Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-21
The Condition


rebels we're never more hard psesssd than uov.
We place bat little reliance In The exaggerated
telegrsphc reports which have nisled the public
mind from the beginning, as TO the real condition
Of affairs, or to the unsupported Statements on
refugees, deserters. or intelligent oonirabands.
The backbone Of the rebellion now Is evidently
Lass army about Richnond and every meve-
meat which crippIes that power veskens the
cause which il defends. There IS no question
but LEE is more embarrassed in procuring pro-
visions TO sustain bis army in lie present position
than from all other causes combined. Virgins /
eanuo. be depended upon for supplies The
constant drain upon her since the commence |
ment Of the rebellion has materially weakened,
il i has not quite exhausted her ability to
do more than sustain the non contestants
upon her soil. A gentlemen who has been
in Richmond. and who Is yell Informed as to the
true condition Of affairs in Virginia Informs us
that there has been scarcity Of provisions in |
iha, state for long .hile. and the constant
calls upon the people for food for the rebel army
some time the only surplus has been in the cot
ton states, and from thence have beer drawn the
supplies TO feed the armies about Richmond.
This fact gives importance 10 the movements OF
sHrEssx The leading object with him from
The time he cut loose from Atlanta and marched
30 successfully through Georgia, mas been to de-
slroy communication between the cotton states
and Richmond Hence !; can be seen that every
communication he cut with The rebel capital vas
striking fatal blow at the heart ard strength OF
The rebellion. One by one those sources Of sup
ply have been cut of in SRERHAS's veto
rious march until only single artery was
left, and that of limited capacity, and that too
has been materially crippled il the reports OF the
results of SHERrDAx's recent raid are reliable.
The destruction of the canal running from
Lsgnehburg 70 Richmond made but little differ
snce TO LTE's army. for il furnished scarcely any
food. But, II SHERIDAN was successful in Sc
verely crippling the DAnville railroad, which has
probably furnished. lately, the main portion of
The food for the rebel army in Virginia, he has
dealt il seTereI blow than would be victory
over the enemy in the field. The appeal of Gen.
Ike TO the people for food and forage is slso
idence that his sources OF supply have been ma
terialiy restricted Soldiers cannot fight without
food And if not we'll fed with wholesome and
nutritious subsistence they will be incapable
Of enduring long aud fatiguns campaigns, espe
cially when confronted with a foe of overw helm
ing numbers and In the best condition IL il
probable, il this representation of the condition
of rebel affairs is correc, tha, LEE will attemp,
to hold Richmond against such oddsr Why
would the Abandonment OF Richmond, except
for iss moral effect. be any more damaging than
the surrender of Savannah, of Charleston. OF Of
Wilmington, IL GRANT can hold Lex in Rich
mond. and At the time cut of his supplies
of course the doom OF his army Is sealed, and 1t
will be the cheapest because bloOdess triumph.
This il view of the condition of affairs far
as the armed rebellion Is concerned, looking
from our standpoint. and il the ,peculatous
shonld prove realities. we may hope that the war
will not long be procrastinsted at least in its
present magnitude
But there is another view of the struggle The
rebols would have had peace iongeago if they
would have submitted to the conditions that their
sublugation would force upon them. They re-
fused such terms, prsferring to encounter the
risks. the privstious and the sGfferiDgs OF what
appears TO US q very unequal. If not a hopeless
contest. They understand their weaknesses and
their embarrassment better than we do Belong
ing to the came race we must expect they will
struggle with as much energy and determination
against conquest which implies degradation a
We would. The history Of the struggle thus far
has shown that they will yield point which they
lave defended with pertinscity, when the contest
becomes unequal or requires too great sacrifice
Of life
Charleston successfully resisted furious
naval siege and bombArjmcnt for . year,
and so ii may be said OF other places, but
they we're abandoned promptly when the fate of
war so decreed However much We NAV desire
peace and restored union. We cannot hope for
an early termination Of the war Under the policy
il is prosecuted. For seven long years our faith
ers struggled in an unequal contest rather than
secure peace by surrender with the degrad ition
which would accompany il. Human nature has
not changed. II Richmond cannot be held, we
must expect IT'S abandonment. aud the contest TO
be removed elsewhere; but each point surrender
Cd is an evidence of increasing strength upon
our side and weakness on theirs The anticipG
ted fights around Richmond which are expected
AZ an early day, if they occur. may hasten the
end of the rebellion or the rebol government
As Mr.. LINCOLN remarked, however. in lis first
inaugural message: We cannot Sight always. ard
even when fighting ceases the same trouble sill
be upon us a. at the beginsing. with all tho Sac
ri6ces in blood and treasure. the War has and
uill occasion. the terms of future intercourse
Lincoin's Appreciation of gen. sin.
gieson's ssSmartness."