Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-08-21
REBEL POLICY.

n writer IN the N. ITt0tne contends
that the rebels do not intend to make an eff.
fort for the recovery of lost territory, at the
present time, but on the contrary arc mass.
ing all their available forces with Lees army
for the purpose of defeating Meade and
marching upon Washington. From lengthy
article we quote the following extracts:
"Again we are brought to the conclusion
that the main and final contest must be be-
tween the two capitals. The Rebels must see
that their only chance of success, now, is the
strategic capture Of Washington, and the
breaking or Gripping Of the strong arm that
is so persistently crushing them. What else
can they attempt? They cannot spare their
main army from the Potomac side of Rich.
mond for any other purpose whatever--if
there were any other purpose that could
avail them anything. And Of course they
are not going to give up the contest without
making yet last grand desperate effort to
save themselves-not without exhausting ALL
of their resources, physical and strategic
They have too much at stake for this.
consequently. we must yet expect last
grand desperate effort on the part of the
rebels before they give up their all-before
they give up their thoroughly organized and
smoothly running government, with its fat
offices and vast patronage and power; their
vast system Of human slavery, the founda.
ton and support Of their government, their
wealth, their aristocracy, their chivalry,
their brutality, and their treason; before
they allow to fail their immense money cur
rency, into which has been converted their
labor and their property; before they run
the risk Of losing their lands, their homes.
their slaves, their slave concubines, their
slave sons and daughters, their white wives
and daughters, as many suppose, and their
lives, liberties, and future prospects as rebels,
slaveocrats and tyrants. We must expect a
last grand desperate effort before they give up
all these. What will this effort be-? Their
resources of men are about exhausted. As
we have said, they cannot spare their main
army from the Potomac side Of Richmond
for any other purpose than the defense Of
Richmond, and operations against Washing
ton. Neither can they con6ne that army to
the defense Of Richmond, exclusively to the
loss of all their Southern territory. They
must strike soon. When, where, and how
will they do il? AS we have seen, there is
only one effort that they can make with a
hope of success. Charleston. Savannah, and
Mobile may fall-Louisiana, Mississippi, Ten.
nessee, Kentucky, and the trans Mississippi
States may pass entirely and forever from
the Confederacy. and still this effort, and this
hope Is left them. With their converging
railroad facilities. they can suddenly concen.
trate all their forces. veteran and conscript.
from all quarters of the Confederacy at Rich.
mond, and march upon the army Of ths Po-
tomac and Washington, with an overwhelm-
ing force, before their movements can be
known, either in their front or rear. This
is the only true rebel policy left them. and it
il in ke ping with their past strategy and
their recent demonstrations. 1t is no doubt
the programme of the last grand desperate
effort they intend to make. It il the only
effort they can make with any hope of sue
cess. and of course they will make it before
giving up their grand stake, promising as the
effort must be to them, from their past expe-
riehce in panic making, and from their stalk
ing all, and throwing ell their strength into
the single coup d main.