Year: 1863




clock or q wooden nutmeg, or anything IKE
an incsndiary abolition document-te visit
these springs, with family and friends and
as he draws chair out on the front porch,
sets himself in it, lights q segar, gaiiy
whistles the red, white and blue. while
what few remain of the chivalry only re-
member such old and familiar sounds with
bitter and to them too truly disgraceful re-
suits - - r- --er-I"- ~ -


While the Virginia Central Railroad is
to be classed among those OF the very
highest Importance to the confederacy,
from the fact of its availability for the
transportation of subsistence supplies from
rich corn, grain, and cattle country, still
the loss of the use of the Tennessee and
Virginia Railroad by the taking Of Lynch
burg, or the destruction of the bridges In
that neighborhood, would be greater blow
to the rebels than would be fighting of a
great battle or the gaining Of almost any
success-anything but the total defeat OF
Lees army-on the banks OF the Rapldan.
| On the line Of the zEirsinia-and Tennessee
Railroad, between Abingdon and Marion,
aud communicating with it, also by rail, is
place known as Saltviile. This place
alone can furnish sufficient salt to supply
the whole of the eastern and middle part
of the confederacy. ---f


The rebels now work the mines both
night and day. The pork and cattle they
gather from the different counties in Vir-
glnia is cured with this salt. The rebels
have packing houses at different points
along the railroad from Abingdon to and at
| Lynchburg. The salt is conveyed from
| these mines in really immense quantities
in fact, in such quantities as would astonish
persons not accustomed TO see salt in great
er quantities than it is observed in our
! Northern warehouses. Before the inter
ruption of the railroad line the enemy was
in the habit of sending from Saltville great
deal of salt for the troops in the Ear South
| while he at the same time had sufficient left
| to meet the entire wants of the Contedera'
ey in the East You may destroy all the
salt works along the coast and az long as
Saltville is in rebel possession the rebel
army will not suffer for want of salt. Then
| there is another point on this railroad oil
vast Importance to the rebel interests
South of the road, near Wytheville, are rich
lead mines From these mines the enemy
secures sufficient load wherewith to supply
his Eastern army.


ARE THE REBELS STARVING!


The stories of rebel starvation are false
1t is true the army often suffers for want
Of supplies, and that prices are wonderfully
| high in Richmond, but this is not near rs
much owing to the scarcity of provisions as
it is to the lack of the means whsrewith tC
transport these SUPPLIES from loug distances


Withinthe confederacy there is much, and
more than we have any idea of in the sub.
sistenCe line; but it is for the want Of trans
portation that the rebels fail to secure it in
abundance. Hence it is that anything
tending to destroy the enemy's lines of rail-
road or other means of communication is oi
such immense importance to our interests
| The loss of the use of the James River
Canal would be to the rebels terribly Sc
we're blow. The canal is now owned
by company Of French cspitalists.-


1t was originally owned by corporate company
Of Americans, the State of Virginia holding more
than one-half the shares At the last Legislature
of Virginia-the one that last held its session be-





as to owners. No doubt the French company
bought it in good faith. Not so with those Of the
Legislature, who knew and were interested IN the
transfer. They had an eye to secession and got
this French company to buy the canal in order to
interest the French Government in the South and
the secession cause. Wise was one Of the main
leaders in this serious scheme Some are inclined
to think that Lynchburgh cannot be taken without
great loss Of life. Such is not the fact Lynch
burgh it is true is we'll fortified, but not Us well
fortified as wo think it is. Tho rebels have not
the niggers nor the men TO spare to put 1t IN per-
feet state of defense Another thing, We have
men enough to take it without causing much loss
of life. Lee would have to do one Of two Things,
in the event Of an advance Of an array on Lynch,
burgh He would either have 30 fall back and
defend Lynchburgh or in no, doing 30 be starved
out of Richmond and the eastern portion OF 'r-
ginia The lines at Lynchburgh being destroyed,
the remaining lines could not afford sufncient
means Of subsistence for the army and the people
! No further argument is necessary


| . SsConsidering, too, this is only commentary on
the feasibility Of suoh plan, entering into de-
tails with remarks on speculations and contipgen
ces would be superfuous All want to show is,
that the interruption Of the enemys lines for the
procuring Of subsistence and other supplies is now
more than ever, Of the highest Importance, and by
this means We can put down the rebellion quicker
than in any ether way The enemy cannot repair
such damages as quickly as they can overcome
other kinds Of disasters. The mechanical power
of the South is necessarily very restricted II is
now that we see that the capture Of believe, for
ty or fifty engines at Grenada, in Miaisssppi, was
greater blow to the confederacy than If we had
captured the whole of Goa. Johnson's army. In
Conclusion, and in regard to the movements that
have just been made, l will remark that the cut
ting of the Virginia and tennessee Railroad line,
besides seriously interfering with Longstreet Is an
action greatly affecting the subsistence supply in
tersst Of the rebels in and around Richmond


coscLUsIoy


In the above, have refrained from giving cer-
tain details in consequence Of their reaching you
soon r, and mo correctly through rebel sources
mean late Southern papers.


OF XCH A ANGE.