The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-12-23
From the NeU York Evening Post,
Why Men are Needed,

The President asks the country to reinforce
our victorious armies in the field, and enable
them TO continue that series of successes
which is just now delighting everybody's
heart.H safNg FFEV FE4 fayEE q
1t needsonly this to put an end to the strugS
gle. Thomas has just achieved one of the
great decisive victories oil. the war He has
taken sixty-one of Hoods sixty-f1ye cannon,
destroyed or captured nearly half his force,
and probably. quite hall, his, wagon train
Hood cannot take the field again for three or
four. months to come. Sherman and Grant in
the east wiiIno doubt act in concert against
the last remaining rebel army under Lee. But
that army must not escape; 1t must be hem
med in, captured and thoroughly disarmed.
That will end the war-even the rebels ac-
knowledge SO much. l.-; 49,;
Now everybody knows that 1t requires a
greatly superior force to surround and capture
an army of veterans under skilful comman-
der. General Grant has held Lee at Rich
mond for several months; he has prevented
the rebel commander from sending off his
troops to help Johnson, or Hood ,or Early; to
defend Mobile, or Savannah, or Charleston,
or Atlanta. BY this vigilance Grant and the
brave Army of the Potomac have made Lee
helpless, while our other armies beat the re-
naming forceof the Confederacy. But now
comes at last the great tug: it is now Lees
turn; and SO much depends upon the entire
success OF the campaign against him, that it
would be criminal to omit any preparation
which can ensure US a complete victory.
The question at issue now is nothing less
than this; Shall the war be closed il, another
campaign, or shall we permit 4 to drag on for
another year, or, perhaps two or three years?
If theconntry comes to the help of the armies
in the field, Lees army can be destroyed with
10 sixty days; and in that case the rebels will
not have single formidable army east OF the
Mississippi. But if Lee can maintain himself
for six months longer. another army can be
raised by the rebels in the South. TO give us
trouble, and to face US, even If Lee were de-
stroyed. 1t is of the most vital Importance.
therefore, that our armies shall be so strength
ened, at once, as to gain the required success
over Lee before any other rebel force can be
organized and put into the field els yea {
1t should notbe forgotten that the men who
now enlist will have probably but a short
period to serve. They will take part in the
final and perhaps most glorious victories ofthe
war. There are doubtless thousands ofyoung
men who have hesitated to enter the army
while the war seemed likely to be Indefinitely
prolongedS but who have yet desire to see
something ola military life. To such persons
the present call will appeal very strongIyer
Let them come forward at once, and they may
have the satisfaction Of knowing that their
Efforts helped to crush the great rebellion. Ma
poleon's power receivedi its last fatal blowfrom
just such class as we have spoken of; the
young men Of Prussia, the students, the ap-
prentices-all turned out and marched under
Butcher to Wellington's aid; and by their
presence in the field, by the strength they
gave to the allied armies, Wellington was en-
abled to gather his veterans for the great
struggle Of Waterloo. So to day, Grantneeds
troops for posts and gariisons, to guard our
long line, and thus to relieve the veterans for
the grand and final struggle before Richmond,
which will close the war. FFg