The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-06-06


The crossing of the Ohio by United
States troops, and the advance OF two
regiments into the interior of WESTERN
Virginia az far as Grafton, 80 extends
the line of active operations as to ere.
ate q necessity either for retreat OF
the rebel troops from some OF their adj
yanced posts, or such division of their
forces that they can be easily beaten in
detail. They have already evacuated
Grafton at the approach of the regi-
ments from Wheeling; and there is now
no likelihood that the secession COM
mander-in-chief will attempt to hold
western Virginia. The large military
preparations in the State of Ohio, and
the facilities afforded by its numerous
railroads for Transporting soldiers and
supplies to the river, and sending them
across. present obstacles to any militia
~ operations by JEFF. Davis west of the
Alleghanies too formidable TO be en-
eountered while he has SO much urgent
business to look after nearer his head
quarters. But if he can maintain no
positions in western Virginia, he leaves
Harper's Ferry to be constantly men
aced by troops from the west, and must
therefore send large reinforcements,
and so weaken his means of resisting
the apprehended attacks on Norfolk
and Richmond, or else withdraw the
troops from Harper's Ferry altogether,
and by relinquishing post hitherto
deemed by him of first rate importance,
make practical confession of his ina
bility to carry out his original plan.
The vigor of the government, and the
mastery strategic net which General
Scott is drawing around him, has ere
this convinced Davis that he must give
give over his bold purpose of an attack
on Washington. The only reason that
now remains for holding Harper's Fer
~ is to command the Baltimore d Ohio
Railroad and prevent the forwarding
of federal troops by that route from the
West. But, as they can easily be sent
through Pennsy lvania, the retention of
Harper's Ferry with this view is of
minor consequence, and is hardly to be
weighed against the safety of two i'm
portant places like Richmond and Nor
folk-one the political capital, and
the other the important seaport of
the state. Harper's Ferry-by the APP
proach of western troops from Ohio,
of northern troops from Pennsylvania,
and of q detachment sent through
northern Virginia from Washin gton
could be surrounded, its communica-
tons and supplies cut off, together with
all possibility of retreat, and the rebel
forces in occupation there compelled
to surrender at discretion. If Davis
should attempt to prevent this, it would
be by the diversion of so large part
of his forces as to impair his ability to
defend places much more important to
his safety and prestige.
But the abandonment of Harper's
Ferry would be almost as bad for him,
in its moral effect on his supporters, ,as
the loss of battle-the retreat sugges-
ting SO humiliating a contract to the
Wanted occupation of Washington,
which his secretary of war was indis-
erect enough to predict would take
place before the first of May. But it'll
would save him from the necessity of
dividing and weakening his forces and
everlasting his means of transport, and
enable him to concentrate such num-
bers near Alexandria and Norfolk that
he could offer battle with a better
chance of success. Unless he is al
more skillfnl and long headed strategist
than anybody ever expected, and isl
meditating some unthought of plan for
out generating his renowned antagon-
list, he cannot much longer defer giving
battle without peril of utter ruin. If
he stands still while General Scott is
advancing and strengthening positions
all around him, encOmpassing him in
the tolls of superior strategy, his
followers will lose confidence, and the
hopes which they now entertain of
countenance by foreign powers will
soon vanish. Nothing can save him
and his cause but one or two early and
brilliant victories. He is so placed
that he must stake everything on the
success of battle. Gen. Scott sees
this, and, as soon as Washington was
fully out of danger and the Chesapeake
bay secure, he directed his operations,
first to transfer the seat of active hos
tilities to Virginia soil, and then tol
menace the enemy at so many different
points at once as to enfeeble him byt
dividing his forces, or compel retreatI
from some of his positions. Every
days developments increase the conf
dence of the country in the masterlyl
ability of Gen. Scott; and, until Davis
has won his first victory, every days.
delay must diminish the confidence of
the rebels in their leader World.