The National tribune., 1899-08-31
GETTYSBURG BATTLE.
A Discussion of Its Importance
and the Results of q Rebel
Victory.
DY J. NJ. CoAISToCK.

| IL tne rebelS mad been VICTORIOUS al
Gettysburg. the dissolution of the Union
would have been inevitable, and followed
as natural result. Gen Lee could have
marched his army to New York, Phiia-
delphia or Washington.
Intervention would have followed at
once on the part of England and possibly
| other European nations, and the Govern
ment of the United States, under the terri
BILE pressure brought upon it at home and
abroad, would have been forced to recog-
nize the independence of the Southern Con-
| federacy."
Such, believe. are salient points in the
claim that has been set forth by some in
articles upon Gettysburg. Speculation Is
a mental view of a subject, in its various
aspects and relations, not necessarily veri--
| fled by fact. | think careful analysis OF
the comparative conditions of the two
Governments at that period, in all their rela-
tlons as belligerents, will most clearly show
| that speculationS of that character are un-
warranted and can not stand the light OF
thorough investigation.
| propose to show that on July 3, 1863,
| nearly five-eighthS of the entire territory
occupied by the COnfederates in 1861 was
| under the control of the Union forces, or
severed from the Confederacy in such a
manner that, so far as aid or support to the
| Southern cause was concerned, 1t was con-
quered territory; that not single port
on the Southerners' extended coast was
open for the free admission of war or other
needed material; that the population
from which to recruit their diminished
armies was lost nearly in the same proper
ton as the territory which they had been
bottom had dropped out of the Confeder.
| ates' treasury; that they had abandoned
4 financiering and reSorted to the printing
| press to supply that mucf-needed article,
as Pollard, the author of the Lost Cause,
admits; that had Gen. Lee won the battle
of Gettysburg he could not have main
| tanned his army in Pennsylvania 20 days,
and had he attempted it would have learned
| to his sorrow that victory on the 3d would
have been his blind goddess. leading him
| to inevitable destruction, while defeat was
his guardian angel, preserving him and
his army to the Confederacy for another
| two years of terrible though useless strug-
| gle.
And, finally, with all these facts summed
up, / wish to show that the basis for de-
| mand on foreign powers for recognition or
Intervention was not sufficient to convince
| them of the ability OF the Confederate Gov
ernment to maintain its independence, or
of the inability of the National Govern
ment to finally overthrow armed resistance.
INCREASED VERSUS DECREASED
POWER.
From the lay the conflict opened to its
close the strength or ability of the United
States Government to subdue the rebellion
steadily increased, while so far as the Con-
federacy was cdhcerHed the converse OF
that proposition was true. / do not mean
that the Confederate Government had
larger armies inlthe field in 1861 than in
1868, but that, relatively, while the possi-
bilitieS of war power on the part OF the
Union was continually increasing or ex-
panding, that of She Confederacy was daily
declining. 8
Let us leave the field of Gettysburg for
the present, and ascertain what progress
the Union army had made up to July, 1853,
toward the occupation OF the territory OF
seeded States. In many instances the
rebels claimed the victory, but the Union
forces occupied the territory.
Pollard, in the Lost Cause" says: "The
Confederate public iIad been disposed to
find some consolation for the loss of Island
No. 10 in the brilliant though unfruitful
victory of Shiloh ~
Thus, while they paraded Shiloh as a
pied that historic ground, and with. it the
western half of Tennessee. And as fur
ther sequence, Corinth, with portions Of
northern Alabama and Mississippi, passed
permanently into the possession of the
United States Government.
But neither time nor the length of this
paper will allow me to follow step by step
the achievements Of the Union army.
With the surrender Of Vicksburg, Port
Hudson was no longer tenable, and surren-
QeTeQ uO ueu. DduhS u, 1000. l. De
abandonment Of these two strongholds
severed the Confederacy in twain.
Thus the entire Transmississippi dis
trict was practically conquered, so far as
ability to furnish supplies of men, arms
or provision were concerned, as though it
were in reality occupied by the Union army.
These events on the Mississippi constituted
reverses which the Confederacy neither
in men nor means could endure without
great strain.
Pollard SAYS 'The opening Of the Mis-
sissippi resulted in the retreat of our army
from Little Rock, the surrender OF that i'm
portant valley to the enemy, and the aban-
donment of a campaign auspiciously begun
in Louisiana, owing to the release Of Gen.
BankS's forces from the siege of Port Hud
son."
1863, where should we draw the line show
ing the territory that the Union army had
recovered from the Confederacy? Starting
at point on the Ohio b ween Kentucky
and Virginia, thence south between middle
and east Tennessee, crossing the northwest
corner of Alabama to central Mississippi,
and thence to the Gulf All west of that
line was practically under the control of the
Union army, or at least estoppod from aid
ing the rebellion.
In addition to this every port was closed
and only the occasional blockade runner,
loaded with military supplies, succeeded
in eluding the vigilance of the blockading
squadrons. The naval forces had also
made landings at different points along the
Atlantic coast.
l find by close examination that the
armies of the West occupied over 448 500
square miles of rebel territory, containing
| a population in 1860 Of d. 1856, 500, nearly
| five-eighths Of their entire domain, and at
| the beginning of the war contained almost
| one-half the population of the Confederaay.
While | am aware that each of these
| States then occupied by the Federal forces
furnished large numbers Of troops at the
| beginning Of the war, they We're now cut
| off as recruiting grounds, besides furnish
ing an excellent rendezvous for the many
Confederates who tired of the war; struggled
or deserted from their commands.
| GRANTS STRATEGY AND ENERGY.
Before leavingthis part of my subject,
/ must call attention to a most important
factor Of the Western army-one which
was from this time on to assume position
in the further prosecution of the war of
untold value to the Union cause.
The military strategy and silent, in
domitable energy displayed by Gen. Grant
in his Vicksburg campaign convinced the
people of this Republic that the conflict
had at last developedl a warrior who was
to lead the hosts of the Union to final vic
tory. With the fall Of Vicksbrlrg and Port
Hudson the Mississippi went once more
unvexed by traitors presence This
achievement released from that department
three large army corps, consisting of veter-
an troops flushed with series of brilliant
victories and under the command of Cen