Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-14
GRUMBLINe AT THE SOUTH.

trembling at the dilatoriness Of military
movements is not confined to the North, where
almost every editor eriticises General Scott
The Charleston Mercury of the I'd instant, is
equally sggrieved by the Fabian policy of the
Confederats leaders. Ii says:
We are net generals in the field, and We do
not intend to be 30 on paper; but there are
few plain principles and facts which any mind
may understand. without having fought bat
ties or won victories
In the frst place, delay is against US in the
matter Of numbers. The policy of the Csnfed-
crate States, it seems to as, was and is, not to
wait until vast masses are aggregated upon
MS, but TO act promptly with such troops as we
possess, and to demoralize and prevent the
discipline Of the troops of the United States by
yanquishing them.
For, in the second place. our raw troops are
far superior to the raw troops Of the United
States. Our people are used to arms. They
are accustomed to the gun and the horse The
people Of the North can neither shoot rifle
nor ride horse, unless trained. Is it good
policy to let them be trained
And in the third place, no soldiers, espe-
cially undisoiplinea soldiers, as the greater
part Of all the soldiers now in the field must
be, can stand the eternal agitations Of appre-
heDded attacks in q defensive warfare. To be
called out continually to prepare for battle,
and yet not to fight, will chill the hearts Of
the bravest troops.
And still further, instead of having ene point
for anxiety. attention and alarm are exacted
to half dozen. Troops, at a heavy expense,
are scattered about for the protection of diff
erent points. This is the necessary incident
of defensive policy. Aggression has its OBJ
ject single, and carries fears before it. Both
the morale and the economy are better
BuI, more than all, the Confederate States
ought not to allow one foot Of Southern soil to
Do the battlefield between the two sections of
the Union. The weak evacuation Of Alex
andria, and the horrors perpetrated upon it's
helpless women, shows the impolicy Of such
warfare.
But we are not prepared to assume the ag-
gressiEe. Who says so, We heard three
weeks ago that there were fifteen or twenty
thousand Confederate troops and sixty thou
sand Virginia troops in Virginia. How is it
that bat six hundred Of these troops were in
hlexandris to defend il, after weeks of infor-
nation that il was to be seized, and at the last
adYices, there were but three regiments at
Manassas Junction? Are small bodies Of men
to be placed unsupported in positions to either
retreat without q fight or be sacrificed?
Where are the 10000 men of the regular army
ordered 20 be raised by one Of the very first
acts Of the Confederate Congress? If more
troops are needed in Virginia, why are they
not there? Have one-third of the volunteers
who have been eager to go to Virginia been
accepted Has q single regiment Of horses
been accepted to march to Virginis-those ter
rible instruments Of destruction, especially to
undisciplined troops?
Suppose at this moment any one Of our gen
erals in Virginia had an army but of 10000
men ard 10, 900 horse under his command, can
any one doubt that it would drive every Yam
kee across the Pennsylvania line7 And is it
possible that the Confederate government,
after months Of legislation and preparation,
with offers of hundreds of Thousands volup-
teers, cannot bring together this small mill
tary force TO move on the enemies Of the South?
Is IL not impossible to believe? We cannot
Percsive the policy after war is declared of al
lowing our sountry to suffer the rsvages Of
war, and to wait on our enemies to make their
attack and rayages how they please. II the
900 troops who fed from Alexandria had imi-
tAted the brave spirit Of its single defender,
and had laid it in ashes rather than have sur
rendered it, Virginia and the South would
have been in different position this day. Let
rs give over the silly ides Of war without de-
strpcnOn, and, like the Russians OF Moscow,
give our enemies desOlation instead of submis-
sioa ss the fruit Of their victories.
By assuming the position Of the defensive
we have lost Maryland, endangered Missouri,
neutraszed Kentucky, and are now making
Virginia our battle field. Is this wise states
manship! Is it efficient generalship? Fa-
bian tactics are out Of place. We trust the
war policy Of the South is about to become Az
gressive and efficient. 1t is time, and we are
glad to see that our gallant commander-in-
chief, after directing the preparations Of the
war bureau for two months, has made Rich
mond his headquarters.