The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-15
What Our Reverses Teach.

C. r. DREW EDITOR
What Our Reverses Teach.
The retreat of Gen. Sigel from Springfield
towards RolIa, indicates that, notwithstand-
ing our boosted resources in men and MON
ey, we are once more outnumbered and
overpowered. Rolla is distant from Spring
field 100 miles, and if Sigel's retreat is con-
tinued until that point is reached, all South
western Missouri will be left to the tender
mereies of an infuriate enemy. The Home
Guards will be dispersed, their property de-
stroyed, and untold horrors devastate that
portion of the State. All that has been ac-
complished by two or three months of in
cessant labor viii be wiped out by one fell
blow. Guerrillas will swarm in all parts of
the State, attacking and harrassing Union
men, destroying railroads and railroad
bridges, interrupting communications and
creating universal chaos.
This calamity has been occasioned, in a
great measure, by the return of the three
months volunteers to be discharged from
service before their places could be filled by
other troops, while it is not to be denied that
the enemy has played his part skillfully--
By pretending an attack on Birds Point,
attention was directed to that place, large
bodies of troops and vast quantities of mu-
nitions of war were concentrated there TO
repel an enemy who, doubtless, never de-
signed making an attack at that point at all.
In the meantime, however, reinforeements
were rapidly hurried across the State to Nc
Cullough, until his army was swelled tonear
three times the size of that commanded by
Gen. Lyon, who was forced to fight against
desperate odds. z
With our men scattered all over Missouri,
the rebels have been permitted to concen-
trate their forces and precipitate them on
detached branch of our army, which has only
been saved from annihilation by the in
domitable bravery of the men and the skill of
tn commanding officers. The folly of eutting
our army up into detached parties, for the
purpose of guarding railroad bridges over
every petty stream in the country will yet
become apparent. The rebels can never be
subdued in that manner, because, disregard
ing the march Of our troops into their coun-
try, (they have no reason to fear them, as
their families are never disturbed, nor their
property destroyed) they busy themselves
concentrating all their forces until, assured
they outnumber some particular division
ten to one, they attack and rout it.
So long as Eastern Virginia is untoueh-
- VET.,eo,--s -
of no use to US. 1t is true, State govern
ment is organized there and in operation
but let Gen. Lee once crush one Of the
wings of Rosencrans' army, of which there
is no little danger, and the government
will speedily evaporate. Had the men,
money and energy displayed in Virgin
ia all been concentrated in one grand
move on Richmond, months ago, before the
rebels had been able to erect their gigantic
system of Notifications which now oppose
us, affairs would present different aspect
at this juncture. We cannot conquer the
South, county by county, and State by
State and then garrison and hold posses
sion. Great vital points must be selected
like St. Louis, Memphis, Richmond,
Charleston and New Orleans-for capture
and possession Strike a death blow at
the heart and the extremities will cease to
occasion any trouble With Richmond in
our possession, but few days would elapse |
until Western-and, for that matter East
ern Virginia also, would soon quietly sub
nit to Whist would have the appearance of |
dire necessity. This plan will yet have to
be- adopted Our forces must be concen-
trated at prominent points or all our efforts
will prove nnavailing. Solitary Union
men in the slave States must nos expect
the government to furnish q file of soldiers
to protect them in the peaceable pursuit of
their usual occupations, while they furnish /
the soldiers with provisions at good round |
prices. Five millions of troops viii not /
suffice for a campaign of this kind. The |
rebels say they will make it a guerilla war.
Let them overrun their own country to their (
hearts content With their capitals and T
prominent seaports in onr possession, the
guerilas would soon become disguised vito
their occupation and return to their allie
glance, but 80 long as we scatter our armies
over the Southern States protecting Rail-
road bridge here, and guarding a Z MON
man there, the war win never end. Be-
sides by possessing the seaports we would
have but little trouble with European ma
tions concerning the blockade.
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