The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-04-08
From the NeW York ms
RAILR0ADs A THE xOUTH

wearing outline importantly of
repairing them
wAsafsoros, March 2s, 1868
The network Of railroads with which
the SO1th had been checkered prior 20
the commencement Of the rebellion was
as essential TO the prolougaii Of the
contest a. the great aecumulat i0R- OF
arms and munitions of war which the
traitors in BuchAuan's Cabinet had -pro-
yldrd at, tbeexpense OF the Goverhme8G
Without these railroads, which sweep
across the disaftcted region in all di.
reclions, the leaders OF The rebellion
would find it utterly possible to mass
large armies together for the simple
reason that il w0uld be Impossible to
feed them, If the rebellion had occurred
ten years sooner, il could not have held
out against the power Of the Government
six months-had aAy such power been
called out as we now have in the field
aud on the wave. For ten years ago, if
the north was not 50 well provided as il
is at present day with the facilities OF
transportation, 1t nevertheless had every
needtnl resource in this respect; it had
then the great rivers, the ocean, aud
every essential railroad line which it
now possesses. While these facilities of
concentrating armies and munitions of
war upon The Southern borders, and even
in HE heart of the Southern country. up-
on the banks oithe. Mississippi, would
then have been nearly or quite equal 10
what they now are, the absence of South.
ernrailrOads would have presented no
greater obstacle TO an advance than the
rebels at this day every where throw in
our way, by destroying their roads
whenever they are compelled to retreat
Railroads are'of iucalculable value TO
apeople for defensive purposes, but they
afford no facilities TO The invader. 1t is,
therefor e, most lucky for the rebeIs-if il
can be considered lucky to prolong a
hopeless contest in such cause as that
in which they are eDgased--tbat they
postponed their didbolical enterprise
until their great lines of railroad. which
traverse the South from Memphis TO
Charleston, and from Northwestern Vir.
einia, by several routes, TO New Orleans.
were completed. Especially important
TO them has been the road connecting
KicL mond with the Southwest, through
Knoxville in Tennessee. Without this
spinal artery, which has Kept up the
circulation between the extremities and
supplied the sinews of war atevery mo.
ment of pressing need, the back. bone of
the rebellion might have been broken in
asingle campaign. The devoted Union
lists Of East Tennessee could have been
relieved, and armed for defence, and the
traitor conspiracy would have been para
lyzed at a single blow.
But these facts Of the past are irrever.
sible; and that which remains to us is
to profit by the lesson they teach. We
cannot turn back the wheels of time so as
70 precipitate the contest before the sys-
tenn Of Southern railroads was completed.
Nor can we prevent them rom using the
railroads which are in their possession
but we at least have the advantage of
knowing the secret OF their strength, aud
we can assail them ia their most vulner-
able points. What the veins and arrer-
les are to the animal frame railroads are
10 the rebellious Stsiee. Ia the one case.
II the Ju9ufG or the dorta be cut, the ami
NAL dies Immediately. In The her. if
the main lines con Getting Virginia with
the Southwest through East Tennessee
and with the South through Weldon, be
broken up, the Cohfederacy will perish
from instant paralysis. But of these
great lines OF communication, by far the
most essential to the rebels is that which
passes through East Tennessee. That
region of country is known to be filled
with men loyal to the Union, who have
suffered such horrors for their devotion
to country as the HolIanders Of the are
OF PHILIP IL. knew, or the Poles OF our
day.
la this connection it is gratifying TO
note the fact that these Southern rail
roads, all-important as Lhey are 10 tie
rebels, are rapidly giving way under the
wear and tear Of the military manage
ment to which hey are subjected, and in
The absence of materials of repair in con-
sequence Of the block ade, The Richmond
Examiner of the 18th inst, devotes one of
its most lugubriOus articles TO this topic,
IL declares that: rftr.fsI
"Itis a fact, as we'll known TO the en-.
envy as : o ourselves, that all the country
10 the vicinity of our armies has long
been stripped Of its provisions and for,
age, and that these armies depend for
thtirfxislence and maintenance of their
present positions upon the railroads. The
railroads OF this State are on the point
Of wearing out. They have decreased
their speed to ten miles an hour as the
maximum rate, and are carrying twenty
fve'to fifty per cent. less tonnage than
formerly. The wood. work of the
roads has rotted, aud the machinery
worn out. We are NOT informed of
the actual condition Of the railroads in
the more Southern States, but conceive
they are little better off than our own.
except in the matter Of negro labor.
= Railroads are a part aud an indis-
pensshle part OF cur military system;
and IL they are SLOWED 20 fall through
from any cause, G.Vernment and people
may prepare for the retreat of our armies
and he surrender of much Of the GuiilaJle
country no'0 "a our posSesnoa!p' rl8. +
This breaking down of the Southern
railroad system Is one Of the most cheer
log facts OF the day. The Ecamin > az
fecls TO blame its Rebel Government for
negleeting to keep up the railroads, aud
70 attribute their dilapidation 10 iHhe
stringent enforcement Of he Consumption
aw Is TO railroad employ ees;" aud 10
The scarcity of labor as Il regards Vir-
gina, IN eonsequence Of the facilities the
slaves ENJOY OF Escaping to ihe enemy"
IL hopes things are better, in this last
respect In the Southwest But the truth
IS, the railroads are too obviously essen
HuN IN h. l. "a