Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-04-14
A Riddle Solved,

we uIlu III one OI tne teDe1 pdpeIS, OI q
late date, the following announcement by
telegraph from the army under Longstreet
in Eastern Tennessee: "The work of re-
enlisting goes bravely on-nearly all the
troops have given unmistakable evidence
that they are in for the war. Hampton's
Legion have re-enlisted."
For some time past we have been re-
ceiving indubitable evidence of the demor-
alization of the rebel armies. We have
had corroboration of it too, not in the ro-
mances of "reliable gentlemen" nor yet in
the stories of "intelligent contrabands,"
but in the numbers which have been de-
serting the rebel standards at all points.
In the earlier stages of the war, there was
no such thing as disafection on the rebels
side, and almost everybody in Dixie, SOL
dier and civilian, threw up his hat for the
Southern Confederacy and sworn by JEFF.
Davis. Now thousands upon thousands
eagerly take the oath prescribed in the
Amnesty Proclamation, and return to
their allegiance.
But how are these facts to be reconciled
with the announcement from the rebel
army of Eastern Tennessee, reproduced
aboves If the work of re-enlisting is
going on bravely, and if whole legions are
voluntarily resolving to continue in the
service to the end of the war, contradic-
ton confronts us which cannot, at the first
blush, be explained. The rebel soldiers
are deserting and re-enlisting by whole
sale. The very next paragraph, however,
to the one above quoted, and the conclu-
sion of the dispatch, We think, solves, in a
very plain and natural manner, the puz-
zle: "Privates Isaac Morton, of the 50th,
and W. F. Guncon, of the oath Georgia,
were shot to-day, in the presence Of their
brigade, for desertion." '.". ..-
In order that the full significance Of this
statement may be understood, it will be
necessary to refer to the legislation of the
Rebel junta which has Just adjourned. A
law was passed by that body and approx
ed by jeff. Davis, conscripting all the
soldiers in the rebel armies, whose terms
of service have expired-that is to say,
nine-tenths Of the men at present in the
feld-for the war; or in other words,
compelling the re-enlistment under penal
ty of death, OH which such grand flourish
es are now being made. In order that
there may be no mistake on this subject,
we will quote the section. It No. 2 in
the act, and provides ''that all between
the ages of eighteen and forty-five now in
service shall be retained during the pres
ent war in the same organizations in which
they were serving at the passage of this
act, unless they are regularly discharged
or transferred. Companies from one State
who were put into organizations from an
other State shall be transferred, provided
they expressed their dissent at the time
they were placed in said organization.
Individual soldiers are allowed the same
privilege"
With this explanation, we will have no
difficulty in comprehending-
lst, The cases of privates Isaac Morton
of the 50th, and w. F. Guncon of the
oath Georgia, recently executed; and,
I'd, The reason why the work of re-en-
listment is going brayely on.
Privates Isaac Morton of the 50th, and
w. F. Guncon of the oath Georgia, had
enlisted for three years. Their term of
service recently expired, and they were by
every rule of right entitled to their dis
charge. The rebel junta in Richmond
however trampled these rights under foot
and passed law conscripting them for
the war. The soldiers named probably
thought that the Richmond people over
stepped the bonds of their authority in re-
quiring them to serve after their terms
had expired, and left for home. The re-
suit is, they have been shot for desertion.
Is it any wonder, then, that the rebel
papers should contain announcements set
ting forth that the work of re-enlisting is
going on bravely! The chance left TO the
common soldier is essentially Hobsonian
they have either to re-enlist or suffer death
for desertion. That armies organized by
these means can fight effectively or hold
together in defeat, is out of the question.
After the battle of Chickamauga, it was
reported that the rebel loss in general Off
GERS was very heavy. We expect to have
similar reports after every battle which
may hereafter take place. The soldiers
may be conscripted against their will and
oppressed while in camp, for there is al
ways a sufficient nucleus of power to
crush the refractory, still democracy gen.
orally finds way to triumph on the field
of battle. On such occasions, positions
are reversed, and the private is more than
a match for the general.-AAd.