Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-03-16
RUTLAND HERALD.
THURSDAY, MARCH Q, 1866.
Onion and Rebel Strength.

~ some still contend, Lee was victorious
h the battles of the memorable cam
palgn in which he was forced back into
Richmond, the terrible losses his army
then sustained can never be supplied.
Add to them the almost total destruc-
Eon OF the rebel army OF the Southwest
by Sherman and Thomas the annihila-
tion of Earlys forces by Sheridan In the
shenandoah the heavy losses of Price
In Missouri; and 1t is not difficult to
understand why the rebel leaders have
been so anxiously, so desperately dis
sussing the last resort OF arming the
slaves, 1t is no longer necessary to
argue from statistics that the Southern
white material for armies must be ex-
hausted the rebel papers admit that II
is so Secetary Benjamin and Gen. Lee
admit it, and no better authority could
be desired The rebel papers say that
they now need, in order to continue the
war, men, money and home manufac-
lures. This last need now arises from
the fact that they are shut off from Mas
sau and the rest Of the outside world
from the fact that the occupation of the
blockade-runners is gone. To supply
the first need-that of men-they pro-
pose TO arm the blacks. But arming
and disciplining them will be work Of
time-supposing them willing to fight
for their present masters-and Grant
and Sherman will not give them the re-
qHisite time. The development of home
manufactures at the South is q work of
time and Grant and Sherman will not
give them the time. As for money, the
rebels have none, and are in no way to
get any. They are hopelessly bankrupt.
They confess it and propose to procure
necessary supplies, so far as possible, by
taking them wherever they can find
them, and, for the rest, are now appealing
for voluntary contributions.
In this view of the g situation" it is
q matter of some interest to know what
forces the rebels have remaining in their
armies which must be overcome before
the rebellion is crushed. The Baltimore
correspondent of the New York World,
who is VIGOROUSLY rebel sympathizer
and always puts the best possible face
upon rebel affairs, estimates Gen. Lees
utmost available force " as follows:
Troops defending Richmond and
Petersburg, 10000
In the Shenandoah Valley and at
Lynchburg, 10000
The Wilmington garrison, with
drawn, $4,000
The Charleston garrison and men
under Beauregard and Hardee, $4,000
Total, 100000
The same correspondent estimates
Gen. Grants armies opposed to the
above, (including Sherman's and Terry's
forces at 10000.
Another estimate OF the rebel forces
in the Carolinas alone, is as follows:
Beauregard's main army, 25, 900
Hardee's corps, 10000
Bragg's CORPS $1,000
Hills corps, 5000
Hampton's cavalry, 10000
Total, $4,000
And this estimate puts the Union
forces in the Carolinas at 104, 900.
We have another estimate of the rebel
forces in the Oarolinas which differs ma
terially from the above. 1t is from the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Times, Supposed to be Mr.. Ray
mond, } who processes to have peculiar
sources of information, and is as fol
lows. gH
Beauregard's infantry, 5000
Hardee's infantry. 5000
Bragp's infantry. 6,00C
Bakers infantry, 5000
Hampton's cavalry, 4,OOC
Hunters cavalry, $500
r Total 29.50C
This must place the rebel strength al
too low figure. The Boston Journal
thinks that if we take the second esti
mate above and reduce the rebel strength
as there given 10000 and the Unior
strength 10000, the result as to the res
pective forces in the Carolinas will no
be far out Of the way. This would
make the Union force in those State
$4,000 and the rebel forces $4,000,
IN calculating the probable results 0
pending military operations, we mus
take into consideration that our armie
are being largely reinforced by new re
eruits under the last call for 10000
men, while the rebel forces are beip
depleted. ~ sy numerous ana constant de
sertions that the rebel troops are at
moralized by despair, and the Union so
diers are corespondingly inspirited b
victory and faith in the speedy an
Sual triumph of the Union cause. The
is little room to doubt that the result
of the pending campaign will be 81
rious and deoisiVe. -
New YoRK CHARTER EI.scTIoNs.
Troy elected Union mayer on Tuesda
for the first time in Some years. 7