Depletion of the enemy.
--There are gratifying evidences that the enemy has exhausted his best energies in the struggle for our subjugation, and that from this time his efforts will be the spasmodic endeavors of desperation.
From every military department reliable intelligence reaches us that the troops whose term of service has expired are going home, while we nowhere hear of any material accession to the
Federal forces from enlistment or conscription.
From
North Carolina the
Newbern correspondent of the New York
World informs us that 12,000 of the nine months and two years regiments are being mustered out of
Foster's army.
From the
Rappahannock we learn that on one day of week before last five transports, containing 6,000 men, left
Aquia Creek for
Washington, being a portion of those whose term of enlistment had expired.
The
Herald admits that from two to four regiments per day are arriving at home from the army of the Potomac; and late telegraphic advices from the
North state that the departures have been so great as to break up
Gen. Humphrey's division.
Passengers from New Orleans say that 9,000 are going home from
Gen. Banks's army, and the same reports come from the armies of
Grant and
Rosecrans.
The number of effective men thus leaving the
Federal service during the months of May and June will be between 200,000 and 300,000.
The draft thus far has not been enforced, and, from our own experience with the conscription, it will be some months before their places can be filled if its enforcement is attempted, and, when filled, that number of levies of raw conscripts will add very little to the efficiency of their amy
