davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
The Prospect AT Vicksburs.
SEVERAL WAYS TO DO II.
W, s. RosEcRANs,
Major General.

The object of Gen Grant is. TO circumvent
the rebels at Yicksburg, and compel the sur
render of the position without the hazard of
direct attack on the works. IF the cutoff in
front Of Vicksburg succeeds, the feet can pass
below the city and cut off the rebel supplies
which come chiefly from the West, and Gen
Grant can take his army to that side and al
tempt to get in the rear of the city and get
control of its eastern connections. With the
feet in front, and the army in its rear, the
place would be literally under seige He is
also trying another mode of getting in the
the rear of the place by cutting the leyees. OPP
poslte Lake Providence, hundred miles
above, hoping in that way TO raise the waters
of the IaZoo river so that the gunboatS and
transports can pass to the rear of Virksburg.
The levees on the Louisiana side have also
been cut, with fair prospect. ii is believed,
of creating connection by two bayous with
the Red river near its mouth, some 30 miles
above Port Hudson. If this succeeds, Gen.
Grant can move his fleet and part of his az
my down to assist Gen. Banks in the capture
of Port Hudson, preparatory to grand at
tack on Vicksburg by the combined armies.
If neither of these plans succeed, by the
time they have been tried the big cutoff OPP
rosite Vicksburg will have been completed,
and even if 1t does not work, Gen. Grant can
take his army and land them at Warrenton,
ten miles below Vicksburg, and march on the
place from that direction. Heavy guns are
being shipped down to Gen. Grant, with
which he is to line the shores in such numbers
that by dint of more rapid fire and a more
liberal expenditure of ordnance and the aid OF
the gunboats, the batteries there can be seized
with comparatively tritiing loss. At present
the bulk of the hostile guns are at the upper
part of the chain, at and above the city. Ii
Is unlikely that the rebels will be permitted to
fortify at their leisure below. II, therefore, an
army can be ferred over on gunboats or RATS
Judgment might safely be made at one end
and once begun, our superiority of means and
appliances would insure the rest.
Meanwhile the ram Queen of the West may
repeat her raids on the river below Vlcksburg
and explore the Red river, and so destroy the
enemies boats and cut off their supplies.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
RUTLAND WEEKLY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 49, 1868.

change, the Milwaukee Owls. Sentinel, which
does not believe in joining the South, though
the Mississippi is at present closed. The ex-
penses, it says, of the rebels, as shown by q
fatterng, official estimate will have been nine
elevenths of those incurred by us. While the
proportion as to population, including slaves,
is as ten to twenty-one, the proportion as to
expenses is as nine to eleven. But even this
does not begin to express the disparity between
theability of the respective belligerents to con-
tinue the war.
While the business of the South is nearly
paralyzed by our blockade, the business of the
loyal States was never so active. In fact the
very preparedness of our condition, as COM
pared with that of our enemies, has been
great hindrance to that entire devotion to the
great struggle, which has neryed the South to
such point of desperation. The Mississippi
has been closed, but twenty years Of wonderful
extension of artificial communications have
created new avenues of ten-fold more real i'm
portance to us than was ever the Father of
Waters.
While fighting the rebels, we have not lost
in the ability to pay the bills. With them, the
reverse is the CASE Every day, the stoppage
of their productive industry tells more and more
on their ability to prolong the contest.
The rebel Secretary has various suggestions,
says the Commercial Advertiser, to make to
better the state Of his finances, such as the re-
tirement from circulation of all the notes is
sued before the 1st of December last, and the
limitation of those as currency to Ssl50,OOU,-
600; but he will find that necessity knows no
law. Every plunge will sink him deeper into
the mire, If the question of success depends
upon the purse strings, it is not difficult to see
that those of the Instruction are already
stretched to the swapping point.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
The Last Mediation Scheme.

