Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-07-17
The Decline OF the Rebellion.

"The beginning of the end" IS now at
hand The recent great victories over the
rebels have given the nation this assn.
rance. Their armed power is almost
gone. We indulge in no exaggeration
when we say this. They have now left
ia the field simply the routed army of Lee,
the retreating army of Bragg and the inn
provised and militia army of Johnston.
Outside of these organizations We are told
there are not ten thousand effective troops
In the Oonfederacy. We all know that
every effort was made to get together an
army for Johnston, with which to attack
Grant and relieve Vicksburg. How it
failed the rebels themselves have shown.
We have before US copy of the Mobile
Register of June oath, in which is letter
from Jackson, Miss, dated the 10th, say
ing in SO many words that Johnston finds
himself power.ess to attack Grant. The
correspondent soundly berates those who
are clamoring for Johnston to do so, and
makes this point in reference TO an attack:
People at q distance are beginning to
murmur because Johnston does not adj
vance and bag Grant and his army. This
ia a big Job, and Johnston's sack is not
large enough to hold the game. Johnston
desires to increase the size of his bag aud
wants cloth aud la6orers. Will those who
are living in this brilliant expectation be
so kind AS to volunteer and Immediately
come up and help-uoue will be turned
away-eyery one can have chance.
There is an idle gun waiting for somebody
TO take and use it. There will be no dis
appointment about not getting into fig
every man can have just as much 80 he
wants Come along. cont stay at home
and "live in hopes to die in despair" All
the cursing and abuse of bad news by
telegraph will not alter the case one iot
or title.
Johnsonsnot only found himself. unable
to attack Grant, but even 10 stand his
ground after vicksburg surrendered
Sherman crossed the Big Black Sad whip
ped him, taking 1000 prisoners, and ct
last accounts was still pursuing him. 1t
can not be otherwise than that the routed
militia will ay apart and dissipate them
selves to their homes and other places
with q great deal moro rnpidity than they
came together Even Bragg's army was
losing largely by retreat regular army as
II is, as was shown by the number of stray
glers and deserters picked up by Rosecrans.
There can be no doubt of the fact that the
Southern soldiers are discouraged, demon
allied and as glad to get out OF the service
rs some of our soldiers have beea. When
Pembertou capitnlated and his men were
paroled, many of them refused to leave the
Federal lines. Pemberton applied to Grant
for force with which to compel them to fol-
low him, but Grant Of course refused it
The recussant men said "the war was played
out with them"-they chad had enough of
IT," and that they "were determined now
to go home" Many of them took boats
and crossed over into Western Louisiana,
in order to escape to their homes in the
In Mississippi. Pembertou found himself
confronted by his own men in this way,
aud from such an example we caR form a
pretty good idea of the longing that pre-
walls in the Southern mind for peace. The
war has been anything but pleasant to the
Southern soldiers. Hard fare and poor
pay has been their lot, and now that they
see the prospect for success is hopelessly
far of, the coherency of their whilom sue
cess will dissolve like dew.
We do not suppose it possible for the
South to bring new levies into the field,
The work Of doing SO even where the pop
letion is is dense and willing. is immense
and likewise very tedious. Much more
must this be the case in the South where
the population at first was not dense, and
where CONSUMPTION has prevailed for two
years past. We have before US the Charles
ton Mercury, and we find an article
taken from the Huntsville COntsderdcy, en-
titled CONSUMPTION Extended" in which
the editor says:
1--WE are informed that the Confederate
States Government has ordered out the
men from 40 to As years of age-in other
words, has extended the CONSUMPTION to the
men embraced within these ages, as the
Conscript Law authorized the President to
do, in his discretion. We think the dis
erection wisely exercised. The war en-
thusiasm, which animated many to volun-
teer in the beginning has. in the natural
course of events, subsidized. It Is not IN
human nature to maintain so high pitch
of enthusiasm as then existed. Both the
mental and physical man would have given
way under such tension of the spirit and
nerves. The war has become stern re-
ality, matter of sober judgment, and
numbers will not volunteer 10 grapple with
the realities Of life, particularly Where life
and death are in the scales. Volunteering
having, almost entirely, ceased, and the list
Of persons, under 40. subject to conscrip-
tion being nearly exhausted, il becomes
necessary TO call out all over 40"
Here is q confession not to be disputed
We cut it from the Charleston Mercury and
its genufneuess is not therefore to be ques.