Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-17
Il Il i a r M Y !.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR

brief in view OF the extensive military operations to which
it adverts yet of too great length to allow OF It's conse
lient insertion at large in columns at the present mo-
ment of pressure upon them We therefore place before
readers only such portions Of it appear to to be
Of the most general interest
MILITARY SUCCESSES OF TINE YEAR.
Mr. STANTON commences his report by referring to
accompanying report from the Generan Chief for
mary the opera ions uf armies during the past
aud also to the detail official reports from he Generals
c,mmaning in the field md then proc seds TO state the
general resul's, ss follows
The influence of tn operations IN suppressrg the
rebellion aud restoring the authority OF the General Gov
ernmen cannot be ovrresmated The victories ol Store
hiVer aud OF Getty burg tie operations before Vicksbug
and Port Hudson the occupation oi East Tennessee, thu
battle of Chckamauga and the recent splendid
before Chattanooga aud other engagements OF less note
are events that eynce skill courage and loyal patriotism
aud arcy o nj itary schey ment by the acrs Of
the United States passed in any age while the less
fortunate battles Of Fredericksburg and Charlottesville
manifested the spirit AID ortiiude I" troops IN de-
gree worthy Of tie highest admiration
BY the reduc lon "t Vickrburg and Port Hudson the
navigation of the M p river hos been opened aud the
national is rapidly and securely returning to
that q eat b hwty of the Continent The rebel territory
has be cut in twain TIE States Of th Mississippi
no Dger furnish their ample supplies to the rebes while
the people Of tt States showing such signs of re-
turnug loyalty that speedy restoration "f civil govern
ment may confidently be- anticipated In this view tie
reduction OF stonehods, the capture of prisoners by
thousands and the acquisition Of immense of
tions Of war, not important than the political
consequences # th re great military achievements
The occupation of East Tennessee by the forces under
Gen Burnside, and the "psraots sung III the "ccnpt
ton of Chattanooga and def at ." Bcaggs army hy the
forces under Cen G. ant only shed ustre upon
arms but by aording projection to los al population they
cannot fail greatly 10 weaken the rebel strength and ope
rate strongly in restoring the authority OF the Federal
Government.
The combined operati against Charleston have not
conplshed all that pectei them Butthe seizure
and occupation of Morris Island by the forces under
mand Of Gen Gilmore the reducton at Forts Wagner and
Sumter are exploits in which tie skill aud galIantry of the
officers and the val Of troops have been exhibited in
a degree Of which the country justly proud.
In the State Of Texas lie flag Of the Union has DUNG
the whole war, been upheld by small force AT Frankin
80 that rebels have drd in wholly excluding
Federal authority from that STATE The large force under
Gen Banks now operating in Texas, will af rd prorcrn
to the loyal population, who ave long been anIlaFly
looking for sufficient military power I" enable them 1"
re-establsh civil government That period appears now
at hand BY the occupaon of thai atr the chef
of the rebels for foreign cunmerce aud foreign aid s
cut OFF
In the East the position of military affairs has net
dergone material change la June, the long cherished
design the rebel leaders TO transfer the seat of nn
their own ertoy the Loyal States undertaken by
their avorlte commander and their principal army but
the defeat of Gen Lee by the forces undr c'hnnni h
Gen Meade at Getty ysburg destroyed their expectations
and drove back the enemy his accustomed shelter The
mountains Of Virginia The armies oi Gen Aea1 and
Gen Lee occupy relatively nearly the sam p"stl"n
as Mt the date If my last annual report The numerous
combas and engagements between dttachmeEs at these
armies have been attended with perhaps equal loss on
both sides and without any material advantage to either
Western Virginia reported by the commander OF TINT
depatm,n BE- clear of any rebel force anthe pe
pie of that newly organized State are enjoying conrarE
tive peace the blessing If civil government
The military ions the Northwest ID, partuert
baye routed and great destroyed the hostile
Indians and afford protection to the people ia that re-
gon from Indian barbaritits
In the Department uf Missouri the rebel iorces nave
been driven beyond tho Arkansas liGe.
No military operations of any magnitude have taken
place in the Departments OF Virginia ana N"rh Caron"
threatened siege oi Noloik aud Suffolk, by the rebel
Gen Lougstrcct thw8rted hy The Sgiant ~ OF
Gen Dix and sege Of Washington, in North Carolina,
by the rebel Gen. Hill, proved ahortivc
Tie Federal force il now firmly planted ~ every rebel
State and there is Ia hope TINT under It's prt"c
ton the 10y people oi those States will = on cast II The
woke of their leaders mud seek within the Untn thrt
peace aud security for life liberty and property which
In blind madness re Itckl'ssly thrown away.
The success of DUNG the hist year has enabled
the Department t. make raIucon "i over two hundred
millions of dollars in the estimates Tor the ensuing
hscal year
EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS.
In the operations that have been alluded to prisoners
var to the number ot about thirteen thousand have fallen
into the hands Of the enemy aud held by them.
From the commencement OF the rebellion until the war
Department into my charge, there cartel or
fma exchange Of prisoners but at eary period after
wards a lust and ,onab.e cartel was made between
Mjor general Dix aud the rebel General Hill, which
untl recently was faithfully ed upon by both parties
Exchanges under thar cartel arc now sopp5n nanny lof
the foil, wing Reasons:
Frat At Vicksbu thirty thousand rebel prisoners
fell into our hands aud over eo thousand nj Port
Hudson There prisoners paroled aud suffered TO
return to their homes until OK, hang pursuant to the
terms Of the cartel Bat ihoreb" agent m violation of
ths cartel declared the Fcksburg prisoners exchanged
and without being exchanged the PtTt Hudson PRISONERS
he without just cause and 10 open violation ~ Inc car"
decar, released from their parole here prisoners Wrr
returned to- their ranks aud portion OF lhrn were "uh
fighting at Chattanooga, aud again captured for tlS
breach IF faith unexampcd in civilized warfare the ohy
apology that equal number II prls"!c :
had been captured by tn. enemy. But, on calling tor
regard tu these alleged prisoners II was
ound that considerable number Represented As prisoners
we're not soldiers, hut combatants-ctzens q
towns and villages farmer travellers, and Others IN clv
life captured battle but taken at their homes
their farms the highway by John Morgan and Other
rebel RAIDERS who put them under sham parole. II
balance these against rebel aoders taken on the field
would be relieving The enemy from the pressure Of
and enable him pro,rnc the contest to ndrhue du
ration.
Second When the Government commenced organizing
coorad troops tho rebel Lender Davis, by solemn ana
ocia proclamsnn anntunc,d that the coIored troops
and their white officers, II ptufed, would not be recnR
nsed prisoners Of but would he gwen up Tor pun
shment by the State authorities
These ol the rebel authorities were met by
the trance and poteSt o Ihs uo'rrnmeh
without effect The Offers, by our commissioner 10 e.
change man for man. aud icer for nhcer, or I" receive
and piovde for our own soldiers under the solemn guar
antee that they should not go into the held uht duy ex
changed, rejected In the mean time, wei.au'heh
tcated statements show that troops held as psonrr
OF deprived of shelter clothing, aud 1000 ano
lI