Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1860-1868, 1865-01-19

MESSAGE Of PRESIDENT DAVIS.

MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT DAVIS
To ihs Ssnefe and Hoass of Repvessa,
sassvss Of she ConfeJsrata States q
| Amerfea -:
ID is with satisfaction that welcome
your presence at an earlier day than thai
| usual for Jour session, and with conf
dess5e that invoke the aid Of yoof cuun-
seis at tinn Of such public ekigency.--
The campaign shieh was commenced al.
4 most simultaneously with ynnr session
| in May last, ard which was stlll in pro.
gress at yoar adjournment in tho middle
Of June, has moi yet reached iss close. i
has been prosecuted ON q scale and viii
| an energy heretofore aRequalled. When
we revert To she condition OF our eeantry
at the iseaptiua OF the operalions OF tue
present year, to the magnituds OF prepa-
trakiens made by the enemy, the number
Of bis ferees, the accumulation OF bis
warlike supplies, and the prodigality with
| which his vast resources have befn laF-
ishsd in the attempt to reader success as
sarea, wAen We contrast the nsJsnbsT NOD
means at our disposal for resistance, and
when We contemplate the results OF q
struggle apparently so unequal, We can.
not fail, while rendering the full meed Of
deserved praise to our generals and sol
dirrs, to perceive that Power higher
| than man has wiiled our deliyaranee, and
| gratefully TO recognise tho protection Of
u kind Providence in enabling as sue
ecssfutiy to Withstand the utmost efforts
sf the snemy for our suhiugation.
At tho beginning OF the year the State
OF Texas was partially in possession Of
the enemy, and large portions of Lnuisi-
ana and Arkansas lay apparently defence
less. OF the FEDERAL soldiers who invR-
aesa Texas, none axaknown to remain ex
cept as prisone,s nF war. In Northwest
ern Louisiana large and well appointed
army, aided By rowciful aeet, was re-
peatedly defeated, and deemed itself for
sunate in finally escaping With loss OF
one-third OF it's numbers, a large portion
Of its military trains and uiany trans
ports and gunboats. The enemy's occu-
patton Of that State il reduced 70 the
| narrow district commanded By the guns
Of Lis feet. Arkansas has been recover
I'd, With the exception Of few fortified
posts, while ouF forces have penetrated
inta central Missouri, nffording to our
oppressed hretheTn in that State m cp-
pnrtunity, of which many have ayailed
| themselves, of striking for Liberation
from the tyranny q which they have been
subjected.
| On the east side Of the Mississippi, in
spite If some rcyerses, we have much
cause far gratifeati0n. The enemy hop
cd to effect, during the present year, Ly
Concentration of forces, the conquest
which be had previously failed to accom-
plish IF more extended operations. Com
PEELED, th rcforc, to Withdraw, or scri-
ousiy 10 Etnkfn the strength Of the arm
les of occupation at different points, be
has afford, d us the opportunity If r,eov-
criHg possession III extensive districts Of
our territory. Nearly the wh,,Ie of North
crn and Western Mississippi i, ai Northern
Alubuma, and Of u estefn Tenn ssrc, are
aSuin in our ps~stssion; III 4 81. att mpt~
on ahe States kavc been bald i. On Ebc
entire ocean and Gulf coast of The Cunfed
rracy the whole succ, s. Of the enemy,
With the enormous naval resources at bis
command. has bcrR limited TO thc cap
turs of the outer drfrRces of Mobile Bay.
II We now turn 10 tho results acceH
PIishcd ty the tao gaat afmfcs, so cor
iiientIy relied on ~ The invaders as suf-
Gcitnt l. scearc the subyersi0n Of eur
! GUverrm' at and the suhjgetiJn Of cur
people to foreign domination, wn have
| still greater cause for devout Eratiiu4e
10 Divine Power. In Southwestern Ylr-
ginia, successive armies which threatened
the capture of Lyuebburg nsd SaItrilIe
| have been routed and driven out Of thg
country, and portion Of Eastern Tenn
cssce receuqucred by our ErouPs. In
/ Northern Virginia, extensive districts,
formerly occupied by the enemy nre now
| free rom lheIr presence. Ii the k1wcr
| Valley, their general, wondered d,sptratc
! by his inability 10 maintain hostile oc
| cupaEion, has resorted TO the infamous
| lexpedirnt of converting a fruitful land
| into desert, by burning its mills, grpn-
cIie& and homcsteads, and d rsIroying the
food, standing crops, live stock rud agri
cultural implements Of peaceful non-com-
batans~. The main army, after series
If defeats In which its losses have been
enormous after attempts by raiding
parties to break up our communications,
which have resulted in the destruction OF
a large part of the cavalry engaged in the
work after constant repalse Of repeated
assaults on our defensive lines, is, sith the
mid Of heavy re. endorsements, bus With,
il is hoped, waning prospect Of farther
progress in the design, still engaged In an
eGuIt commenced over fo1r no29hs ago,
to capture Petersburg.
Ths army of General Sherman, althe'
succeeding ut the erd of the Summer, in
obtaining possession Of Atlanta, has been
uEabie to secure any ultimate advantage
frum their success. Thc same general,
wbo, 10 February last, marched large
army from YieksbnFg to Meridian witb
no other resais than being tureed TO
march back again, was able, By the aid
Of greatly increased plumbers, and after
much delay. IN force passage from Chat
tanooga 10 Atlanta, only 20 be for the
second time compelled to Withdraw on
the line of his advance, without obtain
| lag control Of single mils OF territory
| beyond the narrow track of bic march. and
| without gaining aught beyond the preca-
| rious possession OF few fortified points,
| ia which he Is Compelled 60 maintain
heavy garrissons, and whieh are Reaaeed
with recapture.
The fessahs afforded By the history Of
this war are fraaghs With instruction and
encouragement. Repeatedly. during tue
var, have formidable expeditions been d.
rected by the enemy, against points iSno.
ranIly Supposed TO he of vital Importance
to the Confsdcraoy. SONS of these sx-
pediEious b@ve, az immepse costs been
suocessful, but In no instance have the
promised fruits been reared. Again in
the presens campaign, was the delusi0n
fondly cherished, that the capture Of At
llanta and Richmond, wosld, II effected,
end the var by the oserthrow OF our Gov
ernmens and the submission Of our peo-