New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-08
A Glimpse behind the Rebel Lincs-The
Strength OF the EebeI Army Exaggerated
His Truc Condition,


Hts True Condition.
Correspondence Of TIE " Y. Tribune
WAsHlNGTOS Sept s. 1862.
little drawing aside OF the curtain which has
hidden the batte-helds from our sight has given us
glimpse behind the Rebel lines. Words dropped
and stories told by men, who have been released
from captivity, and the sad sight of hunger-woin,
tired, battle-wOrn soldiers, and the corroborating
admissions Of Rebel prisoners, give us sharper,
eomberer picture Of the Rebel condition than we
have been willing 10 make for ourselves The panic
stricken wretches, who come first from battle and
last on march, have been all along spreading stories
that our enemy was fresh when we were weary
well-fed when when we went hungry, that he bad
all talent for victory all chances for success, and
that from the Rspdan to the banks Of the Potomac,
he had crushed and overwhelmed US by his fearful
supremacy of numbers.
Are miracles performed by God for the benefit Of
the enemy Has He placed the springs Of eternal
youth by their paths, 70 that they can drink and be
new men1 Is it given to them and their beats TO
live without food or sleep And if not, why should
Northern papers say, and Northern people believe,
that jackson and Lee are heading an army great in
numbers as a swarm of locusts, thoroughly supplied
with provisions, and better or AS well armed our
own? Why7 Because the blind guides forbid the
papers 10 tell the truth and these pretty theories Of
Rebel superiority have grown like mushrooms, from
the heated bed Of a smothered public intelligence.
The enemy has had no more men, not - much
ordnance, nor provisions, nsr transportation hcii
ties, nor nearly 80 much encumberng baggage, but
be has outgeneraed us from Slaughter Mountain to
Edwards Ferry, and God knows but he Will do 80
hereafter. Make your display of capital headings to
your war news, harp upon our driving the enemy a
mile this morning, and four rode the day after to-
morrow but take your map aud see how that enemy
has crow ded us miles upon miles, and leagues upon
leagues, from Culpepper to the very gates of the
Capitol thanking Us at Will ON the right the eft
See how we have gone lg-zag day after day, repe-
ling feints that some of Generals believed real
attacks, sacrificing brave men by hundreds to no
purroee. burning stores that should have been saved
losing men that should never have been taken pris-
oners, abandoning territory that should have been
held See how, pursuing the even course OF fixed
and definite purpose, the enemy has baied our coui-
sells wrested victory after victory from US and5 now
threatening Baltimore or Washington. This is the
plain unvarnished truth; we have been whipped by
I'll inferior force of inferior men, better handled than
our own.
A few facts from the personal experience Of our
officers recently captured and just released on and
without parole, show that the condition Of the Rebel
Army is actually not as good The Rev.
Daniel g. Msllery, Chaplain Jlst Pa Vols. Reno =
Division who was captured on Saturday last and
has just reached town, gives NE the following par
ticulsrs:
At the time when the fight was hottett, Mr.. Nal
lery moved of 10 the left OF his regiment to search
for the ambulance corps, End strayed away 80 far
that the brigade had moved off before he could re-
ion il. Wandering about, he soon fell in with our
skirmishers, was arrested by them, and sent toward
the rear for identification, but the way was cap
tnred by Rebel skirrDi.hers That night and the
next morning he passed on the battlefield among
the heaps Of dead and wounded Of both parties which
lay by hundreds there With him were some 30
officers and over 1000 privates, representing
so regiments-which would seem TO indicate plainly
enough that they were strsgglers.
These men had nothing given them to eat until
Sunday afternoon when each had little bit Of meat
which might weigh perhaps Elk ounces, but no
crackers or any other kind Of food. The Rebel
guards Jared no better, however, and indeed, they
told Mr.. Mallery that sometimes they had gone two
and three days together without bite Of food,
cep. such berries or what not as they could find on
tie line Of march. Their pursuit Of our columns had
been 80 rapid that they had iairly ran away from
their supply trains. What they captured from us in
their raids 10 the they could not carry away, ex
cept what each man could stuff in his hayersack, 80
j, had to be burnt. Over and over again the escort
Of Mr.. Mallery's party would beg them not to walk
30 fast, for they were weak and weary they could
not keep up. This 10 men who had been retreating
ninety miles, with their supply trains far in advance
70 keep them out Of harms way
Monday morning our men got another little piece
oil meat, but no more food that day, none Tuesday,
and none Wednesday,, until, after their release and
long cIcuitoas homewsrd march, the fainting, fam
isbed men came within our lines and were saved
from starvation.
At the first place of rendezvous, Mr.. Maery en-
eountered Dr. Calvin Cutler, Reno's Acting Division
surgeon. Although noninally prisoner, he seemed
70 have made captive all the Rebel officers and men
stout him, tor with that positive uncouPromisJ