Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-05-24
R.viev of tine situation,

A Review OF the Situation.
From the Richmond Enquirer, April 10Th.
The efforts made by the enemy during
ihe past three years of the war have been
successfully foiled, and the fourth year Of
the conflict finds both beiligerents in very
nearly the same positions that they were
at the opening of the contest The loss OF
the Mississippi river and New Orlean
we're unquestionably material injuries to
the Confederate cause, but time and events
have shown them not to be irreParable.
Tennessee and Arkansas wrested from
the control of the Confederate authorities,
have been of 10 practical importance to
the enemy. The work of conquest and
subjugation lies yet in the future. The
anaconda" strategy weakened the enc
my, and gave lessons of practical instruc-
ton to the Confederate authorities. None
but vain glorious and boastful foe would
have detied the lessons of military expert
ence, and essayed policy which has been
avoided by every great commander. 1t
has been at last abandoned, and the STRAIT
egy of concentration determined upon.
But, fortunately, the follies Of three years
have very much diminished the forces of
the enemy, and his concentration for the
next campaign must be made at the sacri-
flee of some one or more of the points that
have already been gained, If Virginia Is
selected for the theatre Of the war this
year, either the army in Tennessee, or be-
fore Charleston, or beyond the Mississippi
must be weakened before the numbers
necessary can be collected. The two mil.
lions of men which the muster rolls of the
enemy exhibit exist only in idle boast.
Grants Army of the Potomac numbers at
best not more than fifty thousand of all
arms. The two corps, the Eleventh and
Twelfth, recently brought from Tennessee.
numbered together but eight thousand
men. Burnside's corps, the NinIh, never
very large, has been recruited with negroes
and new men, and the more of these he
has collected the less formidable they will
prove before the seasoned and war-worn
veterans they will meet, whether they ad'
vance from the Rappahannock or up the
Peninsula. Sigel, in the lowest valley.
has a small force neither formidable in
numbers nor in leadership. Grant concen-
trated about ninety thousand men in
Chattanooga. drawing them from tht
Army of the Potomac on the east, and the
army at VickSburg on the west. Bu1
from what quarters can he collect Ninety
thousand for the Spring campaign: Ht
NAV withdraw the ten or fifteen thousanc
men that have been for nearly year be-
seiging Charleston-but these are in par
negroes, and to that extent positive in
iury. Ii he further weakens Sherman I
force in Tennessee he puts in hazard al
the work of the last three years. These
facts plainly show the advance made TO-
ward the final triumph by the Confeder'
ate armies. The equalization OF forces II
point of numbers reduces the final tn
umph within the reach of one or two I'M
portant victories. The blockade has been
yery successful it has closed every port
but one, and greatly injured the trade
through that. 1t has greatly enhanced
the financial difficulties Of the Confederate
authorities but it has done little else to-
ward accomplishing the ends and objects
of the war. When to the cost Of the
blockade is added the large expenditure:
of the enemy upon their navy, which has
proven so utterly useless we doubt
whether operations on the water have not
been as injurious to the enemy as to our
selves, A few Confederate cruisers-tht
Alabama, the Florida and the Rappahan-
nock-have frightened from the waters
the flag that once contested the supremacy
OF the seas with the mistress OF the ocean
The battered iron-clads in Charleston har-
Dor are there "for the war;" unless some
rebel torpedo should send them in frag-
ments to the bottom. The policy of star
yation has not effected the ends of the
enemy. At one time apprehension was
greatly felt for the supply of salt, but now
there is believed to be more salt in the
Confederacy than ever before at any one
time. The loss of the Mississippi was said
to have cut off the supply Of beef cattle
and that of Tennessee to have deprived u:
of bacon and pork; but though the quan'
tity of these important articles of food ha'
been greatly diminished, yet neither tht
army, nor the people are disposed, OF
likely, to starve. The raids of the enc,
my have destroyed much property; bu
when their wasted and ruined cavalry il
brought into conta t with Stuart, or For
rest, OF Morgan, they may well considel
which party has been most injured by th'
raids. Numbers have not reduced the re-
belious Confederates to loyalty; th'
blockade has not curbed their defan
"treason;" starvation has not humblec
their proud spirit; and the fourth year o.
the war opens upon their armies numerous
as those Of the foe, as well drilled and II
better morale and ready to test the Vlrtu;
of the policy of concentration. General
Washington was made Lieutenant zen
eral after his successful command OF tng
army in the Revolutionary war Uenera'
Scott won the same honor after the tri-
nmnbant termination of the Mexican war;
bnt General Grant has been honoreo IN
advance of the triumphs that usually
hiring such high rewards. The tickle peo,,
nie That worship only at the shrine OF
success, stripped General Scott OF the
I;eu,enant Generalship as soon as Beau
rnssrd defeated Mcdowell on the plains
of Manassas. Those fatal plains, that
witnessed the humiliation ofScott and Nc
lowell, and again the defeat fPope, with
his " headquarters in his saddle" are i'm
mediately in the rear of the new Lieuten-
ant General, with his "headquarters in
the field" 1t would be indeed singular
concatention of circumstances if those
plains Of Manassas, the scene of the open
ing conflict, field fatal to the strategy Of
Scott, the tactics of Mcdowell, the " head
quarters of Pope, should become Wat.
erloo to Washington city, and q Zama To
this Yankee Hannibal.