Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-04-15


BALTIMoRE, April 4th Ill the plans Of the
rebels for the campaigns for the year
1864 succeed, even measurably, il will
be owing TO the remarkable amount of
preparation that has been expended upon
them during the last winter When the facts
in regard to the military councils which have
been held in Richmond during the last fonr
months became known, success, or even par
tial success, on the part Of the rebel armies in
the approaching spring and summer cam
paigns will not be wondered at In very
quiet way, and without exciting much atten
ton and remark, every prominent military
officer in the eonfederacy has been summoned
to Richmond at some period since December
last, and has been consulted on points relA-
ting to the stragetc features Of the war. and
the efficiency Of the sebel army in every
branch Of the service.
There is not a SINGLE feature or detail
which may be supposed TO contribute in anyl
manner to the efficiency Of the rebel army
this year, that has not been fully considered
at these military councils And whenever
necessary, after any measure had been agreed
upon, the sanction Of the rebel Congress, or
US Legislative action, was sought, aud it was
Immediately attended 10 and furnished In
this respect the action of the rebel Congress
ought to put to shame the ridiculous trihing
and the culpable waste Of time of the Republi-
can majority in the Federal Congress The
clothing aud pay Of the troops--their food
measures to secure it in abundance, aud to
make il certain that it is issued at the proper
times, and even measures for cooking il better
the supply of shoes and blankets; the supply
Of muskets and ammunition measures to in.
crease the efficiency of the artillery arm !;
measures to keep full the ranks of the old
regiments, and measures 10 insure the great
est efficiency on the part Of the cavalry.
These are some Of the subjects that have been
discussed, and in regard to which definite re
suits have been arrived at on the part Of the
rebel leaders.
When the subject OF the cavalry arm was
under discussion, the views Of all the,
eminent rebel cavalry officers were obtained,
and the results of their experience we're EN-
bodied in the improvements that have been
agreed on. And these improvements relate
not only to the arms and accontrements Of
the men, and the saddles, &c; but also to the
highly important subjects Of remounts, aud
above all, to actual evolutions In battle
The organization Of the Confederate army
embraces four hundred regiments Of infantry,
OF six hundred men in each fifty regiments
Of cavalry, OF eight tbundred men in each
and six hundred pieces Of field artillery, or
ganized in one hundred batteries, and man
| ned BY twelve thousand men, This would
give total force of two hundred and ninety
two thousand men, and this is the sum Of the
rebel force on paper, But, as showed in
recent letter, they can not show an actual
force Of over two hundred and seyentv-iiye
thousand troops. This results from the fact
that the ranks Of some Of the regiments are
not full, The cavalry force amounts really,
however, to nearly forty thousand men OF
these General Lee and General johnson have
each about fifteen thousand Constant 40
cessions are being made to the Cavalry and
the horses, as well as the men, are subjected
| to course OF Irregular drill and training. II
is intended, when the invasion Of the North
takes place, that each one Of the invading
columns shall be accompanied by strong
cavalry force, not alone TO act as scouts aud
videttes and to secure the keeping open OF
COMMUNICATIONS whenever that is desirable,
but also TO take a prominent part in the L.
cisive battles on northern soil which it is de-
termined to bring on
The idea in regard to General Lees inyas.
ion Of Pennsylvania is, that BY moving rapid-
" with the main body of bis force into that
State, while With part of his army he threat.
ems Washington, or makes a feint towards
some other important point in that vicinity,
he can draw the whole OF the Union army in
the east to some point in Penhsylvanis, which
he will select as affording him the same ad
vantage OF position which General Meade en-.
ioyed at Gettysburg, That having this adyan
tage Of position, be will bring on a genera
engagement With the body Of his f0rcea, say-
Fifty thousand men. His arrangement vii
be 80 made that at the decisive moment his
reserves composed Of twenty thousand fresh
troops, all veterans, will arrive, and their
presence, It is thought, will turn the scale Of
victory In this battle the Confederates ax-
pect that the Union army will not only be de-
feated, but routed and utterly broken up: and
10 order TO insure this, q body Of ten thou.
sand cavalry will also be held in reserve, who
will charge upon the Union army at the fret
Indication OF the giving away OF the latter.
and win follow up the hrst charge By others.
until the desired result is attained. / NAV
Us we'll mention here that when this invasion
Of Psnnsylvanis takes place, it is intended
By the confederates that their army shall re-
main in that State for some time and not
only live on the fat ofthe land, but Also make
use Of systemetic measures for obtaining AZ
least ten thousand Of the best horses in the
State.
Itmay seem strange that such expectations
are held By the rebels, but know Of what
speak, and events will show that these plAns
have been thoroughly matured, and that the
mos. desperate efforts win be- made TO pat
them into execution
need not tell your readers that the eonfed.
erete authorities at Richmond eoHtinus 10 ~
ee've early and accurate Information OF ell