, 1864-11-16
THE REBELLION.
Report of the Rebel Secretary Of War
The ArnfnC of fB1acks-'rhe Old Ar
gument Of The Man HtealerB-A Rebel
Hey1eTT of the Situation.
Especial Dispateh to the Chicago Tribune

abstract of the report Of the rebel Secretary
of War Scddon. I send you the following
points Of interest:
Abont the arming Of negroes Mr.. Seldom
Gays: "With view TO the increase Of our
armies ip the field this policy has been sug-
gcstcd, and has already some public support
of cnlisting our negro slaves as soldiers. No
compunction could be felt In 60 using them,
for deeply as the whites Of the South are in
terestcd in crer Hberating themselves from
the associations Of fthraldon,, the negroes OF the
South are even more vitality concerned With
the whites 1t is a question of nationality, Of
honor and property. With the negroes, in Its
dread issues Of no distant future, 1t is ques-
ton Of their existence as race. The friend
ship Of people go selfish, cruel and remorse-
less as our foes would be, more fatal to them
than to us, and exposed as the blacks are to
all the vices, without the prudence Of civil.
lied men, their freedom wonld be mockery-
They must soon, In the language Of leader
among them, and professed friend, be fused
up" as sickly exo1ics, or Wfther away amid
The bltghting influences Of dcbauchery and
pauperism, crime and disease.
They have now their houses, and value
their families. They respect and depend On
them to defend and protect them against the
slavery and devastation Of the enemy. No
fear Is entertained Of their fidelity, for the
feelings of interest Of the great mass Of nc
groes have been conclusivcly manifested to be
with their protectors and masters.
Neitner Is It doubted that under the leader
ship Of those whom they have confidence, they
would exhibit more steadfastness and courage
than they will ever obtain as soldiers. nany
additional incentive was required more than
the supposed love Of liberty natural to man,
it might be readily afforded by the assurance
of emancipation to all who conduct them
selves with fidelity and courage during the
war. For any such action 1t would of course
require the concurrence Of the Legislature Of
each State from which the negro soldiers had
been drawn, because to the States exclusively
belongs the determination Of the relations
which their coiored people, or am, part Of
Them, shall hold. i is not doubted,
however should It BE be deemed deemed e. s1pe Es:
enlisted rs soldiers, that necessary legislation
would be accorded, for there is no sacrifice Of
property or minor interests which would not
be made by either our States or people to as
sNe final separation from our hated foes
and the achievement Of our liberty and inde-
Pendence. While It is encouraging 70 know
This resource for further and fuller efforts at
our command, my own judgment noes not
Jet sec the NECESSITY or approve the policy of
employing slaves in the higher duties OF SOL
diers.: They are confessedly inferior, in all
respects, to our white citizens In qualifica-
tions, and have no doubt We have within
military age as large proportion Of our whole
population as will be required for our military
operations. II, then, negroes be employed IN
war, an inferior Is preferred to q superior agent
for work in such war as this waged against foes
beat withma1ignant persistence on our de-
stiuct1on, and for all that man holds price
less, the most vital work is that Of the sol.
diers, and for it wisdom md duty require most
fitting workmen. Superior instrutnentallties
should be preferred. It will not do, In my
opinion, to risk our liberties and safety on
tie negro, while the white man may be called
to the sacred duty Of defense; and for the
present 1t seems best to leave the subordinate
labors Of society to the negro, and to impose
It's highest on the superior class.
