Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-06-09
" Statistics Of RsbsIlion."

"Statistics RsbsIlion."
Correspondence Of the New York World.
BALTIMORE, April 28.-From conversation with
gentleman directly from the South [ have obtained
considerable interesting aud valuable information in
reference to the future prospects of the South Igive
it complete statement of the facts upon which the
rebels base their hopes of ultimate success.
ARE THE REBELS ExHAUsTED?
There are two questions OF paramount Importance TO
thinking men, and particularly to statesmen, at the
North at the present time. These What are the
capabilities of the South this year for feeding their ar
mics, and to what extent have the cotton plantations
and sugar plantations Of the South been converted into
wheat fields and corn fields? Aud second, what is the
condition of the stock of horses 10 the So1th and by
what means do the South expect 10 obtain remounts
for their large cavalry force and how do they expect
to keep up the efficiency of this of their service
Aware for monhs past OF the Importance OF the issues
involved in these questions have spared neither time
nor labor in arriving at the truth concerning them,
and the results of my Investigations ere embodied be-
low. 1t will require but moments rHection TO con-
vince intelligent that the ability OF the South 10
carry the war; Or in other words that the duration
of the ITSELF DEEPER DIS upon the facts which will be
made apparent by the investigation of the above q1es
tons. It is fact, by no means creditable to the III
elgence of the country, that the delusion that the
SouIh is starving the South is exhausted that the
backbone of the rebellion is broken that the South
ern soldiers are Gsconented and mutinOus tfat the
South has its whole available military strength now IN
the field for last, final struggle Should be shared,
not by the 4ncrant and unhipking alone but by men
who have some claims to intelligence. The excuse for
the latter u.s. however that they only believe what has
been set down for them in the newspapers which they
have been accustomed to read and believe in and
Also because such has been the constant tone o. every
Federal oficia from the President and Secretary OF
State down to the bottom of the list For the shame
ul and wul deception the people, thus Practiced
by these newspapers and these oica here is 10 ex
cuse and no paiation
TERRITORIAL AREA OF THE SOUTH.
In arriving at the truth in regard to the above
points, it is necessary to take into consideration the
vast territorial extent Of the South the comparative
small number OF the Southern people who have been
Withdrawn from productive pursuits during the last
three years and the temper and feeling OF the Sou b
ern people regard to the war.
The States OF Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
Hsmpshire occupy Of quite respectable on
the map Yet these three States togethsr only occupy
Of 81 754 square mis, while the State South
Carolina alone has an area of "a 500 sqa7re mirs
The great SAFE OF Indiana contain 33 500 sqnar
miles. But North Carolina, with its As 600 square
miles, is larger in territorial extent than Indiana and
Massachusetts together. How many people III tue
North believe that uaiana exceeds in rritoria tx
tent the Empire State itself, with the 46 900 tquar
miles of the latter Yet such is the fact The State
of Mississippi has At 900 square miles, and s therefore,
| larger than either New York PENNSYLVANIA. h.
State of Alabama contains 50 TOO sqnare miles. and 10
therefore, larger than New York and Connecticut 70
eether. A person who has Travelled over tie whole
lergsh of the shaped Illinois Central Railroad, from
Chicago and Gaena the north to Cairo at the south
has some idea Of the vast extent Of that State Yet
Georgia hos $4,000 square miles, and is therefore,
larger thar Illinois. And Florida, which the Preoi-
dent sent Mr. John Hay to conquer, contains 5000
square miles, and u.s. therefore, rger than PennsylVa
MIA, Massachu- etts an2 Connecticut, altogether -
Finally, Virginia is still larger, containing 81 900
square miles and even when the bogus " State o;
West Virginia ~ is taken Fl, the Ola Dominion is still
larger than OHIO. say nothing OF Texes in this
necton, because, ahougl Ii contains the enormous
tent of 237 600 square miles land is therefore, larger
than the great States of rev ork Pennsy va
MIA, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, hassachuetts and Con
neccu+ altogether) still it is practically u:8s3 to the
South at present.
AREA UNDER CULTIVATION.
So much for the territorial extent of eight Of the
Southern States which, vast it is, is the least i'm
portant feature in the case. 10 these sight States
Virginia, North aud South Carolina, Georgia. Ala
bama Florida louisiana and MissssIp pi-there are
one hundred end four millions OF of land yet
ur touched by ftrmer OF planter, to Say nothing OF
twenty millions of in the condition in lex
as In the eight States above named, not counting
West Virginia. there are only fortytwo millions five
hundred and ninety thousand acres under cultivation
aud this includes all the cotton planta ions sugar plan
taons and rice fields of the entire South. these sta
ole productions OF course monop0z tie attention OF
the South until 1891
COTTON ABANDONED FOR GRAIN AND CATTLE.
ljuring the first year Of the war, the nexpdency OF
raising any more cotton, and the necessity OF rs Using
more wheat, corn beef and pork, than had formerly
been done became evident to the Southern people
This necessity became and apparent il 1862
and caused numerous public meetings to be held all
over the South. These meetings Conventions, for
they usually composed OF delegates from every
county IN State always the Spontaneous action
of the people. But whenever they were held pains
were taken by the Confederate Government to lay be-
tore the meetings representations OF tie prospective
needs of the army in the matter OF provisions and to
urge that the culture of cotton should be abandoned,
and the culture OF wheat and corn and the raising Of
cattle and hogs be substituted, wherever practicable
This idea Enthusiastically adopted by all these
meetings and conventions, and what Is OF far greater
consequence, it has been practically carried out by h
people of the South partially in 1862, but Amos uni
iversally in 1863 The statistical bureaus at Rich
mond rot yet perfectly organized as to enable
exact statistics to be furnished, showing to what eX-
tent corn wheat and potatoes have superseded the cu
ture of cotton. But the following is approximate
table, believed by the b ST informed men ia the South
to be substantially correct, and used, indeed, by the
Confederate War Department, in making estimates for
the supplies of the Confederate army ia 1864:
NUMBER OF ACRES DEVOTED TO TIE RAISING WHEAT
POTATOES.
Alabama. l. 100000 30c OnO l,500O00 1900 900
Florida. 100000 $50 600 200 600 25o,Ooo
Georgia O1o, 90 3,C0o 900 100000 $1,000
Louisiana 49,. 6O1 ono 1000 500 600 500 900
sfississppi L 600 900 500 600 O01 % 500 600
North Carolina 2 600 COO 500 OuO $50 $500 900
South Carolina | 600 600 500 600 q CO coo 500 %
Virainia w 8 OJO 600 $3.50 900 100000 500 600
Total 10 ego 600 10 $50 600 II 700 G0e 70 $50 600