The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-01

"keave military MATTERS to M1lttary
Men,
We have already expressed the opinion TIL
Major ANDERSON, In view Of the understand
Ing between the two Governments, committed
a palpable violation of good fai.h in destroy
ing the public property at Fort Moultrie, and
taking possession Of Fort Sumter. He has not
oaiy violated good faith, hut, on his own per-
sonal responsibility, he has begun civil war
AT the same time, the movement will be val
liable one to the South, at the beginning OF an
apparently inevitable collision, IL it learns
lesson from the foresight vigilance, and en"f-
" Of this ofYicer. Much as we may csnsuie
his conduct We cannot but perceive IN TUG
events which have transpired In the haIpoi VI
Charles ton the immense advantages wnicn an
educated regular ofYfcer, even with limited re-
sources at hts command, possesses over brave,
Sut inexperienced civilians. IL the forts In
Charleston harbor had been watched by
nrac.,ced military eye, Major ANDERSON could
no more have moved his force and munitions,
or even single man, from Moultrie 10 sum
Ter than he could have transported them all
TO the moon. And if the Carolina guard boat
under whose very bows, 1t seems. schooner
load of soldiers and provisions passed with
out being challenged, had been naval vesseI,
she would have been hailed ss soon as she
came In sight and made to give an account of
herself, or else sunk upon the spot. We have
no doubt that South Carolina is in earnest,
and being so, the best thing she can do is to
select the most skillfui and experienced among
the officers Of the United States Army, who
have resigned or are about to resign, and make
him Generalissimo with the most plenary
powers-military dictator, il you please-and
let him control all military movements. If
any naval force is employed, however small,
it ought TO be placed under strict naval disci-
pline. So at least 1t seems to us outsiders
Military and naval science is not learned in a
day, nor are great Generals manufactured out
Of militia men. 1t would be little better than
murder in the first degree to send troops to
fight field battle under militia Generals
In guerilla warfare, and behind earthworks or
cotton bags, which will probably be the prin-
cipal mode of fighting in war between the
two sections, militia Generals will do very
we'll, with the advice OF some educated Aid
who has graduated at West Point But in any
great operations, equiring other qualities be.
sides mere bravery. the people have right &c
demand that they shall be led by educated and
scientific officers. Let military matters be left
to military men.
II is one of the fayorite calculations of the
enemy that Southern men will not be willing
10 enlist in the rank and file, that every mar
with clean shirt will want to be an officer
and that few will be inclined 10 submit to TIT
rigor of military discipline. We see nothing
of this disposition, howe ger, among the brave
gentlemen who now swell the ranks OF tn,
South Carolina soldsry. We take it fol
granted that men of the highest social preten
sions in the South will not be slow to volun
teer in the ranks, as the highest mobiles anG
gentlemen of England did on the appreben
sion of French invasion. The ranks of tn,
citizen soldiers, raised to defend England, are
full TO OVERLOOKING of the proudest aristocracy
of the land sometimes whole companies be.
ing mainly composed of Dukes, Earls and
Barous Moreover, in the organization of 8
Southern Army, we shall, if we are wise
adopt the system of France, the most military
nation of the world, in which every soldier i.
considered a gentleman, and when off duty 81
much entitled to courteous recognition from
his officer as if both were civilians; ard ir
every case keep the door of promotion to tn,
highest rank open to the humblest private
Beginning right; enforcing the strictest militia
ry discipline, yet discarding the starched
pipe.clay, antiqu ated formalities and rigors o
the English army system modelling our
selves upon the progressive, elastic, and ener
getic French; having each department, reg ular
militia, homo defenders, and coast guards
perfect in their special and peculiar sphere
we ought certainly to be able. in TIT
event of invasion, to make such defence o
Southern soil as will do justice to the South
ern blood of the American Revolution, anC
bequeath an heritage Of security and renoNI
to our posterity.