The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-02-11

THURsDAY. FEBRUARY II, 1864.
(lf Military Activity.
All along the line there are indications
: shat the spring campaign is going to be
aforced'i by the rebels They are as busy
: - been in East and West Virginia. They
are swarming about us in North Carolina
They are keeping Knoxville in constant
d anrry Of apprehension, threatning Natche.
and holding their own in the neighborhood
of the impurturable GRANT, and under the
descending shells of GILMORE. 1t isevident
that the year we have entered upon is felt
20 be decisive of their fate. The financial
- crash which rests like black cloud over
the Confederacy, the wide spread dlscon'
u tents caused by the CONSUMPTION, which Is
i. 80 vigorous that no substitution is permitted
} BIZ it, the narrowing of the theatre OF war
by tho occupation of SO many States, and
Il the downright physical exhaustion from
the unprecedented drains from small pop
ulstion to meet cur vast hosts-all warn
the military leaders at Richmond that great
battles must be won or lost by them before
another winter, and upon their fate hinges
the fate of their se-called Confederacy. 1t
is by, no means an uninstructive source OF
information, the carefully weighed utterances
= Of papers at the rebel capital upon their
military resources. The Richmond Ezam-
issr of the 2lst ult., reasons in this way
that in population of five millions there
are one in FIVE capable of making resistance
to an invading enemy. Hence the South
could put million of men in the field, OF
this million, 100000 could be organized for
military service and an equal number left
at home to conduct the business of agricul-
ture and the arts. Now for the capacity
of this resisting power and the strength OF
ito antagonist, let US give the rebel journal
hearing.
Can people, thus possessing an army of
at least 100000 brave men to meet the ad-
vances of invasion, with reserve of 6OO,-
600 behind them, at home, ready to assist
in the last resort-all we'll armed-can such
people be conquered by any foreign pow
er unless they choose to be?
The foreign power labors at the disadvan
tage of proceeding long distance from
home, and is under the necessity of guard
ing long lines of march and transportation.
The necessity of fighting is not brought
home in its case, as in the case OF the lnva-
ded people, to each mans door; and the
further disadvantage is put upon it OF con-
Quoting the war virtually with volunteer
troops. In fact for every man it succeeds
in bringing into the immediate field OF bat
tie, it must have at least two others, either
guarding the routes of transit, garrisoning
the territory already overrun, and engaged
" in recruiting, organizing and drilling at
home.
The North boasts twenty millions Of
people. One in twenty Of this number, or
one million, is more than it has succeeded
in placing upon its muster rolls. Of this
one million, not more than one third, or
three hundred and fifty thousand, have been
brought into actual service on the field, the
residue having been employed in the auxil
larry duties incident to military organlza
ton and invasion. If the South is to be
subdued it must be by this three hundred
and fifty thousand men. 1t is plain that,
with a capacity to bring four hundred thous
and perfect and able soldiers in the field,
reinforced at home by a reserve of six hun
dred thousand males, young and old, capa-
bic of shooting gun, saying nothing OF
females, who might lend hand in Staying
a Yankee on some occasions; it is plain that
the South is not conquered, and cannot be
conquered, unless she so elects"
1t will be noticed that the foregoing
arithmetical data do not take negroes into
account. In cultivating the soil, construc-
ting earthworks and railroads, they are I'M
questionably an element of strength, though
totally disqualified for any military duty.
Whilst we have not an overweening con-
fidence in the speculations of rebel journals,
bearing in mind the gasconade that preced-
ed the fall of Memphis, Nashville and New
Orleans, we find in these plain calculations
enough to demonstrate that the work Of
subjugation Is by no means completed, and
. that there are still great labors and perils
to undergo before the laws and standard of
the republic zone and indivisible" shall
/, float over the whole land. The renewed
energy of the Richmond government, the
bold and defiant tone held by the press, and
the activity of military operations on the
Confederate side, show that the Waterloo
Of the rebellion is yet to be fought. !