The Portland daily press., 1865-04-05

ries SO little better than drawn battles; OF that
stubborn persistence which SO obstinately
stemmed the tide of battle year ago in the
Wilderness and at Spottsylvania, how little
yet remains The victories of Sheridan and
Thomas show clearly that the day Of indeci-
sive battles Is past. Nor does the fact that
Johnston has been able to infict momentary
reverse upon single corps of Sherman's ar
my prove more for the spirit of the rebel sol
diery than the rash and disastrous attack up.
on the lines before Petersburg. Undoubtedly
the enemy fought bravely in either case, for
habitual disregard of danger, habitual obedi-
ence to orders, and the esprit du corps of the
veteran soldier carry him long way, but how
little do we see of that fiery enthusiasm which
smote our host with so terrible blow at
Chancellorsville-of that reckless obstinacy
that rushed again and again upon our devour-
ing batteries at Malvern Hill Even rebel
generalship, so long and loudly Wanted,
seems to have shared the paralysis of asinking
cause. Beauregard, the magnificent refer
of course to Pierre Toutant George, with, per-
haps, some other prenomens-who with a
goodly array oil the most chivalric chivalry, in
batteries built at leisure around solitary,
uuaided fortress, long forbidden to defend it.
self, succeeded in compelling the surrender of
its garrison of one hundred starved out men,
and in thus initiating the military phase of the
rebellion by an act as needless and full Of wan
ton insolence as the rebellion itself, and who
thereupon rose and lowered upward before
the eyes of all the South like Colossus above
another Rhodes-has dwindled marvellously
the name of Bragg becomes daily more and
more suggestive OF his career Early is not
Johnston is but feeble staff, Hood is ex-
ploded, Ewell and Longstreet appear to be OBJ
scured,-Lee alone remains the military head
and front of the Confederacy. Nor shall we
need many more such exploits as his last to
make us join in the exclamation of the Iri-
bune, "7he faith that still believes in Lee
and his strategy aoiH remoUe mountains"
For some days past the air has been once
more filled with rumors of peace rumors
which, in the face of our recent utter failure
to negotiate with the rebel chiefs, have OBJ
tanned surprisingly. Confident predictions
AAfO OcOA 1oAO1 oh0 OCto IACCly CACACu, upOu
prospect of an immediate end OF the war
The desperate straits to which the rebellion is
now reduced, and the prolonged visit of the
President to the front, are facts quite suf1-
cient to arrest attention and excite conjec-
ture, but seem hardly sufficient to sustain all
that expectancy and confident assurance even
which have been based upon them. 1t may
we'll be doubted whether the government can
make peace with the rebel leaders Low or ev-
ar. Is it not more probable that these naughty
chiefs, infamed with the lust of power, will
prolong the contest as long as possible, and in
the end prefer exile to submission? With the
Southern people, however, the case is differ
ent, and from them we have much to hope
Expatriation, even if desired, is not possible to
chem, and they will prefer peace, on the basis
OF the hated Union, to hopeless war and SUBJ
lection to military rule.
Several transports laden with the wounded
OF the recent engagements, including Iso.eo-
els, have arrived on and si-sS fuesday last
The followins 30 q INST of Maine soldiers SO far
80 Z nave been able to procure their names:
sriag FIRST VETERAN RRGIMENT. inf
Arthur Brennon, F; Francis Black, I, left
leg; Geo. Cox, B, face; Joseph Francis, A,
right arm; Isaac N. Frink, A. hip;H 81. FL.
Gilman, |, right leg; CIV. II. Golf, II knee !;
Joel b. ireland, amputation of right hand
Sergt. John McGregor, E, wound through left
zip and right thigh; Geo. W. Patten, F, ampu.
tation of left leg; Eugene M. Shorey, F, LETT
wrist; Joseph Stanislaus, ], amputation right
leg; James e. Parker, F, flesh wound rig ht
thigh. ~ CO.
Seventeenth Regiment. Elbridge L. Hus-
ton, G, lame loot.
First Heavy Artillery.-Joseph Jordan, B,
right hand, tkt
First rpshooters.-Sergt. Thomas NAL
lory, D, old wound opened.
Sixteenth Regiment. -Edward F. Bretts, A,
consumption; George w. Bayley, B, rheuma-
tism.
The First Veteran and the First Heavy Ar
tillery are the only Maine regiments hear of
as having shared in the late fight The Nine
teenth was under arms and was once moved
very near the scene of the counter attack at
our left, but did not become actively engag-
ed.
We have news Of heavy movement of the
Army OF the Potomac from the left. Col. Ap-
pleton who arrived here Thursday, reported
The Second and Fifth corps to be then moving.
and the Sixth TO be under marching orders.
There is no reason why the rebel defences in
that direction should not be strong, and they
doubtless are. We must therefore expect to
near OF hard fighting.
. Inc oath of allegiance was administered to
:, '4o rebel deserters in this city during the
montn Oh March. Several hundreds OF pris-
oners captured in the late actions were sent
aere lor the purpose of taking the oath, but
ny decision OF the Secretary of War are still
aeio as prisoners. The number of deserters
VINO, VINO took the oath in February was 239-
!. 1 nese figures show great inerease Of deser-
'lon from the rebel ranks. ~
Inc appearance OF these men does not e,;vo |
. uSn support to the current stories ~ dsstie
Sul,on among Lees troops. They ca,ts;nI,
~, nos LOOK IKE men who nave been liv;ng ~
Z. iare. Their clothing, though eyident-
y WI lnolS ior use than ornament. sears
Seneraiy suncient Tor comfort, at least snch
:omiorS as Iougn campaigning admits Of
Iney seem 10 nave been impelled to desert |
ess from any physlcal suffering than from the |
lopelessness of their cause. - t' 'Ae
Most of the Senators and Representative |
lave left, though about dozen of each stiIl |
emain.
Miss Mary Harris was arraigned on Thurs |
lay for the murder of A. j. Burroughs, at /
ne treasury Department, on January Both.
me pleaded not guilty, and April oath is tx
q Tor her trial. The case will excite intense |
interest,". Hon. d: W. Voorhees, is engaged az
ne of her counsel. I
Inc season is about three weeks earlier |
han last year, and the weather has been of |
tie delightful, barring a smart storm on |