The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-09-27
rho Necessity of Faking tho Ag-
[ From the Richmnnl nisnnich ]

From the Richmond Dispatch.l
The New York Herald has repeatedly
boosted that with the first approach OF
frost, large naval expeditions would be
sent to attack the Southern cost, and
land armed bodies of men at such points
as would afford bases Of operations for in
vading columns, and probably enable the
invaders to appropriate the cotton, more
or less of which is always found in the
Southern ports. The calculation is that
these attacks upon the South will cause q
withdrawal of troops from Virginia for
Southern defence, and thus make the On
to Richmond" an achievement of COM
parative ease TO heavy invading columns
from Washington, Fortress Monroe, and
perhaps other points.
Forewarned, we ought to he forearmed.
| We must look the future squarely in the
face if we would be fully prepared for all
contingencies. The season is at hand, not
! six weeks distant, when the North, ac-
customed 10 a climate SO rigorous that a
| Southern winter will afford them their
best campaigning Weather by land or sea,
will make its greatest, and we believe, if
defeated, its final effort for the suljugation
of the Confederate States. 1t is worse
chan idio to deny that ito t.i.., e.r o,,a~a-
tons is ono which demands the utmost
vigilance and energy in defence. 1t has
at its command the whole United States
Navy, which it has increased by the addi-
ton OF the entire unemployed merchant
marine. 1t has almost all the seamen oil
the old Union, and its merchant captains
and other officers having always conduct.
ed the coasting trade of the South, are
; perfectly familiar with every accessible
point on the Southern seaboard There
are at least hundred points on the sea.
board at which they can land, and it may
be assumed as demonstrated, that if o
landing can be effected at Hatteras
known among mariners as the Cape oil
Storms. it can be accomplished at almost
any other portion of our extended sea.
coast We must open our eyes to the
danger if we would prevent it, and adopt
without delay, the essential means of Sc.
curity and defence.
With such vast frontier, it is impossi
bic that every point should be protected
There are soldiers enough in the South
and Southwestern States to defend Their
respective sections without calling oil a
man from Virginia. These will no doubt
be enrolled and disciplined, and all the
vulnerable points that can be fortified put
at once in condition to resist an attack.
But the great means of defence is to carry
the war into the enemy's country, and
give him so much occupation at home that
lie will be unable to send any considera-
tbi -ffsfee TO invade the South. In fine, an
immediate march into the enemy's coun.
thy has become essential to the defence Of
the South from the formidable plan which
has been adopted by the North for the
winters campaign.
We presume there are few men in the
South who can doubt not only the policy,
but the necessity of 4 movement North
ward. We have the force TO do it, the
military genius, and the ability in every
way. More than all it is dictated by self.
preservation. Not to advance now is to
recede, or, at all events, to expose our
cause TO great disaster. Whether o. not
Washington should be the object of attack
is a question we do not pretend to discuss,
but that the war should be carried into
the enemy's country there would nc
longer seem to be any question at all.