The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-21

las along the banks of the Mississippi
River.
4. The wood depots would prove tc
be place of refuge for deserters and
runaway negroes from the rebel States
in fact one to which the conscription off.
GERS and blood hounds would not venture,
and to which loyal citizens though, could
bring forage and other produce for sale or
shipment. To give an illustration of this,
Capt. Rusch says that about three weeks
ago citizen of the State of Mississippi
offered Captain Noble, Quartermaster at
Helena, 10000 bushels of corn at 60 cts.
per bushel if he could ship it at point
about 30 miles below. Helena, if he could
be protected. and 10 which place his
neighbors would assist him in hauling
the corn.
5. Every overseer of company Of
100 men ought to be commissioned
Captain, with the assistance Of Grst and
second Lieutenant. Under such aus pices
these thlee men would, without doubt,
succeed in inducing the majority OF their
men to join the United States Army by
these means we would gain brigade Of
at least four full regiments of emig tants
who would be accustomed to camp life,
be acquainted with the use of ire-a rms,
while other wood-choppers could be sup
piled, and thereby very productive re-
cruiting stations established.
The wood would have to be furnished !:
/. To boats chartered by the Goy ern-
ment.
2 To the marine brigade.
8 To the gunboat fleet.
4. To boats which carry freight for the
Government according to contract.
8. To private steamers.
To our gunboats and such others " hich
carry freight for the Government, the
wood should be sold at cost price To
Others it should be furnished at 81 90 per
cord, which would be willingly paid, as
the price paid now IS S5 per cord. In
this way large portion Of the expo dnses
would be covered.
The saving of the three hundred dol.
lars bounty for each man would am cunt
to 81 800, o,OO0-an amount that pays for
some FIVE or six hundred thousand dords
al wood-being larger quantity than
would be necessary for whole year
The navigation of the river is thereby
secured and the fuel costs US nothing
Ii would not only save our Government
great losses, but would assist greatly in
cur military movements. The reinforce
ment of Rosecrans' army BY Sherman's
corps was delayed five days because cur
transportation fleet had no fuel.
Gen. Grant has heartily endorsed Capt
Rusch's plan, and gave a strong recon-
mendation to the Secretary OF War, and
Quartermaster General Meigs insists that
Capt. Rusch be entrusted with the super
vision of the whole affair.
If this original undertaking succeeds,
Capt. Rusch will undoubtedly be entitled
to the rank of Brigadier, and We wish
him success.
THE PRospEcr BEFORE Us.-Hon. E.
d. Mansfield, writer of some note, in
an article in the Cincinnati Gazette, dis
cussing the relative prospects of the war,
closes his article as follows:
When the troops get disentaneled from
all the ridges of mountains, which extend
about forty miles south Of Chattanooga,
they will find a winter march compare
lively easy Ii will not do for our armies
to stand still. Now is the time when
every blow tells on the rebellion with a
double force. They are like the sinking
pugiIist, who after having stood several
rounds, with apparent strength and cour-
age, begins to feel the blood oozlng from
his veins his sight grows dizzy his
limbs become unsteady, and he deals hard,
but i'll directed blows. which often strike
the empty air, till he begins to stsgger
Then two or three blows from his adyer-
sary fell him to the earth, and he rises no
more. Cut off from halt their territory
cut off from their cattle in Texas and
their sugar in Louisiana, their men ex-
haustcd by war and disease; their money
worthless; their people dissatisfied, how
much longer can they last? Tocmbs'
speech, the North Carolina election. the
Richmond papers, the constant accounts
of distress and exhaustion from every
quarter, tell the story without any resort
to argument or imagination The rebels
are staggering from exhaustion, and their
only hope is that Lee and Bragg may
keep the field till somebody offers them
peace or compromise. The hope is in
vain. Unconditional surrender is the
only terms they will be allowed Whether
their rebel dominion perishes in the last
ditch or not !; whether they die in battle
or by exhaustion, they will come to an