The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-11-20
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The Situation and ear ORRorsunity'
fTrsn the ciseinuasi Gssetss.l
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8.
A careful collection of reports from
different velliuformed quarters, shows
thu entire strength Of the rebel army, on
this side Of the Mississippi Chat is Of all
that is Of any use, to be, in round num-
bers, as follows:
Brsgq's army, $4,000
Lees army, 10000
Beauregard's army 10000
Johnston's army. Tin rear Of Vicks-
burg and Memphis) $4,000
At Wilmington, 10000
At Mobile, 5000
Scattering, (l,000 at Savannah,
small forces at Lynchburg Cor
louisville, and at different arse
mails and other points in the In
terror, in all not over) 20,OOO
There are about 10000 on the west
side of the Mississippi, (there we're 49,
900 three months ago. but their num-
bers are being rapidly diminished BY de-
sertions, and at any rate, isolated as they
are. they are utterly useless for the sus-
tenance Of the rebellion.
Practically, then, We are confronted to-
day by not over one hundred and ninety
thousand men. We can meet them with
an effective mobile force of, at the very
least, three hundred and atty thousand.
Is there any reason that people, un-
willing to prolong needless slaughter for
the sake of sffording high positions to
military men, will be willing to accept,
why-if the General-in. Chief wants it
the war cannot be ended by Christmas!
Can any possible reason be conceived
why it should, under the most adverse
circumstances imaginable, be prolonged
after the next 4th of July.
If We leok beyond the mere numbers Of
the armies in the field, the comparison
between the rebel situation and our own
is sill more in our favor.
We are about to reinforce our armies
with "three hundred thousand more" "
either by volunteering or the draft. No
sane man doubts that in one way or the
other we will get them. la their army
the conscrip,ions do not supply the draiu
Of the desertion; and their whole arms
bearing population has already been call
ed out.
We hold the vantage ground at Chat
tanocga, (which is really, to-day, the bat
tie ground OF the rebellion;) we hem
them in, as by wall of fire. by our gun
boats on the Mississippi, and our iron
clads along the coast; we have cut them
off from their two great sources of sup
plies-Eas. Tennessee, with the rich
countries to which it was the gate, and
Texas; and We have deprived the m Of
half the territory through which they
hoped to be able to enforce their conscrip-
| ton act.
Our finances are on as sound basis as
ever; theirs have reached such a pass
that, in the very midst of their thicke ming
disasters by land aud sea, at home and
abroad, they pronounce the care of their
currency more vital even than the care OF
their armies.
We are no longer menaced by British
intervention; aud we need hardly antci-
pste~that Of France alone They have
lost their last hope of active aid from any
European power, their cotton loan is vir-
tually retired from the market, their en-
voy retires in disgust from the British
court, and their rams are seized in Brit
ish waters.
And the last fear OF trouble at home is
dispelled. The people-when did they
ever fsily-have come magnifcently up TO
the support of the Government; have CIV
en- it the control of Congress; have pour
ed out their treasure at its feet; have
borne one draft, aud stand saying, 9draft
again, If you need the men-oniy give us
vigor and earnestness in prosecuting the
war to the end
In one word, the game of the rebellion
has reached its last stage, and VIC hold
all The points in our hands. Shall We
throw them away? Or, shalt we not hold
to stern responsibility those military au-
thorities who, already needing forgiveness
for much In the past, may still persist in
I