Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-08-06
Strength of the Loyal states.

Strength of the Loyal states.
John Morgan's expedition has come to
an end; and we are not likely 20 hear
anything more, for some time to come, of
that renegade Kentuckian and lis oIce
famous troop. Their fame has been On
the wane ever since Buell. was removed
| from command in the West. Against an
active and determined man like Rosecrans,
Morgan struck in vain.
It is not improbable that the rebels were
| induced to attempt an invasion Of Indiana
| by the success of Col. Grierson's ride
through Mississippi. They were foolish
enough to think they could do this with
as little danger or molestation as Grierson
suffered. The comparative condition of
the loyal States and those under the rebel
rule can now be seen ia the light Of the
results.
Grierson rode through the heart of the
State of Mississippi without opposition
| He found no lack of rebel officers anxious
to raise militia to oppose him; the Gov
ernor called out tnc people; the rebel gen.
erals used every effort to gather a force
against him, but it was impossible. The
state had been exhausted; there were no
people left to defend it; successive con-
scriptions had emptied every home.
how was it in Indiana? That state
has contributed more troops to the defence
of the Union. in proportion to it's popula-
ton, than any other state except Illinois.
Was Indiana detenceless, like Mississippi?
| Did Morgan ride, like Grierson, unharm-
eds An address just published by Cover
nor Morton to the officers and soldiers of
| the " Legion and minute men OF IN
diana, relates, with just pride in the
strength and patriotism of the state, that
''within torty-elght hours from the time
the call was Issued Qor citizens to defend
the state) not less than sixty four thou
sand men had rendered their services and
| were on their way to places of rendezvous,
while many thousands more were prepar-
| ing, but were notified to remain at home
| Within three days thirty thousand men,
| fully armed and organized, had taken the
| field at various points to meet the enemy"
| Well may the Governor add This won
dertul uprising will have a marked effect
throughout the country, exhibiting as it
does, In the strongest and most favorable
light, the military spirit and patriotism OF
our people," 1t will have an effect, also,
on the rebels, and the experience of John
Morgan's army will not encourage another
rebel invasion OF Indiana.
| The luckless invaders were hunted from
| place TO place. they got no Test. were
allowed no time even to destroy property,
and were able to 90 no damage in the
State beyond plundering and numbering
a few surprised and defenceless citizens.
| Governor Morton writes: AT the first
landing On our soil, the rebel advance was
met and fought by the neighboring lie.
gion, and, although our forces were few
in number and were driven back, they
gave the rebels clear foretaste Of what
they might expect when they penetrated
the interior of the State. Within ten
hours after they entered our borders their
invasion was converted into a rapid and
desperate flight. In whatever direction
they turned they were confronted by large
bodies of armed men. Wherever they
approached the river, with the view to
crossing, they found large bodies of troops
prepared to dispute their passage. In half
dozen cases they were offered battle,
which they invariably declined. They
lodged and ran, by night and by day, and
finally succeeded ia making their escape
over our eastern border into Ohio.n
| Ii llO CItiLOIS VI SOuIuSIu SuuSTlNduld
had rallied like those Of EIndiana they
would have saved themselves from heavy
loss.
Any one who compares the results of
Griersou's with those OF Morgans ride,
will be convinced that, while the Southern
States have been exhausted by the war,
the free States are still free, and could if
their armies were beaten to-day, raise
new armies, strong enough themselves to
put down che rebellion. Freedom, which
has made US populous, energetic, industri-
ous-which bes made our whole popula.
ton interested in the defence of the Union,
is telling strongly in our favor. Slavery,
which confines education to tie few rich
which keeps the many poor in poverty
and ignorance, and which denied to part
of the population all human rights, is now
telling against the rebels. They may fight
brilliantly; they may at first out-general
US; but in the long run the strength of
liberty will tell-already it begins to tell
Let any one who doubts compare Missis-
sippi with 1ndiana.-T. Y. Post.