The diplomatic correspondence sent to the
Senate on Thursday will finally and effectually
set at rest any question as to disposition on
the part of our government to avail itself of
any opportunity to invite, favor, or even sub
NIT to, any mediation or any measures or
discussion OF measures looking to settlement
with rebeldom except upon the basis of its UNI
conditional submission. 1t at the same time
shows the truthfulness of the report that the
French government had suggested a confer
ference, to take place on neutral grounds, be-
tween commissioners to be appointed from the
North and South. In dispatch of January
9Th, couched in terms of great courtesy and
regard for the. honor and independence of the
United States, the French minister of foreign
affairs, makes this suggestion;
"If the cabinet of Washington believes that
it ought to repel any foreign intervention,
could 1t not honorably accept the idea of direct
Informal conferences with the authority which
may represent the States of the South? y
The opening of informal conferences between
the beligerent parties does not aecessarily i'm
ply the Immediate cessation of hostilities.
Representatives or Commissioners of the
tWO parties could assemble at such point as 1t
should be deemed proper to designate, and
which could, for this purpose. be declared 3eu-
trial."
Mr.. Seward in his reply, dated February
9th, document Of much power and decision,
after a rapid survey of the military situation
in this country, tells the French Minister that
the suggestion is not an extraordinary one, and
it may well have been thought by the Emper-
or feasible one. But, he says, it amounts to
nothing less than proposition that while this
government is engaged in suppressing an armed
insuneceion, with the purpose of maintaining
the constitutional national authority and pre-
serving the integrity of the country, it shall
enter into diplomatic discussion with the insur
gents upon the questions whether that authori-
ty shall not be renounced, and whether the
country shall not be delivered over to disunion,
to be quickly followed by anarchy. After
thus putting aside the Imperial offer, Mr. Sew
ard suggests that the true and constitutional
forum for debate between the alienated parties
is the Congress of the United States, where
there are vacant seats inviting the Senators
and Representatives of the disconnected party
whe may be constitutionally sent there from
the States involved in Instruction.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

Should no other cause intervene,
military success at the North, or dsahection at
the South to put termination to this war;
its end must be determined by the exhaustion
of the rebel finances.
Among the many numerous marvellous ways
which the Northern opponents OF the war
adopt to aid in the restoration of the Unlon,ls
that of attacking the credit of the Government,
raradng and magnifying depreciation of pa
per money, making exaggerated statements
of the Indebtedness of the Government, and
wild estimates of the expenses of the war
They remain silent, of course, concerning the
finances of the sConfederates."
For the above reasons, we propose briefly 10
refer to some of the facts derived from the late
report Of the rebel Secretary of the Treasu-
ry. 1t undoubtedly gives the most tiatterng
view of the subject the case would admit Of
In the first place, it appears that the rebel war
debt in December was 1856, los 900, and the
estimates up to the lst of July, amount to
1857 ,9229. 900. or more than taoo millions Of
dollars a.lnu for each secular day. If these
estimates are not exceeded the rebel debt ON
the LIST Of July, will amount to 1887 ,53o.155.
The significant fact further appears that for
every dollar spent by them in the war, they
cents BY taxation. We know that gold, in
Richmond has run up as high as one hundred
and fifty per cent premiua, yet OF the est:ma-
ted expenses to July |, 1868, viz; 1857 $685.,
229, il is proposed to raise over $500, 900, 900
by issues of Treasury Notes. The currency
In circulation at the South, is more than three
times whatit was before the war commenced,
and is adn,ttei by the rebel secretary TO be
more than twice what it should be, to meet the
exigencies of the war even. And he is great
" troub).d as to " what to do with it," The
main staple Of the South, cotton, the govern
ment actually possesses only to the amount OF
81 600, 900, which cannot be disposed OF, ex-
cept under the risks incident to the blockade
The great efficiency of the blockade itself is
sufficiently disclosed by the report. II APP
pears that two thirds of million of dollars
comprise all the customs receipts in southern
ports from the middle of February to the close
Of December.
Our debt, up to the lst of July, 1868, can
not be estimated at more than 81 ,2OO, OOO, 900,
notwithstanding the utter want preparation,
both by land and ssa, in which the rebellion
found US in the outset, and the other disadvan-
tages under which the war of defense was
commenced on our part. The disparity be-
tween this and the rebel debt, when compared
with the respective situations, population, bus
ines. and resources Of the North and South,
is seen 1t glsnce Upon this point, we ex-
tract the sallONng from = loyal western *
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

