New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-12-10
THE ANNUAL STATE PAPERS
THE PRHaIDENY'S nGHSSA03
PEACEFUL FOREIGN REkATI0N&
pAoclAMATIoNo OF FsEE1agmnsENRls
Number Of Slaves in Government Ferries
Important Proclamation TO the Rebels
A LIMITED AMNESTY OFFERED.
A LIMITED AMNESTY OFFERED.
Plan for demonstrating Southern States
Reports from the Various
Departments.
Report Of the Secretary Of War.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON crY.


military operations Of the past year is furnished BY the
report Of the GeneraliuC hief herewith submitted.
list OF the detailed official reports that have been ~
turned TO this Department BY the Generals command.
ing, also accompanies this report. The influence q
these operations In suppressng tho Rebellion and ~
storing the authority Of the General Government can
aud Of Gettysburg the operations before vcksbuyg and
Port Hudson the occupation Of East Tennessee. tbs
battle Of Chckamangs and the recent splendid succesese
before and other engagements Of less noe
arc events that ovnce SKILL courage and loyal patriot
ism. and briancy Of military achievements BY The
forces Of the United States unsurpassed 10 any age
while the less fortunate battles Of Fredericksburg and
Charlottesville msnfe.ted the spirit and fortitude d
troops in degree worthy Of the highest sdmyation
BY tho redu ,tion Of Vicksturg and Port Hudson the
navigation Of The Mississippi River has been opepe4
and the National commerce Is rapidly and securely ~
turning T. that great highway of the continent Thl
Rebel territory has been cut in twain The States wea
the Mississippi longer furnish their ample srppha
the Rebels while the people Of ose States ere slow
ing sucn signs Of returning loyalty, that speedy resto
ration Of civil government may confidently DO sntict
pated. IN this yiuw the reduction Of the stronghold4
the capture of prisoners by Thousands cnd the acqus
ton OF immense stores Of munitions Of not mort
important than tho political consequences OF these greS
military achievements. The occupation OF East Ten
nessee by the forces under Gen. Burnside, and TIL
operations resulting In the occupation Of Chattanooga
and defeat Of Braegs army BY The forces under Gen
Grant, not only shed lster upon cur arms but BIZ
riding protection to loyal population, they canro
fail greatly 20 weaken the Rebel strength and operate
strongly ia restoring tho authority OF the Federal Gov
erlment.
Combined operations against Charleston have not 40
conplshcd all that expected from them. But the
seizure end occupation Of Morris Island by the force,
under Gen. Gilmore the reduction Of Forts Wagner
and Sumter exploits in which the skin and gallaltry
u the officers and tho yaor OF our troops have beea
exhibited in degree Of which the country is justly
proud In the state Of Texas the Tag Of the Union he's
during the whole been upheld by small force al
Frenslin the Rebels have never succeeded In wholly
excluding Federal authority from that State. Tie
large foIce under Gen. Banks row operating In Texas
viii afford protection TO the oya. population Who have
long been GnxoGsy looking for sufficient military power
10 enable them 10 reUstablish civil government. That
per OF appears now a. hand.
Rs he occu lion OF that State tie chief avenue Of
the Rebels or foreign commerce ana foreign aid is cut
OK In tie East tie position o. military alaE. has not
undergo any material change. In jane the long.
Cherished desr OF the Rebel leaders, 70 transfer the
was undertaken y their ivore nlGnosr ste-.
prncp army but the defeat of Gen. Leo by tho forces
under command VI Gen. Meade, at Gettysburg, de-
stroyed their expectations and drove back the enemy
his accustomed shelter in the mountains II Virginia.
The srrrics of Gen. Meade and Con. Lee now occupy
relatively nearly tho same position AZ at the date Of my
last annual report. The numerous combats and en-.
gagemoRts between deachmeHts Of these armies have
been attended WITH perhaps equal loss on both Sides
end without sny material Advantage 10 either West
ern Virginia is reported BY the ccnmandor OF that de-
partlnent be clear Of any Rebel force and the
people OF that nesy-organized State enjoying in
comparative peace the blessn g OF civil government
The military operations in the North West Department
have routed and in great measure destroyed the hos
tile Indians ead afforded protection TO the people in
meut OF Missouri the Rebel forces have been driven be-
You'd the Arkpnsas line. No military operations have
taken place OF any magnitude IA tie Departments OF
Virginia and North Carolina.
