Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-02-04
THE REBEL PLANS.
What the Rebels Propose to do-Invqsion of
the North Recommended and Probably
Decided upon-Present and Prospective
Strength Of the Rebel Armies.

decided upon-PTeSent ana Prospective
Strength Of the Rebel Armies,
Correspondence of the st. Louis Republican.
WAsHINGToN, Jan. 81.
An individual arrived here from Rich
mond day or two ago, who processes to
be we'll posted upon the affairs of the rebel
War Department.; and, having given me the
benefit of his information, lay it before
the public. In regard TO the degree of re-
liability 10 be attached to his account,
can only say that know he occupied a
position at Richmond, until very recently,
which afforded him good opportunity to
become correctly posted upon the subjects
referred to, and further, that have the
best reason to believe his information has
been communicated TO the War Depart
ment, where it received that marked con-
sideration showing it's importance.
From him learn that the news of the
powerful and successful efforts of the rebel
leaders to largely increase their armies,
heretofore received by me and published
in this correspondence, ia strictly true. A
sweeping CONSUMPTION has ALREADY COM
menced 10 South Carolina, Georgia, Ala.
bama and Mississippi, aud will 5000 be en-
forced in North Carolina aud Virginia,
which places in the army every male be-
tween the ages of sixteen and 6fty-five,
capable of military service. In the first
four States the State authorities are CO.
operating with the Richmond officials in
| advance of the final action of the Conted
crate Congress. In North Carolina the
| CONSUMPTION has not commenced, and will
| not be until the existing difficulties between
| the State and Confederate Governments
are amicably adjusted; strong efforts to
that end are now being inaugurated; while
in Virginia the operations of raising new
| levies will not be commenced until it is
ascertained how many fighting males are
left, the object being not to enforce the
conscription so sweepingly within her
boundaries, in consideration Of the large
levies she has already devoted to tho war,
aud the sacrifices she has made to the
cause.
This conscripton, though exhaustive to
the very last, and msuifestly an admission
that the prospects of tie Confederacy are
now in do-or-die condition, is not as I'M
| popular with those whom it affects, as
represented. While spirit of dissstisfac-
ton ia often displayed, and in a few in
stances open resistance, an attitude of 3D.
position is by no means general among the
masses. The rebel leaders have not con.
cealed the desperate condition of their
cause from the people, and the latter,
though their confidence of fual success is
much shaken, refuse 10 admit the time has
come to despair. They admit the necessity
OF a last aud desperate effort, and the ma
Iority are determined to stand bv the Con-
tederate Government to the end.
In recent letter, stated it was expect.
ed this CONSUMPTION will raise one hun
dred thousand new recruits. Ny inform
ant states the increase of the rebel armies
thereby will be much greater-at least one
hundred and twenty-five thousand, per.
haps one hundred and fifty thousand. One
hundred and twenty thousand will
make the total forces of the rebellion on
this side of the Mississippi at the
present time an aggregate of 275,OOO
troops-an extraordinary number under
me circumstances; but the following esti-
mate of troops in the field will show it is
not exaggeration, provided the ultimate
results OF the coqscripuon arc correct.
Gen. Lee has forty five thousand troops in
the army of Northern Virginia, to which
must be added ten thousand scattered
throughout the State. In North Carolina
there are i've thousand State troops and a
few Thousand Coufederates BeaurepArd
has fourteen thousand at Charleston and
Savannah. AT Mobile, there is d force OF
three thousand. All the commands in
Mississippi and Alabama amount 10 fifteen
thousand. Johnson has thirty thousand
~ NOEtueEu GeoFglal and LO0gstreet
twenty ght thousand in East Tennessee
the whole amounting to about one hun
dred and fifty thousand veteran troe rs.
I This force OF one hundred and 6ftv
thousand veterans are relied upon as the
last resource of the rebels in their des.
peFate extremity, and it alone will be en-.
ployed In lighting the spring campaign.-
All detached commands of veterans will
De sent to the main armies, and the weak.
est regiments alone will be held back and
filled up with conscripts to guard the
forts, railroads, &C., and to occupv uosi.
lions IN the rear of the troops engaged in
active warfare.
Gen. Lee arrived in Richmond on the 2d
day Of this month, and remained there
nine days. during which time he was in
constant consultation with JEFF Davis and
the reoel War Department in regard to
Ene military condition and prospects of the
Gontederacy, and to the plans for future
] operations e., the spring CAMPAIGNS,
1t was admitted by all parties to tbese
consultations that the prospect of success
was gloomy in the extreme; that the af.
talrs of the Coufederacy had reached a
desperate crisis, which could only he
passed in safety by the successful adoption
OF the most desperate measures /; that an.
other year of such war as has been waped
against them would end in their complete
defeat and that the question of the hour
was, whether they should surrender now,
or gathering up all their resources and
concentrating them in a last and 6nal
effort continue thes,war aud trust to for
tune apd their own desperation for sue
cess They chose the latter course.
In the course of their interviews the
following plans were developed. JEFF.
paws was 10 favor of employing two hun
dred thousand troops, as follows:
An army Of seventy. FIVE thousand under
Johnston to hold Grant in check, another
column of fifty thousand to oppose the
Army of the Potomac, protect Richmond,
bold Virginia: Hhila a rranh nrrnr nf 49,