The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-06-14
The First Battles--T'hS Probable
81 40 .0ii1s.ise Issue.

The First G Battles--ThS Probable
lsli 40 u0iias.ias Issue.
The country looks to Fort Pickens and
to the Virginia Rorders for the first i'm
portant engagements between the free.
men of the South and tho Northern srb
jugators. The chances of war at both
these points are clearly on the side of the
South. In proof of this, the best testi-
| mony is that Of our enemies, who Of course
| boar unwilling witness to their own weak
ness. In regard especially TO Fort Pick.
ems, tho Washington correspondent OF
the Cincinnati Eaqarer said a day or two
since. iqlA
f. | was shown letter received hero. to-
day from an officer now at Fort Pickens
to his father in this city. He says the
Fort cannot possibly be held out against
the Confederates for tweAty four hours, as
Bragg has SO arranged his batteries that
he can lodge shells into the Fort every
minute.
The Louisville Journal of Tuesday also
contained the following editorial, which
states the case more in detail, and more
decidedly in our favor: T.
We expressed our opinion the other
day that the attack upon Fort Pickens,
whenever made, would be successful
We do not see how any other result can
reasonably be expected. The Confederate
troops upon the main shore are vastly
Fmore numerous than the United States
troops in the fort and upon. the island
and they have been engaged for months
in planting their batteries and strengthen
ing their defences. They are prepared
to fight from behind walls as impenetra-
BILE to caunon balls as the walls of the
Fort, and under as. perfect protection
from bombs as the men in the Fort will
have. And now, when we consider that
they have three or four times as many
heavy guns and mortars as are in the
Fort, we don't understand how the result
can be considered at all doubtful. We
really don't see why, since the condition
of war is recognized in both sections, the
commander OF the Confederate troops at
Pensacola has had the privilege accorded
to him Of fixing his own time for the at
tack. Maybe it is mere Difference or cour-
tesy or po!iteness on the part Of the Unit
ed States Government. Still we are aware
that we ought to hesitate long before pre-
suming to condemn the military plans Of
the greatest General Of tho age.
What we anticipate at Pensacola we are
also inclined to anticipate at Harper's
Ferry, at Norfolk, and at Sewall's Point
In all Of those places the Confederate
troops, under the command of experience
and skillfu generals and civil engineers,
have had Just as much time and just os
many cannon of all descriptions for
strengthening theirpositions as they could
desire. At I1arpers Ferry they have
planted columbiads and other tremen-
dous guns upon the SUBMITS Of the many
almost perpendicular heights in that wild
region; besides having powerful batteries
upon the level Of the village, pointed so
as to sweep every possible way ofapproach;
and they do not entertain doubt that,
with ten or twelve thousand troops, they
can easily and SPEEDILY repel forty or fifty
thousand nssalants. At Norfolk, the
Conie elerate troops, under ;he guidance
of the famous Beauregard, have planted
between four and FIVE hundred of the big
gest guns in America, all taken from the
Gosport Navy Yard, for two or three miles
along the shore, whilst the rear approach
to the harbor is rendered impossible by
sunken vessels. At Scwall's Point they
have placed just as many guns and troops,
and completed just such Notifications rs
they have deemed necessary to the cer-
tain accomplishment Of their purposes.
Now we have watched the late military
movements with considerable care, GER
tainly with much anxiety and it really
seems to us, at this distance, as If the
United States Government were prepar-
ing to attack the Confederate troops at
all the points named with force scarce,
ly il at all superior to their own. If this
be done, the United States iroops, hover.
cr brave, or even desperate, viii most as
suredly be beaten Lack in every instance,
if not annitiiated. Indeed, VIC see no
recon why the Confederate troops at
Harper's Ferry and ot Norfolk could not
with their very great advantages, rcpel,
with terrible slaughter, three or four times
their own number. Still, we have no right
to give up confidence in Gen. Scott and
his distinguished counselors. Perhaps,
after all, no attack is to be made. We
earnestly hope it may be so.