Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-28
The RelsI Organ In Canada at the
CONVENTIONAL


The Montreal Telegraph, the rebel organ
in Canada, had the following remarkable
leading article on the z1st inst. 1t is a
frank confession of the hOpelesSness of the
rebel cause:-
sin few days, perhaps in few hours,
ana of the greatest and most important
battles of the war will be fought in North
Carolina; and on its issue will depend in
great measure the Independence or subtu
cation of the South.
tThe prospect for the South does not
appear favorable. The losses of four years
of gigantic contest, Waged on both sides
With little regard for human life, have
greatly diminished itsFfghting force; while
the loss of territory, the snfferings of the
families of soldiers consequent on the a6-
sence of the fighting population IN the
ranks. and the depreciation of the cur.
reucy they received for pay, together with
the encouragement arising from disaster
following disaster, have narrowed the area
of enlistment and stimulated desertIon. II
but a 1.-THE of the reports We hear from
northern sources are true, the Confederate
armies are steadily wasting away from
these causes, and decisive defeat will
break the military power of the Conteder-
acy and terminate the struggle so far as
the existence of the government aud regu-
lar army are concerned. 1t is not SO clear
that decisive victory would do more than
cast halo over ultimate ruin.
"The grand defect of the Confederate
military system has been want of disci
pline in the ranks, and the control Of the
command of armies and movements in the
field by the popular voice. In the first
years of the war both armies were equally
weak as regards discipline, while that of
the South had the advantage of greater
courage and earnestness; the result was
that victory always attended the Confed-
crate banners, although the power to fol-
low up success was always wanting, A
Confederate victory only differed from
defeat in the gain instead of loss of 9
small section Of territory, and greater or
less amount Of material. The loss Of life,
and expenditure of power was almost al
ways in excess of the advantages gained,
and therefore success was a long step in ad I.
vance towards ultimate and inevitable dis
aster. Since the federal armies have been
filed chiefly with foreign mercenaries a
stricter discipline became possible, and
while the Confederates made no improve.
ment, but rather from the forceof circnm-
stances deteriorated in this respect, their
enemies always superior in numbers be-
came superior also in the strength which
discipline alone can give. Since then Con.
federate victories have been few, and more
barren than before. gg-
"Every contest has been illustrated by
wild, magnificent, but practically useless
courage; officers and men have rushed to
certain destruction, and died for less ad
vantage than discipline would have won
for towards, at a triAing loss. limo war
that the world ever saw has such noble
blood been SO heedlessly poured out for
paltry gains. 7ai 4''7e / b,
"The result of such system is that of
the whole male population of the South,
including boys of years too tender to be ia.
ken from their homes, to strew with their
delicate bodies the charnel fields of war,
only few hundred Thousand remain, east
of the Mississippi, one half of whom are
deserters and skulkers from the ranks, and
the other confronts the enemy for q final
and almost hopeless struggle. aiT 81.
tout of the dark clouds that lower over
the Confederacy light may break and prove
the dawn of brighter days, but such a re-
suit, however it may be hoped for, so far
as our knowledge goes, is little to be an
ticipsted." - - "H