New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-23
RE BEL GAS.

The World has WINDY letter nom seces-
sionist in Baltimore, setting forth the powerand
unexhausted resources Of the Rebel side in the
most dazzling light. The writer asserts that
there are still 275, 900 effective men in the Con-
federate armies, distributed as follows:
In Virginia and North Carolina. l440o0
In Hoods Army. Georgia, $4,000
At Charleston. Savannah and Mobile. $1,000
This il exclusive of the Mississippi
forces, who must swell the forces to 300, 900 at
least.
The writer proceeds to glorify his brethren as
follows
In the organization OF their armies the rebel leaders
have avoided the great faults that have been the
bane " ours. There Is such thing at the South as
old regime ats with thiuned ranks going home with
their aud tattersd banners Just the two or three
hundred men Of which they are composed have become
veterans and worth thousand OF twelve hundred new
Nor are such old regiments merged end CONSOLE
dated two OF three together TINT the glorious mem
cries that cluster around the history Of each are lost and
swallowed up. Every regiment, In either army. that
has been In the service for two three years. has won
for itself certain honorable distinction II the proper
means are taken to cherish and foster this regimen
tai pride the instances where old regiments would leave
the army would be indeed. In the Southern army
this is done and the that the old reg
ments always re6nst, end never 80 home, except on
brief furlonghs The results 0this spstem are that all
the IN the SOUTHERN army may DC to
veteran regiments Their ranks are always kept full BY
constant infusion OF fresh men. who speedily acquire
the duties and the habits Of old soldiers
Now it is quite true that there is no such
thing at the South a. the old regiments going
home;" but why' Simply because the Rebel
Congress and Government hare eonseripted them
all to ~rre to the end Of the war in defiance Of their
respeetire terms Of enlistment. Thousands of
them have attempted to go home when their
terms of service had expired. but have been
shot down a. deserters for SO doing. All this is
matter of public notoriety .why smother it in
falsehoodi
But what is the result Are tho franks al
ways kept filled by this tyrannical perfidy Let
us state pertinent fact: A friend recently from
the front (at Petersburg) states that it is Gus
tomary there to ask tho dererters constantly
coming over series Of questions, one OF which
it, "How many men are there now in your COM
pany 7" The answers were given in his hearing
in very many instances; and the highest Number
stated in response icas trentyone, phih the loresf
ras tro In other words, tho regiments now
forming our Army in the defences of Petersburg
number from 100 TO 2l0 men each-ten cOmpa-
MES composing regiment.
A full regiment of infantry consists Of goo
men, and there are somewhat more than 400
regiments in the Rebel service. We doubt
whether there are to-day 100000 electives in
their regular armies; though the number may
be swelled by militia, exempts and home guards
nearly to 100000. But this is very different
matter from having "all the regiments" vete
rams, with "their ranks always kept full"