ENCOURAGING REPORTS FROM THE ARMY.
Intelligent observers returned from visits to
the Army of the Potomac, not of curiosity, but
of patriotic solicitude, are confident Of its flu
ture under the vigorous command of General
Hooker They report noteworthy symptoms
of the moral reorganization manlfestly in pro-
gress with the material reorganization of the
forces. Conversion has somehow been exper-
fenced by most of those officers who were vo-
cal with disaffection over McClellan's remov-
al. A consciousness that a strong governing
mind is over all, pervades every department of
the army. There is not regiment which does
not feel the influence Of the idea that the COM
mander is invested with the power, and over
flowing with the will, TO dismiss the faint
hearted and the incompetent and promote the
fighting men into their places.
The confidence of the troops grows daily,
that whenever Hooker fights he will smash at
one blow the rebellion in Virginia and this
confidence is well-founded. He will give the
Rebels such fight as has never been seen on
this continent.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
A seces,. Convention Broken d

Cincinnati, Feb \
A dispath to the Commercial from Frsl
says:
5The rebels assembled here, to-day. Tor q.
tensible porrose OF making nomination
August election.
The House Of Representatives having
ed the use of their hall 10y VERY de,il-
they rented the theatre. Delegate
counties were present.
David Merryweather was elected tha
On taking the Char, he said BIZ hoped {.
vention would do nothing that good. lglaI
zens should not do.
In the meantime. "A regiment Of s0lilrnI
fixed bay0nets, formed IA front of the tl..
When the call of counties was made.
Gilbert read the following order:
Reliable information haviag bern s-s
at these headquarters that a number u I-
spies and .emissaries are IN this CITY. % * 9
ed thai all per ons now here, not resided
members or officers Of the State GOyaI-
proceed forthwith 10 leave their names Al
headquarters, accompanied with Sat.ss
references as 10 their loyalty.
Col. Gilbert took lac stand. He sad /
eiiisatr the proceedings and save tin olI
ton trouble, he wished his adiatant wol-
the names of the delegates. He said
There are those here whom We ka
be rebels of the first kind, under the o.
democrats. You have assembled here
the hope Of perfecting designs, bat it II
do. Repudiated by the legislature, VII
refused the use Of the hall, the demo
newspapers scorn and disoWn you. Tn
40 use OF yonr holding a convention IN
lucky. There will be none but men os
vided loyalty 10 the government Lii.
run for any Office. Such a mee,,no =
you shall not hold within The limit
command, and TO avoid difficulty vo,, wi
perse to your homes, and ia future dss;s,
al such 4. tempts to precipitate civil W.
on your State"
After Col. Gilbert had spoken an a.,
was made to offer resolutions which az, az
peclfully declined by Col. Giiberf =
The body then adjourned
There is some excitement in The c;t,, !,
noise. .
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
From she Rappahannock=-I n.
throw up two lines of breastV
opposite Falmouth

washington, / et
From statements Of gentlemen who d
turned from the Rappahannock, il app.
the rebels are working with great enc.
industry They have thrown up tv.
breastworks opposite Falmouth, Oh
ground near the river, and are G..
them along the river bank in front Of
icksburg.
Jackson's force Is said to lie back
first range Of hills, two miles south d
ericksburg.
The smoke Of large camp there ~.
ly seen yesterday, and the woods are {
appearing in that vicinity, showing d.
ence Of large force.
The rebel Headquarters are pla- 75
from Our side, through a powerful a.
Lee is supposed 70 be there.
The position is two miles southNest .
ericksburg.
There is trouble among the sutlsE
Patrick, the Provost Marshal Genera
gagged in vigorously carrying out the 1
der A large cargo Of unauthorizs5
stores was recently seized and confscsa
Col. Ambrose Thomas yesterday d.
new abuses IN the Quartermaster's Dep
at Aqua Greek, and promptly applied
edy. A thousand dollars worth Of COZ,
goods was among the forfeitures.
The Court Martial trials for dessra
kept very quiet. There Is a determine
make examples Of some, if not al no:
victed.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
Stirring Letter from Gen. Rosecrans.
The following letter from Gen Rosecrans
was laid before the Ohio Legislature on Feb.

