now left in
all the South besides, and steps ought to
be taken by Government TO drive these
animals, as well as mules and horses,
! the armies march forward, and place
them within our lines. IL is not only
positively important TO us. that the ami
mails should be promptly secured as they
fall within our grasp, but tits negatively
SO, also, in dcpriving the enemy of the
convenient supplies Of meat for their
army which they derived from Kentucky.
In this point of view, the campaign in
Kentucky becomes dOubly important,
and assumes an interest as great as that
in Maryland. We must not disguise
from ourselves, however. the danger
which exists Of these armies not being
able TO make those rapid advances in the
State which are expected.
twill require several weeks for Bragg
and Hardee, Bnckner and Cheaiham tC
move the heavy columns to the banks OF
the Ohio, and the enemy may have time
from the prolific Northwest, TO thro y
considerable armies in their path. N,
campaign IN Kentucky is not oi,ly T0y procln'-
ing another State 10 the Copfeieracy Jd ta
meat and bread, and must pa5take Of those de.
lays incident TO vastly important undertakings