Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-09-16


The Desperation OF the Rebels Shown
I'm their recommendations how 10
hH up their Army.
If any anything additional were needed
in order to confrm the desperate condition
of the rebel army, it will be found in the
recommendations of the Richmond Dis
patch of the 9th of September. Recog-
nizing the fact that their only hope and
last chance is in the election of McClel-
Ian and the defeat of the Union armies in
order thereto, it makes some suggestion, as
to how the rebel army may be recruited,
which are shocking to contemplate. In
the first place it declares that the States
of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and
Alabama, have each 8, 900 troops of - Con-
script age,"-that is, between Is and CO.
I" By some means or other, these must be
got a" says the Dispatch. In the next
place it reasons, Old men and negroes can
be substituted to aeertsin extent for young
er men employed in the manufacture Of
shoes, hats, clothes or gunpowder. None
but black teamsters should be employed,
all others must be pressed into the serv-
ice" The next source of revenueto which
it looks are the deserters. Of these it says:
There are large number of deserters in
the counties lately occupied, but nowaban-
doned, by the enemy, who might, with lit
tie exertion, be brought back to their colors.
They, in general, never see the newspapers
and, therefore, do not know that General
Lee has offered them free pardon on con-
dition of their reioining their ranks BY a
certain day. At present the larger part
are detained by a feeling of shame, and
the fear Of being tried and shot as deser-
ters Many of them-we believe the ma
iority-never meant to desert. They mere
ly went to their homes on furloagh, and
while there their return to camp was cut
off by he enemy making sudden move
movement and taking possession of their
counties. Most of these men could be
brought back if they could see the offer of
pardon made to them in General Lees
proclamation,
A final resort is to conscription in some
counties they have not been able to get at
until recently. The Dispatch admits that
the conscription has been enforced where
ever the rebel authority exists, but says
in some of the counties occupied
until lately by the enemy, there are num-
bers Of men of conscript age who have not
been enrolled. In one county alone we
have been assured that there were more
than two hundred, and that we take to be
hardly the average number ~
These recommendations show how hard
pressed they are. Every effort is to be
made to prevent the Union armies from
gaining any more victories. Every nerve
is stretched for the race. If Mr.. Lincoln
is reelected they viii yield. They know
they viii be obliged to surrender, and hence
the whole rebel press is urging the strength,
ening of their armies. The following from
the Sentinel is like what is found in all
other rebel journals;
Before that time shall have arrived his
| drafted men will have begun to pour in
They will be absorbed as fast as they ar
rive in the old regiments, and not undergo
the previous cei emony of a drill at home.
They will, therefore, be much the more
readily turned into serviceable men, if
they de not become exactly what may be
called soldiers before the time above desig-
mated It will be necessary, on our part,
to bring out the reserves, as far as possible,
in order to reinforce Gen. Lee in Virginia,
and Gen. Hood in Georgia"
Awhile ago it was the favorite cry that
the rebels wanted President Lincoln re-
elected. There is nothing, on the contrary,
they fear so much. They know it will end
the rebellion.