Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-30

t%istics, unimpeached and unimpassioned,
establish hey Ond dispute the TACT mat there was
an exhibition Of marvellous herOism by the
South. They are also most emphatic Tributes %
the persistent and indOmitable will and splendid
courage of the North. While We are entitled
TO claim the credit due on account OF the great
disparity in numbers and resources which these
statistics show, we must concede To- the North
the credit Of having secured lie victory While
wagiUg an offensive warfare against interior
lines Of Defense. From the Gay Ct our surrender
my earnest desire bias been, ana IS now, 10
speak and act With justice TO both armies and
sections, and, to tue utmost Of my ability, ald
in promoting cordially, reciprocal reSpee ana
confidence throughout our Ie-unlttu country.
The citizens who at this day can OF discuss the
facts without prejudice is a partisan and not a
patriOt-Or else "a patriot enslavtd by his pas
SiODS.
Introduce these statistics by remaIking that
il is difficult to obtain any adequate conception
Of the cost OF the war TO the country. Perhaps
this gigantic expenditure will be more readily
appreciated when | state that If expended III
steel tracks il would have constructed enough
miles OF railway to nave reached more THU
eight times around the whole eartn.
But let us come to the details. The original
colonies which rebeIled against the mother
country and established their independence
were thirteen in number. The Southern States
which sought their independence were also
thirteen in number. These thirteen, inc uding
the border States, which were divided in seDti-
ment, embraced a territory Of ahoLt 1921 sos
square miles, leaving the government OF the
United states III undi tlrbed ana unthreatened
possession Of a territory vi about 2,l9j,AG
square miles.
wealth Of about SG,OeJ,O 0,OO0. They were
confronted by an aggregated wealth vi about
greater portion was represented by slaves.
: The Southern st1tes had, as d means of trans
porting, concentrating ana distributing troops
and supplies, about 1888 miles Of railroads,
.Ifln I'm t.iIrpDlG in fDA gaatinn aIIDngiDn
them measured 1876 miles. The value vi tins
agency in prosecuting war Will be appreciated
when it is known that a recent able writer eSti-
mates that, with the aid OF railroads, Napoleon
would have conquered Europe.
The Southern States had invested i'll manllfac-
turing establishments from which to supply The
Southern armies, about $780, Gj, 9Si, while the
North had in like establishments about $780,
$50, 731.
The South, including the border States, con-
tanned "a population Of II ,44l ,029 They were
confronted by States containing a population Vi
1858, III. To add 10 t is di ,parily, The South
er States furnished to the Union arnIies more
than 5000 men.
LII it be further remembered, that the move
ment was made by the leading Southern States
without All organized central government, with
out an army or navy, pfa t.cally without arms,
a~rSenals, ammunition or artisans. This eTnbry-
Onic power OF pOOIly armed States was anatgOn-
lied III the inciDiency of the movement by a gov
eminent thoroughly organized and equipped;
with at least the nucleus OF an army and navy;
with magazines, munitions and manufactures
Tor supplying all the implements of wal.
When The future historian shall! consider this
remarkable Inequality i'll territory, IN wealth, III
means OIL Transportation, IL population nall
the circumstances surrounding the sections =
and when he SHAH ada to these the still more
striking disparity in the numberS of men enlist
ed by each, lie will be lost in amaZement that
the struggle could Ii we been prolon. ed to four
years OF southern resistance.
Tho nt1inIul rAuDptG tram fha Ahiutnnf Ean
ERALS office show that the number of men en-
listed in the Union armies during the war was
2,S59,1o2. The number enlisted in the Southern
armies during the war, as estimated by the War
Department was about 5000 U men. Placing
these man against %Ilan-S0l $50 against the 500
000-there was hurled against the South more
than 2,OOJ ,W0 OF men in excess OF the numbers
she had enlisted.
These official %figures. absolutely startling in
their dlSproporti0n, will Tor ever attest an uil-
rlVdled courage ana conservation by Southern
troops. Let Inn VINO can, point to The parallel.
