The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-04-01

Our Forces and the Forces OF the Com
fcderacy-The Certainty or our Success
n Grant II Left Alone.
One million men are enrolled and in actual
service in the armies of the United States II
we count the men that will be added TO our
armies in various ways in the next month we
may safely assume that, after all deductions for
men in hospitals, and for men on duty in the
quartermasters' and commissaries' departments,
and for the numberless small detachments on
guard duty, we will still have left force OF
not less than six hundred thousand men In the
line OF battle. We have this immense force in
state OF organization az nearly perfect as pos
sible This force is differed. in the main, by
the choice spirits Of the country. The line,
field and general officers are We terans, and
from the lieutenant TO the corps commander
there is hardly man who does not know
bis duty. and is not ready TO do it. Never be-
fore was so large force so well provided in
this respect. And, as a consequence Of this, the
army is perfect in subordInation and discipline
Our armies are furnished with artillery and
with small arms Of the most perfect patterns.
and are commanded by aman who is not only
the most successful soldier Of his time, but
whose achievements are not surpassed in the
history of the worlds great captains. Finally.
we are ready for war. Three years Of despe-
rate service, after many plumbers, many dread
full losses, and great though necessary ex-
pense. has formed and educated the country
for war; and We are ready now to begin it. and
to end it, But we must not be impatient il the
struggle does not begin at once. Severe storms
have recently visited the whole country that
lies within the theatre Of our futarc struggles,
and continued weather ct for active operations
cannot be counted upon for two or three weeks
But when the period arrives. what shall resist
our tremendous advance,
With what force can the rebels possibly OPP
pose uss 1t is computed that the South has now
in the field two hundred and fifty thousand men
that are veterans-hardened complete and per-
feet soldiers-thc remnants Of all its armies
This is its real efficient force. Southern men
consider that the recent CONSUMPTION will
force, and that the confederacy will thus have
in the field three hundred and fifty thousand
men But il should be remembered that this
has taken The whole available
male portion Of the community-men of all
ages and kinds-and that il has thus added
to the Southern armies mass Of very unrelia-
BILE material. Indeed the Southern conscrip-
ton has finally fallen on the very class
Of men tina. previously avoided the army
loyal men at heart and others. Vast num-
bers of them will desert at ile first oppor-
tunty; larger numbers. from age and count
less in6rmities. unable TO endure the exro-
sure and fatigue Of camp life. will fll the
hospitals. and q percentage will hold q place
in the ranks al lcaven Of decentralization.
This hundred thousand may furnish irty thou
sand effective men; but the burden that
The fifty thousand will be to the Southern
armies will more than neutralize the strength
hat the fifty thousand would give. In short,
he CONSUMPTION has not strengthened the
Southern armies at all, and the confederacy
will face us this summer with not more than
two hundred and fifty thousand good soldiers.
Moreover. this two hundred thousand men
constitute its last army; they are the last line
Of battle in its great struggle. Break through
them. and all is done. But these men will
fight desperately They are concentrated and
move on short lines, and will be skilfully
handled. There is, however, no reserve.
Thirty thousand men lost in battle definitely
reduce the Southern armies to that extent and
bring the end Of the struggle 80 much nearer;
or the South can no longer supply such losses
Apparently the Southern leaders have in
nto two armies-one to be in Georgia, under
ohnston; the other in Virginia, under Lee
'olk was recently reported to have joined
Johnston, and Longstreet's cavalry is reported
o have reached Georgia. BY this concentra-
ion the whole struggle is simpliiied. and the
problem Of our future operations involves
merely the destruction OF two armies Of one hun
ired ard fifty thousand men each We do not
suppose that any sane man can doubt General
Grants ability to destroy two such armies with
six hundred thousand fighting men, and. those
armies destroyed, The Southern contederacy
falls by its own weight Its negroes-an ele.
nent OF strength while there is an army to
utilize SO much muscle-will prove the points OF
greatest weakness when the army is gone And
tie Southern people-what il left Of them
aside from the Southern armies, are amply dis.
gus,ed with the grand experiment. In North
Carolina and in Georgia the State courts have
declared unconstitutional laws recently passed
by the rebel Congress; and the currency
bill, by which all rebel notes that are
not paid into the rebel treasury within a
year are repudiated, promises to be the last
ounce that can be laid on the Peoples patience
The greed for our federal currency throughout
the whole South is represented as equal to that
of the miser for gold. Every expression that
we can get Of the temper Of the Southern people
indicates their an yiety 10 get hack orce mora