Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-02-11
Hopes ns to the End
Of the war.


1t is one of the most remarkable features
of the present war that people have been
almost constantly possessed with the idea
that the end Of the rebellion was just at
hand--that next month, next summer, the
coming fall the present year, would witness
the close of the contest. At first we were
to end it in three months, "A fond delu
sion from which we were rlnlely torn by the
bloody destiny which prevailed over our
fortunes at Bull Bun. Recovering from
this shock, we hopefully went to work to
reorganize our shattered legions and prepare
anew for the conhict-satisfied now that our
three months notions were idle dreams, but
convinced that the close of the year would
witness the subjugation of the rebellion. -
How that year ended in darkness, and how
we commenced another year and found new
hopes; and how that ended, and another
succeeded and ended; and what were our
hopes in each campaign, and how terribly
they were disappointed, ,-every one in the
North knows well in his own experience.
And to-day, Notwithstanding all our ex-
periences-our knowledge of how fallacious
have ever been our anticipations-we are
pre- pairing for the spring campaign precisely
as We have invariably prepared ourselves for
the three preceding ones, by taking to our
hearts the hope that the rebellion is about
ended. All over the country we hear the
hopeful prophecy that the next 4th Of July,
or the close Of the summer months, will
bring the destruction of the last vestige of
armed resistance to the Federal govern
mcnt.
One who looks coolly at matters cannot
help seeing that such hopes are, to the full,
as extravagant and destined to as proma..
ture a death, as any which have lived and
died thus far in the progress Of the conflict.
Omitting altogether from consideration OF
the situation the efforts of partisan ad-
ministration, which Of themselves arc sut-
ficient to prolong the war Indefinitely, y,-we
| find enough to indicate that neither this
year, nor the next, nor the next five years,
will witness the military sublugation OF the
rebellion. The precedents Of all time for
| bid the conclusion that any force, however
great, can conquer in so short time a ma
ton as powerful, as well armed, and as des-
perate, as that which now contronts us from
Richmond to Chattanooga. If history did
not convince us of the fallacy of the hope
which we now entertain, we cannot fail tc
reach the conclusion by looking calmly al
what is before us.
The rebels have probably, in all, not less
than from two hundred to two hundred and
fifty thousand men in the field, and with
these they bar every avenue OF approach to
the Confederacy. Hitherto all our opera
tons have been conducted near our base oi
! operations, and points ut which we coulo
receive aid from our gunboats. Now We
| shall ha Obliged orsora+a OF LONG ltst"naae
| from our sources Of supply, with few ano
uncertain lines Of communication. Our I'M
mcnsc feet of gunboats and steamers are o.
no further use to us,-hereaiter we shal
operate independently of them, which will
immensely reduce our superiority to the
enemy.
At the most vital point in our line of op.
erations--from Chattanooga to Knoxville
! the enemy has the finest position. Long
street menaces our left flank, threatens oul
long line of communication, occupies {
strong position for either attack or defence
and is so situated that he can support either
Lee or Johnston. Instead Of Grant inaug
urating the next campaign with an advance
he will find it all that he can do to retaiI
his position until such time as our Presi
dent making authorities can find time tC
give him sufficient railroads to accumulate
supplies If Grant shall be able to retaiI
his position at Chattanooga the next sum
mcr, without being driven back to detenC
his rear, he will have done all that his po
sition and other circumstances will allow.
In view of these facts, we think that NJ
hopes should be entertained Of the crushing
E of the rebellion the coming campalgn--for
as surely as they are formed, they will b
: disappointed. Chicago Times.