70 the philosophic statesman Of the future a
most interesting field for thought will be found
III investigating the source OF this phenomenal
" exhibited by the South. Both armies
were composed principally of tree-bOrn Ameri-
can citizens. The ranks OF both were largely
iilled by volunteers and not by mercenary llle-
llngs, Both gave allegiance to governments or
gained under similar constitutions, guarantee
ing political and religious liberty, trial by jNry,
taxation only with representation, and all the
fundamental rights OF equality and republican
freedom. Both were impelled by the authori-
CallVe sanction OF a genuine patriotism; and
every soldier who fell on either side turned his
pale race to Heaven, a martyr to the right as he
understood it.
1t is necessary, therefore, tof din some Other
ana peculiar elements OF pow er the explanation
iOr ChlS uneXampled Resistance made by the
ooutn 10 one OF the most superb armies ever
mus cred Tor battle. Of the same race, born of
a common ancestry reared under the same free
institutions, it would have seemed safe to pre-
alct that with the advantages under which the
SCUM laoored she would be compelled to sur
render to a force not greatly SUPERIOR to her
own. 1t Is true that the rural life of the South
ern people was prOmOtive of individual indie.
penuelce, LII $ independence was productive
Oh lnlGVluua! herolSIl, when was one OF marked
characteristics Of the southern soldier. But IN
the other hand, the Northern sOldier was more
vigorous In constitution, more robust in physical
Energy and was reared under a civilization and
oolIesllc INSTITUTION which developed, in high
degree, the virtue OF sell-reliance. Where, then,
are Weuo ma the explanation of the astounding
Iac6 III At required to defeat the south In four
years an enlisted force more than twice AS great
as tHe entlre RUSSIAN armies which ia seven
months overwhelmed and Inundated Francep
what is tlle explanation, | again inquire, OF the
armies? i"
IT, can OF be attributed to any want of high
courage IN lhe soldiers OF the North. Indentn-
uent OF The exhibition, of individual heroisll by
Mliicll I'LL were impressed Who met them ON thg
ned, the ratio Of Federal losses III battle AZ
cOnlpareut0 the losses OF L urOpean armies, the
luSnlng and ott-rtpeateG OnSets of North m
plldiaIAeS, with fixed bayOnets, against tine
walls OF nre from southern guns, and over thp
uead bodies OF their comrades, piled in phastiy
necatoilDs before SOutht IN forts aud breast
works, bear witness to TT deral cUurapp and de.
VotloA which nothing can cyrr impeacn.
In seeking the source of this marvellous exhi.
DlllOll Oh resisting Ner shown nv the \ mi, n
IS proper 10 take Iut0 the account the facT tl,at
she occupied the interior lines of defense, Kit
10 my llllld, the one sufficient expIanatiOn-the
GauSa GauSdilS.-is 70 be, found In the great,
uiStacLiye, primal thought that moved, domi'
nateu ana inspired the southern people. If tho
NOrtn"rn SOtuler was impelled 6y The tho,,ght
mat Il disruption Of the Union Endangered the
perIndnence VI our free institutions, and that to
save the Union was to save Republican freedom
" inns continent, the South was moved nm thr
oVher manu-. " obedience to "NAture's first IaW,
Ithe law Oh Self-defenSe. If she suught In SAVER
nerLelatlolS with her sister States of Ihe North
\, ,vrML"aS ~ tne DellcI mat she would md safety
unuer a government Of homogeneous inStitn.
Ilons' her declaration of a desire for nelce
anu LOT a continuance Of friendly relations. was
emphatlc and sincere. If in the DroprpSs nj
SSu oTo u wal she crossed her borders and
pore her banners norlhward. It was with the
nope OF forcing the withdrawal of federal
FORCES ron her territory and of compelling rec.
ognIloh Of her independence, The one con.
ttbFU " nnaE ALL sIi.peaTEE s thought that thro6bed
that T6e 'T rirStss p af 81 ~ me southern brain was
properly, OF home and of liberty, were invoived
III tne issue. The spirit of defense. not If def
ance nor OF conquest, nerved her peonle This
S SSS a nrr Ran s4rSbS 81 power; this the tower Of
raIl0n that made OF her individual soIdiarS r.
uiVluual heroes, who have left A record una1uni
ed IN the annals of war. i'oOl uhequai-
de Drs Se r. wei" ere not successful. circumstances