The Portland daily press., 1862-12-09
Tuesday Morning, Dec. 0, 1862.
Report of the Secretary Of War.

Report of the Secretary of War.
The annual report of Mr.. Secretary Stanton
to the President, i, very long, full and elabor-
ate. The first part has been given in our tele-
graphic columns. OF the remaining portion
we can give only those parts of the most en-
crossing public interest.
A GENERAL SURVEY.
From survey of the whole field OF operations
1t is apparent that whatever disasters our arms
may have suffered at particular points great
advance has nevertheless been made since the
commencement of the war. When it began
the enemy were in possession of Norfolk and
every part of the southern coast. They held
the Mississippi, from Cairo TO New Orleans.
Now the bockaded ports of Charleston and
Mobile only remain to them on the seaboard:
and New Orleans and Memphis have been
wrested from them. Their possession of Vicks-
burg obstructs the Mississippi, but it is to them
of no commercial use. Their strongholds on
the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers have
been captured. Gen. Andrew johnson, as mil
itary governor of Tennessee, holds Nashville.
The enemy have been driven from Kentucky
West Tennessee, Missouri, part of Arkansas
are fleeing before Grant in Mississippi, aud all
their hopes of Maryland are cut off. In COM
mercial, political, and strategicy points of view
more success has attended the Union cause
than was ever witnessed upon so large thea
ter, in the same brief PERIOD against SO formi-
dable an enemy
The Union foseaS are now In the field under
able commanders, stronger than ever, resol1te
and eager to be led against the enemy, and to
crush the rebellion by vigorous winter cam
paign. The armies of the Potomac and of the
West stand ready to vie with each other in
quickest and heaviest blows against the enemy
Taught BY experience the ruin of inaction and
the hazard of delay, a spirit of earnest activity
seems to peryade the forces of the United
States beyond what has hitherto been exhibit
ed In the numerous battles and engagements
that have occurred, our armies in general dis
play the courage and determination that should
inspire officers and soldiers fighting in defense
of their government. Many gallant lives have
been lost, and many brave and distinguished
officers have fallen. For the dead, deep sorrow
is felt by the government and people Of the
United States.
ENLIsTMENTs AND DRAFTING.
The acknowledgements office is charged, a.
mong other important duties, with the busi-
ness relating TO enlstments, recruiting and
drafting militia. Under your calls of July and
August there are already in the field over four
hundred and twenty thousand new troops,
OF which three hundred and ninety-nine thou
sand are volunteers, three hundred and thirty
two thousand OF whom have volunteered for
three years or during the war. 1t will be re-
membered that the call was made at one of
those periods of despondency which occur in
every national struggle. A chief hope of those
who set the rebellion on foot was for aid and
comfort from disloyal sympathizers in the nor
thern states, whose efforts were relied upon
TO divide and distract the people of the north,
and prevent them from putting forth their
whole strength to preserve the national exis-
tence. The call for volunteers and draft of
the militia afforded an occasion for disoyal
persons to accomplish their evil purposes bv
discouraging enlistments.a encouraging op-
position 10 the war and the draft of the SOL
diers to carry II on.
.pprrpApv ,pprsro
AhAiety was ieit IN some states al the pro-
Daoie success Oh these disioyai pracuces, and
tne government was urged 10 ADOPT measures
VI proiectloii py temporary restraint OF those
engaged IN these hostile acts. 10 that END pro-
Vost marshais were appointed Tor some OF the
states, upon the nomination OF their governors,
10 act unuer the urectloh OF the state execu-
i've, anu the writ Oh haoeas corpus was sus-
penueo oy your otuer. by oroer OF the Depart
tieu., arrests "ele loIoiuueil uhiess auihorized
Dy the hes.aeeeAecu.'eor vi oy tne eJudse-auFocate.
oolne instances oi uhautlorizeu arrests nave
occurred, ana when brought 70 the notice of
ately DISCHARGED Rv a recent order aI nor
sons arrested for discouraging enlistments. or
for disloyal practices in states where tbe nuo
tas of volunteers and militia are filled nm have
been released. Other nersons arrested nv mil
itary commanders and sent from denartnents
where their presence was deemed dangaro,,s
to the public safety. have been DISCHARGED nm