Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-10-18
RICHMOND WHIG,
HOPES AND PROSPECTS OF The ARMY.
4 I'm, IL. L IL

~.
ihe Intense and universal anxiety which pe.vades
~ country at the present for inte genc. from
"'e seat Of war-ths esger impa,ience with which ev.
cry eegraphc despatch is srud aud every circun-
stance watched frvm which an inference or hope can
Oedfawn-'he burning interest which Identifies every
mem'er OF this great community with events which $,
deeply concern the honor AID welfare Of Eng and-sre
feelings which have in time ruled with So much
power 'he thought, and hearts OF cuuntrymen The
amazing sFeed Of modern Inventions. which lend the
'o'ce 81 steam aud The simultaneous puslons of elsc
'fei'y to the communications from the army appears
scarcely more rapid than the aggard step the Village
p"Sman. In every family, in every assembly Of men
IN every casual meeting, thought, question a,
swallowed up all others -"Wha, news from Se5as;orol
And to that question we still give np adequate 70.
ply. But there Is in this common and all pervading
sentiment, grandeur aud strength which do honor to
the nation With all its sacrifices and with all its hpr
f's war teaches IN Irresistible language the force OF
that nd which makes US people and ennobles us as
Engshmen; tries the depths Of that affection which
unies us to the slne glorious country and exacs the
sacrifice Of life itself public interest and public duty
II had been argued and imagined by some that the pro
g;ess OF industry and the accumuali,n of wealth du-
ring space ot iOry years had in degree relaxed
the martial spirit "t this nliIun and n least ndis ps.d
1t 10 sat IN" hazards. of w,r. NJ doubt the bless
ngso peace had taught that war as not lightly To be
rrO'ok-d "r begun, but when It came though IN stape
not directly menacifg our safety homes, the an>
cien spin, VI the county instantly aroused:
araiions were made scale adapted To our wealth
and power; aTmaments were fitted out such IS never
le "ur ports beorc and from the highest the hum
b's' rank If society eager To enu.Ce in This
undertaking. They knew what wherever they went
and whatever might BE- the result or their rffr s. their
couuiIy wacied and shared with incessan nj and passion
ate sympathy their dangers and lir hope; and in the
hour uf battle. whether the heights which encon-
pass Sehas'opu, or the waves which break up-
on the Iaufc Cherunesus. that thought which untteS
the ie"t and army II ourselves has been their sreng
and their pride.
There Is every reason 10 beleye that the first contest
must have taken pac. about the NIne which we had
been led 10 anticipate it BY previous nornaun for
all the accounts hch arrive by diff rent channels con-
rm The main fact that The Russians had taken IN 10
S'iion between the Alma and the Catcha rivers at
P"l" Which The allied armies probably reached the
2U'h INST The force attributed 10 Prince MenschikutT
being not above % 600 men, 1t is impossible that ne.
should offer successful resistance army consisting
uf al least double that number. but as the Iss ur d
vs'n Of that srrng h, IT II piece or dis
perSed, would be severe blow on the garrison of
Sehasupol aud the ultimate defence ur the mace
rather infer that the Russian comms eder-In-chi.t
VIII not dispute the passage Uf thes rivers to the last
extremity. but will i'ck On the r'fed heights. where
he fay wait the attack OF the allied armies To much
made n c'nv'y Russ an reiniurcemenis 10 the Ci
mea in gun5oas the Sea Of Azof where uur se
meT- cinut penetrate r OF water: but the enter
prise was not succesSiul-SOme Cf the boats were lsi
WIN ihr men On board. and doubt if any adllt n 10
Prince MerscIkot's forces he made from that quar-
ter.
Iii- rsrnn iho-cf,r-, hopeless one as il i,
posso'e 10 conceive The south extremity Of
the Crmea 10 which his operations appear To be con
fined Is rugged triangle, surrounded On wo SIDES 10y
the ~ ch commanded hy allied fleet hile The,
Inc oi Iand iorhcaion ut It's tass Is threatened and
surrounded by an army alike superior In NUMBERS and
~ quality. Ii 1t De found possible, hope il NAV
To advance our posts pm The north side If the hartur
II Sebasipo To Baaklavs or any uf the bays on the
southern coast. distance exceeding three or four
miles. the place would be entirely invested and the
whole Russ an fleet and army shut up in corner 4
force thus shut IN by and land must inevitable "a
uale al no distant period unless be able To- hold cut
untl the place Is relieved But what prospect is tte Of
lie Russians being able iu march sufficient army 10
the relief Sebastup,, when find THAI in the course
OF the last Two months since the destination Of the ex
pediun was well known, they have not succeeded in
throwing any considerable reiuforcemrnts inntb. ri
meat 10 meet the allied armies with II, ct in The r.
SiiIOS they have doubtless by this lime orcuuisd II
would he Necessary iar General Osten Sacken or whp-
ever the general cOu.man!Ing ia the government of
ChtrSun may be- 10 advance with a complete arInv of
at least 90 UUU distance Of three ur four hund ed
miles across tile seppes which this season alike
destitute uf grass aud water. But we have no reason
10 suspect the existence OF such and even
any attempt were made TO relieve Sebasropl from the
north, the invading army is able. both bv It's strength
and It's Position, TO defeat both visions Of the eiemy
before junction could De- Effected. The reinf1rcem
II l5OvJ men. ken of In The dispatches already re-
ctyed probably relates To the detachment which had
been placed IN The ascrn portion ofihe Crnel to watch
the port ct kafle. Prince NJ nschiEof ppears to have
acted with judgment in reducing the garrison OF Eupa-
ipra 10 four hurded men, since, whatever its strength
might have been, II must have b cut off in tn. even,
VI the iatdIng being effected in the Bay # kalama.
II now iurns out that The report o the landing Eupl.
Oi, was not entirely uniunGed. and that small force
occupied that point, which undeended the day
before the PRINCIPAL Instrumentation OF the amy COM
menced at Old Fort In the event Of change Of wea,
Iher probable that the roadstead Of Espaiora nav be-
OF usr as shelter Cor vessels from the nth west wind
which blows with eXteme violence scruss the strppDs
These details will howeSe:. q entirely eNpl1ned by
hc arrival the next despat hes We are now la IN men
tory expectation Of twu udlstnc' communications The
French Pcs, Office steamer. rharur which len Con.
>rantluupr on the 2Oth, and reached Msrsees on the
18th. list have brought the deplrchfs from the fleet
giving an account Of the operations down to the lSih
"hIch ought In reach London tn day. But il an ac-
on has been fought. decisive occurrence has Ia
Ken pace sine that date. It will probably reach us in
he lifst instance by ieegraphIc message from vi.
pur