Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-09-07

Tactics Necessary-Fenrs Of the Coast
Defenses.
The New York 7ribunes North Carolina
correspondent, writes as follows, under date |
of August 26: H
learned by a conversation with Ex-Gov- |
ernor Bragg, Of North Carolina, late United |
States Senator, that we are about to witness |
an entire change in the disposition of the |
Confederate forces, and in the original plan |
Of their campaign. This change is the re- |
luctant acceptance of necessity ineXorably |
commanded by events, and it bodies certain |
destruction to their cause. II is no less than |
the disbanding of their grand army in Vir- |
ginia, by the withdrawal of the troops to |
their respective States for domestic protec. |
ton and defense against menaced Federal |
invasion at weak and exposed points of their |
territory. Humiliating as is this dispersion |
to their pride, and portentuous of ruin to |
their more ambitious aims, it is confessed to |
be inevitable, and is adopted as q last forlorn |
resort to save their homes from surrender |
to the occupation of our troops and perhaps
70 the horrors servile revolt. The formidable
navalIpreparationso of the Government, threat
eniDg attack upon the Atlantic and Gulf
coast, together with the contemplated expedi-
ton down the Mississippi under General Fre-
mont, have inspired the rank and file of the
army with alright at the danger of their
own States, and they are eager to relinqush
all their dreams of conquest and retire to
the defense of their families and property.
They would naturally care but little in the
presence of these immediate and personal
peris, for the myth of Confederate EN-
| pire, or for glorfyiDg JEFF. Davis as its head.
| The leaders, on the contrary, are 80 utterly
besotted with ambition and audacity that
! they reckon lightly local and individual
| losses and sacrifices in view of the larger re-
suits of the campaign. The welfare of the
| nennlp ia nothing tn thpn0--fhnir nrniudinac
nothing-if in the way of the realization of
| their visions of aggrandizement They
would regard the occupation of Florida, for
example, as of trihing moment could they
| swop 1t off for Missouri or Kentucky. The
| Floridians, however, would demur to this.
The leaders look solely at the strategic
| value of points or territory to be held as
won, while the people view it in q different
way, and their wishes will prevail over the
shrewd bur selfish counsels of their chieftains.
Before this general break up of the forces in
| Virginia, now confessed to be unavoidable,
unless q bold and successful strike is soon
| made Governor Bragg says powerful at
tempt will be made to occupy Maryland and
seize Washington. If the effort succeeds
they hope thereby to avert or delay the in
tended expedition Southwark. But the sue
cess of the enterprise is admitted to be prob
lematical. Lee, Davis and Johnston have
strenuously opposed the adoption of the
| pldu, Cl6dTly lUIGse6luB lub ul5dSGEOuS COu"
sequences of failure, which looks more
than probable, but they have been con-
strained to yield to the dictates of their des-
perate fortunes. | also learn that the i'm
pending attacks of the Federal forces at
different points in the revolted States have
been the cause of much disquietude to the
Confederate leaders, and more especially to
the authorities of the States whose repose is
threatened. These latter are largely act
uated by the instinct of self preservation,
| and believe that number one is by no means
to be overlooked. They are outs ripping
each other in urging the peculiar dangers of
their several States, and their consequent
claims upon the Confederacy for protection.
The States bordering upon the Mississippi
claim, that as first to receive the coming
blow, they should be the first to be pro.
tected. Louisiana asserts her importance as
| commanding the mouth of the Mississippi,
and apprehends that New Orleans is an ir-
resistibIy inviting point of attack. She is
fearful, besides that her immense plantation
wealth may be destroyed by the Yankees
tapping the levees and visiting her with q
deluge worse than Noahs. Georgia dilates
upon the importance of Savannah, and her
system of railroads. North Carolina declares
that Lincoln wants her inland waters for
the establishment Of an extensive naval de-
pot. South Carolina vaunts the consequence
of Charleston as the great Atlantic port of
| the Contederacy, and submits that it would
never answer to allow the recapture of Sum-
ter, the first trophy of the war. And thus
one State alleges one claim, and the next an
other.
l believe that the extreme limit of the
rebel resources, both of men and means, is
already reached. Their army can never be
much larger or better appointed than at
present. Conscriptions and forced contribu-
tioDs, applied with however great severity
and system, can not do more than keep their
military material at its present point, and
, the probabilities are against even this for
any extended period.