, 1861-07-15
Cl)itaQo Trihutte
MONDAY, JULY Is, 1861.
THE TORPID ANACONDA.

THE TORPID ANACONDA.
There is encamped on the right and left I
links Of the Potomac, mighty army;
the largest md finest that ever was col
lcc,ed On this continent It is worthy Of |
tie title Of "The Grand Army" This i'm
mcnse array Of acrenty thousand comba-
.ants from Gen, Mcdowell, their field COM
maLder, down to the drummer boys, are
burning with Impotence for the order to
advance On the rebels But there they |
have encamped for weary weeks and
months in state Of demoralizing inaction-
The most advanced outposts are not be-
vond sight Of the Capitol. The sultrY days |
have been spent in the arduous toll Of
diegirg trenches; and the nights are made !
slcepless by constant alarms occasioued by |
rcbe' suerrillas lurking in thickets and
shooting seutinels. In this inglorious way
lie months Of May and June have come
:nd gone, and we are now in the middle
Of July. Every day for eight weeks the
public hns been RECALLED By telegraphic
assurances from Washington letter writers,
from Congressman and Governors, and
other high personages just from head
quarters, that the Grand Army was on
the very eve Of marching against the trai-
tor foe. We are told that the "plan" is
bold. vigorous and comprehensive, and
cannot fail in its noble results to give great
joy to the hearts Of patriots, and spread
CONSERVATION among the rebel host. Night
after night has this comforting assurance
been carried us on the wings Of the light
nings, until people haye lost faith in cleo
tricity, and pronounce its statements un-
mitigated falsehoods. Hope deferred
makes the heart sick, and the country
inpatiently demands to know the reason
for the procrastination. The inquiry is
answered by stating that the long and sick
ening delay has been occasioned by the
want Of sufficient wagons and draft ami
mails for the tran sportation service, but
That orders have been Issued f u their pro-
curement. If it be asked why these we're
not provided sooner, the reply is, that it is
an impe1tinent question and the author Of
the "plan must not be bothered By such
intrusive inquisltivcness,
Precious weeks pass away and nothing
but the same old song Of AN advance TO-
morrow" regales the public ear! But
alas tomorrow never comes.
Whispers come from Washington that
the reason the grand army does not adj
vance is, because it is unprovided with
artillery sufficient to cope with that
In possession Of the rebels; and also
that il is destitute Of cavalry, while
the enemy is protected By clouds of morse
men, and that it would not be safe or pr1-
dent for the grand army to move until it be
adequately supplied with these indispen-
sablo elements ofa complete corps darnse.
Why artillery and cavalry we're not called
out simultaneously with infantry or soon
afterwards, is unknown to tile people.
And to ask for tie reason is denounced as
another impertinant interference with the
mysterious anaconda "plan." Thus the
Deople are brow-beaten and silenced while
the precious days Of the campaign are
frittcred away in affairs Of out-posts.
Meanwhile the term Of enlistment Of 80,.
600 mcn is On the eve Of expiration. Thir.
ty thousand Of the army at Washington
will be on their way to their homes
next week and the week AFTER The
grand army will be reduced almost
one hall, and months must elapse befort
its ranks can be filed Is full as at present
Is it likely that an advance will take place
with 10000 men when none was mad.
with 10000: Gen. Butler will, in few
days, lose half Of his force, and Patterson
and Mcclellan tsto-thirds Of their division
by the expiration Of the three months en-
listments What condition viii they the
be in for offensive movements? Had til
amy been put into active operations
month ago, and kept at work, fghtin
no matter how much or how hart
the volunteers would have been in the
glory, and not man would hay
thought Of going home, while the1
was prospect Of active employme1
for his bayonet. It is the drear.
idleness Of camp life that dlsgu6ts and di
courages volunteers. They enlisted #
active service. They want chance
the enemy. They left home to fight Il
rebels and conquer them or fall in the
tempt. They cannot endure the snai1-li]
motions Of red-tspe. They demorali
under the eneryating policy Of donothin
What between want Of baggage Wagon
lack Of artillery, destitution of cayal'
disbanding Of disgusted volunteers, t
country must draw. its own conclusio
concerning the supreme wisdom Of
wonderful "plan" and its brilliant exc
ton. Pcrchance before these lines m
the readers eye, the long withheld wo
Advance, will have been given. Let
wait . little longer in the hope that sol
thing may yet be done to realize the i'd
trous confidence hitherto reposed in
sagacity sad wisdom of the keeper Of
anaconda