Stirring Letter from Gen. Resecrans.
The following letter from Gen. Rosecrans
was laid before the Ohio Legislature on Feb.
10th:
H'dq'rs Dept of the Cumberland,
Murfreesboro, Tenn, !
To the Honorable the General assembly of the
State of Ohio:
The resolution of thanks passed by your
honorable body to the Army of the Cumber-
land, its Commanding General and his staff,
has been duly received and published to the
troops of this command. On behalf of all, I
return you heartfelt thanks.
This is indeed war for the Constitution
and the laws-nay, for national existence
against those who have despised our honest
friendship, deceived our just hopes, and driven
us to defend our country and our homes By
foul and wilful SANDERS on our motives and
Intentions, persistently repeated, they have
arrayed against us our own citizens,
bound to us by the triple ties of consanguin-
ity, geographical position, and commercial in
terests.
Let no man among us be base enough to for
get this, or fool enough to trust an ohgarchy
of traitors to their friends, to civil liberty and
human freedom. Voluntary exiles from home
and friends, for the defence and safety of all,
we long for the time when gentle peace shall
again spread her wings over our land but
know no such blessing is possible while the
unjust arbitrary power of the rebel leaders
confronts and threatens us.
Crafty as the fox, cruel as the tiger, they
cried, "No coercion" whlle preparing to strike
R.rlIxv t1,axr oo1 G1.l.x
cause they said they could whip five to one !;
aud now, when driven back they whine out
"No invasion :" and promise us of the
West permission to navigate the Mississippi
if we will be ''good boys" and do as they Did
u.s.
Wherever they have the power, they drive
before them into their ranks the Southern
people, and they would also drive US. Trust
them not were they able, they would in
wade and destroy us without mercy. Abso-
lutely assured of these things, / am amazed
that any one could think of ''peace on any
terms"
He who entertains the sentiment is fit only
to be slave he who utters it at this time is,
moreover, a traitor to his country, who de-
serves the scorn and contempt Of all honorable
men, When the power of the INSCRIPTIONS
rebel leaders is removed, and the people
are free to consider and act for their own in
terests, which are common with ours under
this government, there will be no great diff
fculty in determination. Between our tastes
and social life there are fewer differences than
between those of the people of the Northern
and Southern provinces of England or Ire
land.
Hoping the time may speedily come when
the power of the psrfdious and cruel tyrant of
this rebellion having been overthrow peace
may be laid on the broad foundations of Ma
tional Unity and Equal Justice to al, under
the Constitution and the Laws,
remain your fellow citizen,
W, s. RosEcRANs,
Major General
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
Peace Resolutions.


The House of Representatives at Springfield,
ILL.,, says the telegraph, has passed peace
resolutions The Illinois Senate had already
done so. Whether it is the same set of reso-
buttons which has passed both bodies is not
stated. We presume they are the same.
Those passed by the Senate We're essential
iy of reasonable and revolutionary charac-
ter. But their only effect, we believe, will be
to open the eyes of the people the more widely
TO the designs of the Northern cowardly dis
organizers and traitors, and give fresh impe-
tus to the reaction against them which has al
ready set IN. They propose to act indepen-
IDENTIFY of the federal government, and of other
convention WITT the reDeTs, il the latter will
consent, and beg for peace on any terms -
looking necessarily to break up of the Union
with all its terrible consequences John Van
Buren,, even, has discovered, probably by per-
sonal experience, that ii is useless to talk of
compromise with the rebel leaders upon any
basis except that of recognition Of their Inde-
sentence, and he g wheels about and turns
about" and goes for a prosecution OF the
war.
The proceedings Of these recreant and
treacherous disorganizers would, if carried out,
Of course be utterly destitute Of any authori-
ty, effect or influence upon the general gov
eminent, or upon other states, in the direction
The people of theNorth orWest are
not yet prepared to accept the leadership of
/" Egypt" They are not blind to be led by
the blind But if these schemes in Illinois, and
the similar ones proposed in Indiana, could have
any other effect than the one we have indicat-
ed, it would be the terrible one Of plunging
those States into civil war within their own
borders. Their Northern and Southern por-
tons are settled by essentially different classes
Of people. The Northern portions will never
consent to become appendages to the Southern
Confederacy. Thew will resist to the death
any such scheme. Only the thick darkness
Of Egyptian ignorance could render these
rebel sympathizers blind to the consequences
of full development Of their madness, the
arrsying against each other IF the North
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

