Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-08-06
Tbt yntelligtnter.
Westward the course Of empire TAX es its way =
Charles City, Iowa, August 6, 1868.


in ordering the immediate enforce
ment of the draft. We have just
achieved two great victories which j,
seems should paralyze the war power
of the rebellion. We have beaten its
greatest army. and captured its mos,
powerful stronghold. Upon Lees
army the Eastern half of the Confed
eracy depended for protection. Upon
Vicksburg the Western half depended
for safety. After Lees defeat and
Vicksburg's fall, it might seem that
the rebellion would come to speedy
end, and without further effort on the
part of the North. We shall soon
know the effect Of these losses on the
rebel States; but we are prepared to
hear that no signs Of submission ap.
pear and that redoubled bitterness
and frenzy rule the Southern heart.
The rebels have had great losses,
heretofore, and they have met them
patiently and stoutly Their losses at
Forts Henry and Donelson, of Forts
Philip and jackson, and Of the Cities
of New-Orleans and Norfork, were
great calamities, but they did not de-
stroy their spirit or purpose. The OBJ
stinacy Of the rebels has been suffi-
ciently proved by their past action.
They have evinced a recuperative pow
er after mishaps, and given evidence
of fertility of resource, and of inge-
nuity in creating the appliances of
war, for which they had never before
received credit.
We see no reason to believe that
their spirits will now, all at once, give
way, that their obstinacy will be bro
ken, or their aptness for war will fail.
With all the harm We have just done
them, their power is yet immense.
And no cause SO desperate as theirs
is likely to be abandoned until the
last moment, and when there is no
longer leader or an army to stand in
its defence.
Granting that we utterly disable
Gen. Lee, and that we drive the rebel
arms from the Mississippi River, we
must still have the work of invasion
and conquest to prosecute. And this is
harder than the work Of expelling
from our soil an invader, or capturing
a stronghold to which we advance
with such line of communication as
the Mississippi River opens 10 our
army. How much harder it is to in
wade successfully than to beat back
an invader, let two years. history in
Virginia tell-let us recall events
from Bull Run to Charlottesville !.
We have an instructive lesson, also.
in the State of Tennessee. With a
railroad and river behind it, our army
has, for half year, been held fast
bound in sight of the hills and stee-
pies Of the city Of Nashville. Gen
Rosecrans lay half year at Murfrees-
boro, after great victory over the
enemy. He burst not pursue; be-
cause every mile of advance. penetra-
ting inland into the enemy's country.
weakened his army, exposed him to
annoyances and attacks ON flank and
rear, and endangered his communica-
tions with his depots Of supplies at
Nashville and Murfreesboro. Such
dangers will always beset an invading
army.
We have captured many points
around the edges Of the Confederacy
Norfolk, Suffolk, Roanoke Island,
Newbern, IN. CO. Port Royal, Is. G, }
San Augustine and Pensacola. Fla,
Ship Island, New Orleans, and at one
time. Galveston, Texas. But we have
done nothing but hold those places.
Every attempt to penetrate inland
from them has been baffled. II is only
when we have controlled deep navi-
gable waters that our armies have
been able to invade and hold their, opa
IN the rebel States. Armies as large as
those that have hitherto made the at.
tempt to penetrate Virginia must re-
new the attempt. Armies greater
than Gen. Rosecrans now leads may
be required to capture Chattanooga,
and 60 into Georgia. Gen. Grant
with all his reinforcement, may not be
able to protect the Mississippi River
from the depredations Of Price on the
West, hold Vicksburg and Jackson
and pursue Gen. Joe. Johnston's new
army to the interior Of Alabama. with
the hope Of getting . safe fight out
of him.
Therefore, the conscription is neces
sary. Even after the late great vic
tories, new army of 800. 900 mer
must be got ready to move upon tbs
Confederacy. Let the rebel States
see that not only are they beaten now
by the forces at present in the field
: but that in the Fall they must NEE
the same veteran armies, recruited