Rebel Gen. longsircet was thwagte1 by the gallant
energy Of Gen. Dix, and \ siege VI Warrington, in
North Carolina, by tie Rebel Gen. Hi. proved abor-
tive The Federal Gree is now firmly planted in every
Rebel stats ana there In reason 10 hope that under It's
protection the loyal people Of those States VIII soon cast
OF tie yoke of their leaders ana seek within the Union
49, ,rI y ft- "A
which In blind madness were reckieSsiy thrown away.
Tie ofour arms turing The year has enabled
the Department 20 make reduction ~ over two hund-
red millions Of dollars in the estimates for the en-
suing fiscal year. In the operntoDs that have been
alluded to- prisoners OF war 20 the number Of about
1900 have fallen into the hands OF the enemy. and are
now held by them.
Wa. Department cano into ny charge there was 10
cartel or formal exchange Of prisoners but at an early
pe-iod afterward lust snd reasonable cartel made
between MajorGen. Dix aud tie Rebel General Hun,
Which until recently faithfully acted upon by both
parties. Exchanges rnder that cartel are now stopped
mainly for the following First at Nicksburg
over go Rohel prisoners fell into our hands and over
goo more ut Port Hudson. These prisoners were
paroed and suffered 10 return 20 their homes INIT. eD
CHANGED puruuant TO tire terms OF tie cartel But the
Rebel agent, In violation o. tho cartel, declared tho
Vlo1sbure prisoners exchanged. aad without being en
changed tho Port Hudson prisoners Lee without irss
cause and IN open violation Of the cartel, declared
leca ,ed from their parole. These prisoners vefe
turned their ranks, aid portion OF them were found
A. =
For tbs breach of i.h, unexamped in civiized war
Fare the only apology excuse was that an equal num-
Ter Of prisoners had been captured by the eEeuy mt
ON a. ling for specifications N regard 20 these alleged
prisoners il was found that considerable number
reDr scented rs prisoners were rot soldiers but wers
non com batauis citizens Of towns and villages farmers
travellers ard others in civil life, not captured In battle
but taken q. their homes, on their farms on the
highway BY John Morgan end other Rebel raiders, whe
pat them under n sham parole. To balance these
against Rebel soldiers taken the field, would be
lie, ing the enemy nom tire pressure " war and enable
lin 10 protract the contest TO indefinite duration
Sseoad, when the Government commenced orraniz
ing coorcd troops the Rebel leader Davis. by so!emr
and oica proclamation. announced that coored troops
and their who officers II captured, would not DO Iecog,
nzed prisoners OF war, bat would be given up los
punishment "a the Stnte authorities These proceed.
ings Of tho Rebel authorities were net by the earnest
reuonstrnnco and protest Of this Government without
effect. The offers by our Commissioner to exchange
for man and officer for officer. or 10 receive aud
provide for soldiers under the solemn guaranty
that they shoud not 60 into tho field until duly
CHANGED were rejected. In the mean time wcllau.
tlenicated tlatcmonts show that our troops held as
prisoners OF were deprived OF shelter, clothing
and food and sosno have persisted from exposure and
famine.
IN the hope that this 60, would be compelled by
sympathy for tho suerings endured by our troops ~
yield To Che proposition Of exchanging all the prisoners
OF ON both sides parollng the excess not actually
exchanged the eiioct III which operation would be 10
enable The Rebels topuI into the field army %9oV
strong forcing the paroled prisoners into the ranks
without exchange as was done with those ptoled az
NicksbuIg and Port Hudson ard also to leave III IRE
hands Of the Rebels e coored soldiers aud oleeis "Lo
not roguccd by them prisoners OF war and thefe-
oro rot entitled to tho benefit Of the proposed eschnsa
The facts and correspondence relating 70 tals
aro detailed In the accompanying report Oh MAJOR oen.
Hitchcock, Commissioner " EAchsns@ 0o nlasse s
stands We have 10000 prisoners Of war; ye3d