IMPORTANT ARMY MovEMENT.-A letter
firm Acquia Creek, Thursday, 9th, mentions
the arrival there Of the 9th army corps from
Falmouth, embracing the 9th, 18th, 18th and
18th Connecticut the 2lst, 18th, 35th and
Seth Massachusetts, the 7th, 9th, 10th, 18th
and 18th New Hampshire, and the 4th, 7th,
and one or two other RHODE Island regiments
ali to embark on transports for Fortress
Monre and destination unknown. A dis
patch Of subsequent date says they moved on
Friday. Gen. Smith commanding that their
destination is probably North Carolina, and
that it was rsporte that Burnside would take
command.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

HooKER'S SrYLE.-An officer of the Poto-
mac army assures the Troy Times that no COM
mander was ever more popular with his troops,
than Joe Hooker has already become. They
have had confidence in him since Antietam
where they believe he would have annihilated
Lees force but for tis painful wound The
officer says, "if Hooker gets into fight,
he will Use mp one army or the other" The
Generals character is we'll exhibited in his re-
mark at Antietam, that he . would rather he
killed in the aft rnoon than wounded in the
morning.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19
The official report of the loss of the Ha

The official report of the loss Of the Hat
teras is published Not man was drowned /;
the casualties comprising two killed and FIVE
wounded.
The Hatteras fought the pirate until she
was set on fire IN two places and was sinking
when Lieut. Blake accepted the offer of as
sistance from the latter aud every man was
safely transferred to the Alabama. The Hat
teras then went down with her pennant flying,
and so quickly that the enemy did not obtain
single weapon from her. The Alabama then
sailed for Kingston, Jamaica, with her prison
ers, at which place Lieut.. Blake's report is
dated
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION IN ENGLAND.
BY the last arrival from England, we learn
that an emancipation demonstration took place
recently at Exeter Hall, London, which was a
most enthusiastic affair, and in numbers one
of the most important since the days of the
corn law league. The hall was crammed, and
two other meetings were organized out of the
overplus. The resolutions adopted riterate
the sent ments of the emancipation society, and
express great sympathy for the North
Hostile amendments were promptly voted
down, and the resolutions We're carried almost
unanimously. The London Times was de-
nounced amidst groans and Kisses Similar
meetings have been held in Bradford aud other
towns. The operatives of Bradford adopted
a memorial thanking Americans for the relief
afforded, and suggesting assistance to emgrate
there as the more effectual means Of aHording
relief
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

81 D. A Mohoney, of the Dubuque
Herald, and graduate Of Fort Lafayette, who
wrote to the New York World, denouncing
John Van Buren's recent speech, because he
favored a prosecution Of the war against the
rebellion, and whose letter was virtually en-
endorsed by the World, Purposes TO hold a
convention Of State Prisoners IN New York,
on the 4th of March, 10 obtain PREPARATION for
past injuries and security for the future. We
hope he wont forget TO send invitations to the
graduates Of Auburn and Sing Sing prisons.
Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-02-19

ARKANSAS. - The ST. Louis Republican
learns that the forces of Hindman have dis
appeared entirely from the front of Gen. Scho-
fields army, and that new plans are being
formed in the National camp for future ope-
r. I~I:.n
rebel force, including the command of Par
sons, has gone toTexas. There are probably but
few confederate troops at this time in the State
of Arkansas. About 5000, under Gen.
Walker, are said to be at Pine Bluff, on the
Arkansas river, but it is not thought that any
formidable Qualifications exist between Arkan-
Post and Little Rock MarmaduLa was >
days ago at f3atasvlie, on the White Riv-
er, but the proximity of Gen. Davidson's
command had, doubtless, ere now driven him
further south, or in the direction of Searcy.-
The secessionists of Arkansas are much dis
pirited and disgusted, having evidently almost
abandoned the hope of keeping that State out
Of the Union.