The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-07-31
The English Premier on the Battle Of
Bethel
From the London Post June 26. I

From the London Post June 26.1
II is, however, believed that the Northern
army. under command Of General Scott,
amounts TO sixty thousand men, and that
the enemy has in the field u force which il
supposed to range from seventy to ninety
thousand men. The former. if we may Judge
from the recent affair near Fort Monroe, ap-
peared to be i'll disciplined and ineffciently
commanded. The regiments which were
despatched, under the command of General
Pierce, to attack the intrenchcd camp at
Great Bethel, were speedily repulsed, and
IL the darkness of the night fired upon each
other. This disaster is attributed to the
misnamage,nent Of General Pierce, who il
it is stated, "lost his head" or to tn. dsin.
clination of the raw Northern levies to face
masked batteries and to stand "the CALLING
fire Of rifled cannon" The military opera
tons which hitherto have taken place in
America seem to European notions to be
utterly inexplcabc. La this country we
know comparatively little or nothing Of the
organization Of the Southern corces. We
are obliged to form our conclusions from
the not very trustworthy accounts with
which the New York papers favor the
world. 1t is, however. clear that both in
the attack upon Fort Snmter aud in the re-.
cent affair ut Great Bethel. the secessionists
were well provided with artillery, and that
their troops were sufficiently well handled
TO secure success. We suspect that the de-.
lay and hesitation which have marked ihe
policy Of the Federal Government are to be
attributed mainly to the circumstance that
Gen. Scott, IN able and experienced officer,
knows that militia regiments cannot, in the
short space Of two months, be converted
into well trained and efficient soldiers. Cen
Butler. who directed the disastrous move.
ment from Fort Monroe, was the other day
practcing lawyer who, of course, cannot
be expected TO become u general by inspi.
ration. The Northern army appears to be
in greut want of officers, owing to the cir.
cuinstance that the great majority of the of
fcer, of the regular army have thrown up
their commissions to take service with the
Southern insurgents. In few days we
may expect to hear that Manassas Gap has
been the scene of great struggle. upon
the issue Of which the fate Of the Federal
Capital must depend. Hitherto the pres-
tige Of success has been altogether on the
side Of the South--a matter of the greatest
Importance ut the commencement Of a cam.
paign. Mr.. Jefferson Davis appears to have
n we'll supplied, well otflcered and we'll or.
ganiz+d army /; whilst Dir. Lincoln and Gen.
Scott have under their command raw levies
more formidable on paper than they are TO
an enemy in the field. Actual warfare.
however, is n sharp, quick Instructor, and
the Northern population have only 10 imi.
tate the energy ard activity Of the Southern
insurgeants, to learn those habits Of discip
line and to collect those resources upon
which success depends quite as much as
upon endariug courage and good and
righteous cause. The two armies were ap.
proaching each other, and the fight which
seemed imminent st Manassas Gap will, in
ali probability, decide not the fate of the
campaign, but whether the North or he
South Is to become the invading party.