lows: Ii is my deliberate conviction, more
than once expressed In former reports, that
the policy Of exemption to those capable of
military service, is unwise, and that al men
between is and Is, capsule Of bearing arms,
should, without distinction Of occupation or
10 the field. A few. Indispensable exceptions,
for the needs Of society and the supply Of the
army, might be readily and more convenient
" provided By details. Exemptions by
classes necessarily cover many not actually
demanded by society for its needs, that on
first view may have given, plausibility
to exceptions. and such exceptions. besides
inducing invidious feeling and dissatisfaction,
compel discrimination in call for service
which both delays and measnrably defeats its
full accomplishment: It Is therefore urgently
recommended that all exemptions, except OF
officers actually essential to the conduct Q,
the Confederate and State governments, be
abolished. All Of military age, physically
capable, without distinction or discrim1ua-
tion, should be at once devoted to the sacred
duty Of defending their country in the field
They wonld probably constitute as la1ge q
draft for continuous service In the tleld as the
interests OF society would allow, but It is not
and below the ages prescribed for active ser
vice, with the large number Of those dt only
for light duty and partially disabled by ser
vice, would suffice to adequately maintain the
necessary production and supplies both for
the army and the people:
capture Richmond and the defeat and disper-
+ sion Of the armies Of Northern Virginia and
Tennessee. He assembled his min army for
this purpose in April last, on the Rappahan-
mock under Gen. Grant. Another army was
collected On the Peninsula under the COM
south side Of the Rappahannock. The
third designed to penetrate to James
river, through The valley Of Vir-
gnin, and the forces IN Virginia and
henttcky were 70 cross ana JOIN IL IN lis
march. 1t is believed more than 200, 600
troops were combined for the action of this
plan in AprilElast; that from 50 600 to 100, 900
men had been since added rs reinfprcementt.
Gen. Grants army was met at the Wilderness
on the 5th Of May, and defeated. 1t was en-
countercd with the same result ut Spottsylya-
MIA Court House, on the North Anna and Cold
Hnrbor River, after which 1t abandoned ita
march on Richmond, crossed the James river
to form junction with Gen. Butler near
Petersburg.
The army Of Butler had landed on The
south side Of the James river at Bermuda
Hundreds, carly in May, to cooperate with
fore Richmond in short time. On the 10th
day Of May this army met with defeat at
Drury's, and Was confined to It's entrench.
meuts from that time till 1t Was Joined by the
army Of Gen. Grant. The army Of Gen Sigel,
designated for the invasion Of the Valley o1
the troops from West Virginia were drawn
from'the valley Of the Upper Roanoke, about
the same time. At a later period these armies
were united under Gen. Hunter.
After a successful march up the Valley oi
Virginia, they were encountered by Early at
| Lynchburg and driven to the Ohio river.
| Gen. Early finding Washington City and Bal.
timore exposed, passed through the Valley
| defeating ali opposing forcea crossed into
| Maryland and penetrated to the suburbs oi
! Washington and Baltimore. The cavalry raids
| Of Sheridan and Wilson were defeated, and
the attempts to permanently obstruct oul
| communications failed.
The capture Of Atlanta is acknowledged
! thus: When that central part Of the Union
| to various conrerging lines Of communication
had been reached and appeared about 10
be abandoned, change was made in
commanders, and strenuous efforts were
made to hold and defend It by force of arms,
| this place which had become more i'm
| portant in political and moral than military
view from the significance which the public OF
both sides had attached to Its possession. It
was held for several weeks, and some sue
ccsses which were achieved with skill and
valor for the time, seemed to assure the re-
tention when the hazardous move Of the
enemy, which, with promptftude on the part
Of our commanders would have proved his
ruin, and turned the situation into victory
for us, compelled our evacuation Of the city
and Its occupancy by the enemy. This wasfelt
to be d serious reverse and caused
eracy, while it was hailed with unbounded nc
clamation and renewed hopes by the enemy
for The time. The loss Of prestige and polit-
jcal effects were adverse to Us, but result may
show that it is misunderstood and exagerated
1t has iberated our army for offensive op-
crntions, while it has chuined down the
enemy to the tenure Of 1Ar Inland position
Of no real stragetic value since the breaking
up Of it's railroad connections. It is in the
midst Of a hostile population, to be sustained
by supplies drawn hundreds Of miles, by d
single lEe Of road-au opportunity which
llas been siezed and acted upon By onr enter
prising leader with promptitude and energy.
After the fall Of Atlanta, a series Of disas-
ters befel our troops in the Valley Of Virginia
and contributed to the discourngement then
existing, but when VIC consider the events Of
the entire campaign: the brilliant nets Of our
armies in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ar