The New York herald., 1864-11-07


whole material interests set back in blosd and
poverty for half century.
Northern and Southern Arm,es-rn.
Emcisncy OF Oas and Demoraiaxation
or the Other.
One real truth has finally made its way into
the heads OF the Southern leaders, generals
soldiers and even editors, and that is that
complete Generalization prevails in the South
ern armies Hoods vagrant marauders, wan
dering miles from the line of march, announce
it at every farm house where they can steal
chicken or q dollar; and Hood himself an
nounces it in general orders; EARLY does the
same; Davis tells it, whispers 1t, shouts it, and
Askelon Of the confederacy; and the Rich
mond Enquirer declares that the rebel army
"wll not fight in retreat" that il is worthless
as an army, and that IL it is not reorganized
the Southern cause H lost. All this is uu-
doubtedly true. Since the first year Of tho war
there has not only been no improvement in the
rebel armies, and in the effective war power
Of the rebellion, but there has been actual de-
terioration in all At the commencement the
prospects Of the South were suspicious for
success in war. On that side were all the
officers Of the old army who were supposed to
have any moro than ordinary sbility-Albert
Sydney Johnston, Joe Johnston, Leo, Beaure-
gard, Bragg, Lowell Gustavus Smith, Long
street, Magruder-all supposed them to be very
great men. And one Of the products in leader
ship Of the first year Of the war was Stonewall
Jackson The South had in its President
man who was supposed to possess for war
administrative talent Of the highest order, and
it had as many men as it could handle and
more than it could arm. Its population fell
into line also, and assumed q military form
with great aptitude. Bull run, the first con-
siderable battle, was most decisive Southern
victory. 1t seemed as if the South would go
Into existence as an Independent nationality
without the necessity of any real struggle.
Our advances made in the West were made
with such uncertain steps that we were never
certain Of the permanence of any acquisition.
And in the East the military Southern success
al Bull run was followed by the annihilatiou
Of Mcclellan on the Peninsula, of Pope in front
Of Washington, and the advance Of the rebel
forces into loyal State. The rebellion went
ahead splendidly.
On our side, in the same period, there was a
most abundant will on the part Of the
people; but as to al! other material neces-
sites Of war We were in a state of help.
lessness. We had hardy, brave and earnest
| men in overwhelming numbers, and
| that was all. We had no man able to put
them to the Nroper use Fifty thousand OF
them died without any result Our part Of the
| war was administered with general and par
ticular imbecility without parallel. Every
| functionary was busy with contracts, and the
| enemy was left to do as he choose Our senior
major generals were Butler, Fremont and
Mcclellan, and their most distinguished subor
dinates were Halleck, Pope and Burnside
| None of these were able to handle properly
purposeless slaughters; and even whom the
| enemy was driven it had but little better efTec
upon the war than when it was the other way
But how is all this now On our part there
has been an immense progress. We have
| grown into the war, and have great armies
Since the accession of General Grant to the
chief command those armies have been handled
with purpose and skill beyond all praise
We are making gigantic strides to the fna
success. Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge
Knoxville, Atlanta, the Wilderness, Spot
sylvania, Coal Harbor, the Weldon road
Opequan, Fishers Hill, Cedar creek. Suct
is the summary of the blows delivered
/ g. I.ka nf xha
that have brought the rebellion to its knees
Every one has had great results, and those re.
suits have not been suffered to escape. And
under the great soldiers that the war has made
under Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Thomas
We shall 60 on in the future in the same
magnificent way.
While We have made this splendid progress
while our armies have become efficient and al
the worthless leaders have been set aside, the
South is where 1t was in the first year Of til,
war, liz even it's no worse. Its great leaders
chosen from the start, have all proved failures
nor has il found any new Ones Johnston is
laid aside ~ worthlesss--he was one Of thu
Bull run heroes-and the man that was put
in his place is Hood. Beaurcgard was another
Bull run hero-hs also has proved failure
but, fortunately, he is not yet laid aside
Bragg was another great leader, and has sl
most constantly failed in the many attempts b,
has made. So has Longstreet. Lee is the onl!
Southern leader who has maintained sI
even respectable reputation through the bart
trials Of wsr. All Of our present great sol
diers have been developed and brought for
ward In and by the war; but where are the
new men that the war has brought out in thu
rebel &misss The first and the last Of them
is Hood. Perhaps the rebel armies are no,
absolutely worse now than they were at tht
commencement, but they are no better; sud the
fact that makes them seem worse is that in thu
commencement they fought with our raw acc