Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-10-04
view. of the Ohio conservatives.

Powhatan Rifles, one OF the t"eiVe INCH
Mountain soldiers, who returned here last
Wednesday evening on parole, fora copy OIL INC
Columbus (Ohio) Crisis of the 26th Septem-
Der, from which VIC make the following OK.
tracts. The 'Cris;s" is conducted by Samuel
Medary, who was for more than twenty years
the editor Of the Columbus STATESMAN, md
q distinguished leader Of the Democratic party
of Ohio. The articles in the "Crisis" doubt.
less express the views Of the conservative"
men Of Ohio:
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
The Cincinnati Gazette" speaking of Of.
fairs in Missouri, says:
an view Of the situation in Missouri, the
Federal forces having to contend against great
odds, We may Inquire why it is that Western
troops continue to be ordered to Washington.
Cannot the East defend the Capitol? When
will Washington be considered safer Arc
our brave soldiers in the West to be sacrificed
as they were at Springfield
These arc very pertinent questions, and de-
serve the notice Of the Government We arc
a little inclined probably to be captious, yet
we are very slow to find fault with military
Generals. Their labors are great and preca-
rious, and O little jar, mistake, or failure in an
order may derangc or defeat the greatest Of
military projects. History is full OF this, and
history should not be overlooked at this time,
and We have withheld our pen from the paper,
often, when our modification would have
prompted us to expose the shortcomings, not
of our military men, but of civilians, who, il
seemed to us, were wholly ignorant Of their
duties, and suffered our soldiers 10 rest under
notifying results when the cause was not
their own.
But as the " Gazette" has opened a very i'm.
portant question, we hope to be excused for
intrudine a remark that will be found in time
to be not out Of place. If Pennsylvania and
Now York alone cannot furnish soldiers
enough to defend Washington City, then We
arc in a war that we are unable to prosecute
successfully. This may seem like a bold ex-
preston, but is it not SO?
We have up to this time been incredulous
as to the Confederatcs ever meaning to attack
Washington. The Southern people may have
desired it, but those who control military and
civil matters South, certainly knew that they
could make more out Of the summer campaign
by drawing all the forces of the North TO that
point, than by any other course. Time, with
them, was everything; and have they not
gained it, and at the same time literally over
run the Southwest!
The Western Virginia campaign is still more
~fruitlcss. 1t has been little else to either party
that Il conquest of mountains and deep valleys,
from which both armies must retreat on the
approach OF winter, and that is now close upon
us.
Gen. Lyon fully comprehcnded his expedi.
ton, as he was familiar with its Importance,
and had some attention been directed in that
quarter in time, instead Of 10 Fortress Monroe
and Washington city our Western affairs would
now be in a very different attitude. 1t is true
that Gen. Pillow made q demonstration on
Birds Point and Cairo, but it was easily to be
Seen that it was a mere feint to draw Gen.
Fremont's attention, while Gen. Lyon and his
brave land were made the victims. So scnsi-
BILE were We Of this, for We know that county
we'll, that we solicited some one here, whose
word would have authority, to telegraph Free
mont 10 let Birds Point alone. and looS after
Gen. Lyon, adding that "any General who hail
sense enough to cross the Mississippi with his
army had too much sense TO attack Birds
Point and Cairo"
Some two weeks followed, and Gen. Lyon
was the victim, and his disseminated army on
the retreat. Birds Point was not attacked,
and Gen. Pillow retired to Tennessee.
Now where are VIC? We have scarcely the
courage to tell our readers where We are
Had the money and time been spent in sending
aid to Gen. Lyon, that have been spent in a
humbug ~Aotilla, Gen. Lyon would now lie in
possession Of Fort Smith, holding all Missouri,
Kansas and the whole Indian country in check,
instead Of in his grave in Connecticut. Now
all is for the present lest, and Kentucky likely
to give MS rs much a. VI wait to do for a few
weeks.
Less than two hundred thousand men cannot
now do what twenty. five thousand might have
done two months ago. As much as we have
objected to the manner in which this war was
brought upon lis, and as great as was onr de.
sire to see the whole power, patriotism and
intellect Of the country put in motion to test,
first, o pcaceable solution Of our most sad ma
tional troubles; yet, so far rs was necessary,
and to the extent to which we may DO forced
into it, land we should have persisted in being
on the side Of ".being forced" y VI desire it
conducted so as to be crcditable to orr army
and honorable to our people, for NC have Il
reputation to preserve az we'll as acquire, and
at the same time q country to save.
We should carry with lis the power Of pub,
lie sentiment, as well as the power of orr arms.
The danger is in failing to do either, unless
our authorities correct many mistakes they
arc frequently making. \ little more freedom
Of the press will work good in some Of these.
From Missouri We have the most exciting
news. Gen. Price has, after n severe conflict,
and with q loss on his side $50 say the latest
accouuts) Of 800 men, taken Lexington and
the whole Of Col. Mulligan's command-some
:, 500 men. The Cincinnati Gazette" says:
I'VE should not forget that, besides prison.
oners, a large amount Of material Of war, a
thousand horses, and two boats with amlnu-
milton which had been sent to his relief, have
fallen into the hands Of the rebels. The loss
of this important point and of this army BY
All overwhelming force, when its march on
Lexington was known in time to have rein.
forced it, and when the means for reinforcing
it undoubtedly existed in the Western Depart,
ment, demands a formal inquiry into tho rca-
son and responsibility of this disaster"
This is truly a great loss to lis and endan-
gers Bonneville and Jefferson City.
General Price released on parole all but the
commissioned officers, and 9, 900 of them have
passed home to Illinois, thus closing their
campaign for this war, as they cannot again
take up arms. How many of Col. Mulligan's
men were killed Of the 2 900 is not stated.
1t is very difficult to tell where all the troops
in Missouri are stationed, of either the Federal
or Confederate armies, as all the news>we get
comes very scattering through st. Louis, and
4 vast amount of it coming from lip to lip I'M
til it reaches the newspapers, and vastly ini-
proved generally by the imagination, or di.
unfinished, as the case may be.
Kentucky, most unfortunate Kentucky, has
gone into the war troubles in great earnest.
Her position Of peace and neutrality has only,
from all appearances, whctted her appetite for
bitter contentious. Armed men arc already
forming in every part of the State, hostile to
each other. Louisville is already a camp, and
SO with many other towns. We quote again
from tho Gazette
IF, as reported, Buckner and his forces