Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-10-17
50 The Situation"

"The Situation"
For the first and probably the last time, we a
caption which many of pretentous cotempo
rares have been content to keep standing, in imitation
Of that veracious sheet, the New York Herald.
What is the situation -? 1t may, in the first in
stance be promised that field operations will soon close
in Western Virginia if they have not already closed
The extreme cold Of that mountainous region, the ex
IRENE badness of the roads at all times aggravated in
winter BY alternate frosts and rains, the inadequate
of transportation and the long lines Of communica
ton to be held by either army as basis of active Ope-
ration, render winter campaign dangerous expert
ment, even were it practicable.
When we come to cast up the accounts and strike
balance of the results of the campaign of 1861, in
Western Virginia, we must confess that the exhibit is
not cheering Upon the whole, we fear that the
balance so asceraned will be found on the wrong side
of the sheet The Federal situation" in that section
is better than They will go into Writer quarters
in better strategic positions with the command of the
most important points and in possession Of large por-
tons Of the most desirable territory of Western Vir
gnin including two points which vital objects of
the military efforts Of both parties TO wit: The i'm
mensey valuable Salt Springs of Kanawha county,
have been of the very greatest advantage to the Con-
federacy to have secured and controd BESIDES Charles
ton on the head of steamboat navigation On the Great
Kanawha is q great commercial and social centre for
that part Of the State and the River being navigable
all seasons unes8 interrupted by fros from the Ohio
affords an easy channel by which the enemy from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and the North West may penetrate the
Centre West of Virginia The other point forming the
second important object of the campaign, the pos
session and control of the Baltimore and Ohio R. R.,
and n. Western Virginia Road, the latter branch of
the former and both in Virginia soil from the Maryland
line to the terminus of the first at Wheeling and the last
at Parkersburg.' These Roads enable the North and
Northwest TO pour into Western Virginia and Mary.
land at their pleasure Unfortunately this object Of tie
campaign, like that on the Kanawha has not been at
taned the possession Of these roads has not been secu
ed by side. The Kanawba with its salt and its ma
vigaton is held by Lincoln, is also the important
of the two great railroads referred to. With
out almost miracle, things cannotbe materially chang
ed there this year.
In Missouri and Kentucky, the scene changes toe
rapidly for the keenes eye and the quickest brain
dagguerreOype the situation Of things there with any
thing like accuracy. The reports that reach us from
who, while sitting for his photograph should keep sway
ing his head from one side to the other alternating tn
amusement by bobbiOg it up and down. thereby produ
cling suspicion Of sundry features mixed up like glib
lets in hash the mouth rising up to bite off the nose
and the mo7ng roend to listen to the quarrel Will
the eyes would probably be dancing jig on the top
the head or merged into one over the nose after the
Gent Sciian fashion, as practsed by Poyphemeus, tn
OyclOps and Garibaldians.
However, thing is nearly certain, namely that
the season advances and military operations on GU
Northern frontier become mpracticable and the wiz
ter opens up the extreme South by removing fror
Northern minds the dread inspired by its climate, W
may expect to find the main efforts of the enemy turne
against the valley of the lower Mississippi and the Sc;
coast of the Southern Atlantic and Gulf States TIL
was to have been unprecedented from the first In trut
we must suppose that it was apprehended by all WI
looked to the matter with any care and consideration
It was no doubt General SCOTS plan. The immen
number Of armed vessels and transports fitting up
every shpyard in the North shows the extent to whit
1t Is contemplated to carry these movements again
the Southern coast. The announcement that KentucI
is to be made the seat Of the war, is with the view
moving down upon Tennessee, Mississippi Alabama al
Lousiana-of penetrating as the Lincoln organs say
othevery heart Of the cotton region There will the
bepushed this winter with the utmost vgor There "
the main effort be made. If that effort fails the back
the lnvasonis broken If we maintain our ground tt
winter the may exist but it will not rage It III
langush on for few months and then tacitly drop
1t has been SAID to the people of the North that tn
need not be uneasy-tha when winter comes the Sout
ern Contederacy can be pierced in its most vital pa
and It's energies completely paralyzed bv an attack
lis wealthiest and weakest section-the Southern a
Southwestern Cotton States. This attack falling
this assurance to the Northern people being unredee
co. dissatisfaction will assume double force and Sewa
ana Lncoin be as great failures at the North as at
South These views we expressed in our issue of