The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-03-14
Message of President Jefferson Da
Wis, of the Confederate States.

L
Wis, of the Confederate States.
10 tie Senate and House Of Representatives
Of tie Confederate States:
In obedience to the constitutional pro-
vision requiring the President, from time
TO time, to give to the Congress informa-
tion of the state of the Confederacy, and
recommend 10 theiI Consideration such
measures as he shall Judge necessary and
expedient, have TO communicate, that
since my message at the last session oil
the Provisional Congress, events have
demonstrated that The Government had
attempted more than It had power suc-
cessiully TO achieve Hence, in the ef-
fort TO protect, by oar arms, the whole OF
the territory of the Confederate States,
seaboard and inland, we have been so
| exposed as recently to encounter serious
disasters. When the Confederacy was
formed the States composing it were by
the peculiar charactm of their pursuits,
and misplaced confidence in then for
nfer associates, to great extent. desti.
J lmt6 Of. the means for The prosecution Of
| the war on SO gcsa%iC scale as chat
which IL has attained. The workshops
and artisans were mainly to be found in
| the Northern States; and one Of the first
duties which deyolved upon this Govern
ment was to establish the necessary man
ufactories. and in the meantime TO OBJ
tain, by purchases from abroad, as far as
practicable, whatever was required for
the public defense. No effort has been
spared to effect both these ends; and,
| though the results have not equalled our
hopes, it is believed that an impartial
| Judgment will, upon full investigation,
award to the various departments of the
Government credit for having done all
which human power and foresight ena-
bled them to accomplish.
The valor and devotion Of the people
have not only sustained the effort of the
Government, but have gore far to supply
its deficiencies.
The active state of military prepara-
tion among the nations of Europe in
April last, the date when our agents first
went abroad, interposed unavoidable de-
lays in the procurement of arms, and the
want of navy has greatly lmpeded our
efforts to import military supplies of all
sorts.
have hoped for several days TO re-
ceive official reports in relation to our
discontinue ut Roanoke Island, and the
fall of Fort Donelson. They have not
yet reached me, and am. therefore, un-
able to communicate to you such infor-
nation of those events and the conse-
quences resulting from them, as would
enable me to make recommendations
founded upon the changed condition
which they have produced. Enough is
known of the surrender at Roanoke Is
land to make us feel that it was deeply
humiliating however imperfect may have
been the preparations for defense The
hope is still entertained that our report
ed losses at Fort Donelson have been
greatly exaggerated, inasmuch as | am
not only unwilling. but unable to be-
believe that large army of our people
have surrendered without desperate ef-
fort 20 cut their way through investing
forces, whatever may have been Their
numbers, and to endeavor to make a
junction with other divisions of the army.
But in the absence of that exact informa-
ton which can only he afforded by Off
cial reports, it would be premature to
pass Judgment, and my own is reserved,
as ! trust yours will be, until that infor-
nation is received In the meantime,
strenuous efforts have been made to
throw forward reinforcements to the ar
mics at the positions threatened, and |
cannot doubt that the bitter disappoint-
ments we have borne, by nerving the
people to still greater exertions, will
speedily secure results more accordant
with our just expectation, and as favora-
BILE to our cause as those which marked
the earlier periods of the war;
The reports of the Secretaries of War
and the Navy will exhibit the mass of
resources for the conduct of the war
which we have been enabled to accumu-
late, Notwithstanding the very serious
difficulties against which we have con-
tended.
They afford the cheering hope that our
resources, limited aa they were at the
beginning of the contest, will, during its
progress, become developed TO such an
extent as fully to meet our future wants
The. policy of enlistment for short
terms, against which have steadily con-
tended from the commencement of the
war, has. in my judgment, contributed
in no immaterial degree to the recent re-
verses which we have suffered, and even
now render it difficult to furnish you an
accurate statement of tho army. When
the war first broke out many of our pco-
pie could with difficulty be persuaded
that it would be long or serious. 1t was
not deemed possible that anything so
insane as persistent attempt to subju-
gate these States could be made; still
less that the dolusion would so far prevail
as TO give to tho war the vast proportions
which 1t has assumed The people, in
credulous ol long war, were naturally
avcIso TO long cnls,monts, and the carly
legislation Of Congress. rendered it i'm
practicable 10 obtain volunteers for a
greater period than twelve months. Now
that i has become probable that the war
will be continued through series Of
years, our high-spirted and gallant sol
diers, while generally re-enlisting, are,
from the fact of having entered the ser
vice for a short term, compelled in many
instances to 90 home TO make the neces-
sary arrangements fol their families du-
ring their prolonged absence,
The quota Of new regiments for the
war, called for from the different States,
are in rapid progress Of organization.-
The whole body of new levies and re-
enlisted men will probably be ready in
the ranks within the next thirty days.
But, in the meantime. it is exceedingly
difficult to give an accurate statement Of
the number Of our forces in the field
They may, in general terms, be stated at
four hundred regiments Of infantry, with
a proportionate force Of cayalry and ar.
tillery, the details Of which will be shown
by the report Of the Secretary of War;
deem it proper to advert TO the fact
that the process Of furloughs and re.en.
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