Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-08-28

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Southern army not 10, and men over 40
years of age in their army, and he did not
question their ability to maintain a million
and half OF men in the field. Mothers put
rifles into the hands of their ohildrea, and
tell them never 10 come back until victory is
won. But suppose they have only one mil
lion of men, they are lighting on their own
ground, and moving on interior lines, while
we are practically fighting in foreign land,
and moving on large exterior lines,-we have
to transport our troops and subsistence thou
sands OF miles, and intrench and defend our
positions. Ii is necessary therefore, owing to
the relative advantages Of the rebels in point
of situation, that we should have five men in
the field to their one. He did not say one
Southerner was equal to five Northern men,
although he regarded that the Southerner
was naturally more apt in war, inasmuch as
he is more bloodthrsty, but for real, deliber-
ate, steel practice in war, said Gen. Wilcox,
give me the strong, determined New Eng
lander.
If the South raise one million Of men we
must raise five millions. They now have one
million nearly ready for the field. They have
more men under arms to-day than we have,
and well armed too. Every man, woman
and child in the South is engaged in the war,
and 1t must be so here. Every man and boy
is organized, and belongs to some regiment,
and is drilled every day, in the reserves. He
has kissed his wife, embraced his mother,
said the parting word, and is ready to go on
the instant, and it must be so IN the North.
Gen Wilcox said he never was so conf
dent as now of our ability to put down the
rebellion, but he also was never so impressed
with the necessity of making every an
soldier in this conflict. He was not crazy
nor mad, but was speaking the words OF truth
and sobeness. He Lad passed through an
ordeal, which, he trusted, had delivered him
from all passion and prejudice.
! Let us set about the work manfully. If
you want to build a railroad through these
valleys, you raise millions of dollars, employ
thousands of men, and are we'll aware it is
the work of years to bring it to completion,
but when you talk about war you seem to
think all you have to do is to get up meetings,
and have little buster abobt E PltTibus
| Unum, and that the American Eagle will
then 60 screaming down through the South
and scare all the rebels into the Cult of
Mexico. This is all mistake. Though the
rebellion in the outset was fraud upon the
Southern people, the leaders have managed
so as at last to unite them all against US, and
they are In earnest. Hitherto we have been
throwing grass and apples at the rebels now
we are going to throw stones. He had said
in Washington City that this had been a
| brainless war the remark had excited some
surprise, but he now repeated it. But now
he rejoiced that all this was changed. Hal
leck was man of brains, and under his guild
ance everything was moving grandly.
Though the country do not see all the ma
chinery, it is nevertheless moving, and grind
ing the rebellion to powder.
Do not think that because you do not hear
the army is moving, that no movements are
being made. The grist is not lost, because
you do not see it after it leaves the hopper
until it comes out at the bag.
Gen. Wilcox alluded in glowing language
to his fellow prisoner, Gen. Corcoran. He
had all the energy of the lrishman and all
the stubbornness of Ron an, and he met
all the taunts and insults of his captors
with bold and undaunted spirit. He made
an eloquent appeal to the Irish citizens to
follow in the footsteps of Corcoran, and do
their duty. Corcoran calls upon all the
sons of Erin to spring to arms. and follow
him to victory or to death s ....
In conclusion, Gen. Wilcox appealed to
the ladies. He besought them to put their
beautiful and delicate shoulders to the char
riot wheel. If any man holds back let him
meet your scorn, and no scorn is equal to
that of a virtuous and noble woman. Ask
every man you meet what regiment he
belongs to? If he be your brother, dry your
tears, and bid him go. If your husband,
steel your heart, and bid him God speed.
As Gen. Wilcox retired from the
stand he was greeted with long continued
applause With some friends he pro-
ceeded to the Bardwell House, and took
dinner, and departed at half past twelve
on the New York train, again being greet
ed with thunders of applause as the cars
moved away.