New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-25
NEWS FROM RICHMOND.

Richmond Not to he Abandoncd-shan
PortiacatIo - "Reminiscences OF the
Rebel Capital-Wbcn il Might Have
Been Taken-A spy's Report.
Cores ondence of The n. y. Tribune.
WASHINGTON Jan. H. 1854.
Tn a nrav;ous letter I stated that the Rebels
are making preparations to remove their capiai nom
Richmond to Columbia S. C., and that they are con-
structing railroad whereby tho latter place and Nil
edge,ie, tho capital Of Georgia. will be BY rail only
about one hundred and city miles apart
BY tLis arrangement communication Tor travellers ana
freight between Southern Georgia and Alabama and
Columbia and points further north will DO shortened
in the neighborhood OF two hundred miles the present
raIl route being very circuous one. branch road
Ia also being constructed between Montgomery arc
Selma, Ala, distance Of about sixty miles; 50 mat
not withsandug Gen. Grant may break up the roads Ia
Northern Georgia, convenient communication can DC
kept up between the capital and Central and Wet
ern Alabama and Eastern Mississippi
Considering the scarcity OF mechanics and Iron sui'a
BE for railroad purposes aorg the Eebos II - no e!
matter for them build two hundred miles oil rail- ana
furnish II with rolling gear. They have succoeded'
however in importing largo number OF necnanies
from Europe and tho suspension OF active niiai! OF
GRAFTON, this Winter viii enable them to detail many
others from tho army. The digging and grading II
being performed entirely by negroes who are impressed
By Wholesale for tie purposs. Not only are the saves
belonging In the vicnage Of the road impressed but
free negroes from slat every section Of the States oil
South Carolina, Georgia, and Aabana are forced from
their homes and compelled TO labor on the works The
only authority the Rebels have for this extraordinary
proceeding they find In the )1v OF necessity. Among
them necessity recognizes no ls. and Jet necessity fur
pisAes them law for any arbitrary they wish 10
adopt.
The track FOR these roads will not be OF the ordinary
rail. but will consist OF wood plated the top. and
believe also on the inside with iron about third OF an
inch IN thickness This is the best the Confederacy can
at the present afford Indeed IN making repairs on the
oyerworked Virginia and Tennessee railroad, between
Lynchburg and Hoton River. large quantities OF raii
this description have been used ard yet In no part Of
Rebellion can railroad iron be more easily procured
than there Tho fact is that the sources OF supply OF oil
articles Of necessary consumption, alike OF produce
proyisiona fabrics leather railroad iron, machinery
and all manufactures In daily arc either cut of or
well.nigh exhausted. In other words the Rebellion u
IN articaio nor, lit could promptly receive two or
three moro such blows Grant inflicted at Chattanooga
IL would quickly cave in," Memminger expresses
It. speedily slccumb." and be at our mercy
1t NAV sound strangely 10 your readers when say
our mercy since myself have Just len the Robe!
service bu. desire all good Union men to understand
that ling effected my return to the land Of freedom,
am ono Of them / am with them not only to restore
the Union. but TO cut down every branch. pillow up
every root and extcrmnete every germ Of that in
famous institution. that sum Of all yainies," which
has been the means Of deiugirg our land in blood.
Having closely observed the workings OF this instiiu'
ion for the past yeatt satisfied that its ex-
stencc Is not only incompatible with the principles OF
this Government but that permanent peace can be
secured while Slavery is tolerated
II must not be concluded that in removing their cap
itaJ the Rebels intend 10 abandon Richmond. They
will not DO 50 long they make II profitable and
have the ability % hold 1t. Too many OF the Northern
people have been led 10 believe that defiant city inpeg
nable, but they have been greatly deceived The forti-
cations around the town have been from the first mere
bugbeara Had Mcclellan shown half the alscrity In
advancing and fighting that he displayed in chang ng
hi. base" the conquest OF Richmond would have been
easy for him. and the Rebellion have been long since
suppressed. Had he even followed up his victory at
Malvern HILL ns the Rebels expected Lin TO do. lie
would have met with little resistance. JET Davis
md all tho officers OF his ragged army Nknow. regard
oil their capital as lost Until last Fall the Notifications
around the city remained in tho same condition they
wero in when Mcclellan retreated from the Peninsula
About the middle OF October the Rebel authorities
menced extending and improving them. Thousands Of
negroes have been impressed and trenches, bate
e,. and rcdoubts being constructed al around the
| city.
But not only ore the Notifications Of Richmond being
imnroveJ &C. but the Is Of oil other intend
towns and points against which early movements by tie
Union forces are anticipated The Rebels hope to put
these places In such posture Of defense that In case
they are essailed small garrsons hold them for a
considerable time against the assaults OF vastly superior
forces and thus Decesstate protrncted seges to tho
end that the main bodies Of their armies may be ON
Moved in offensive operations. divided and concen
trated for defensive purposes, occasion may require
Tho most feasible course to destroy their calculations
in this behalf would be to assail them at all or many
points simultaneously. The proposition Of one Of our
Members OF Congress TO place million of soldiers in the
field at once would believe II adopted save thousands
OF valuable lives and terminate the In few months.
Such course would drive terror To the hearts Of Rebel
leaders carrying despair into the ranks Of their armies
deter their usewarm friends at home and abroad from
offering them further assistance give efficiency TO the