Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-07-17
FROM THE SEAT OF WAR IN VIR-
GINEA.

COWnicf-SCdTctfy Of war AeDS-1 dAaeeS hetufH
ING H0me-COl. Thomas Reported Erecstsd-
Case of his Arresi-Sensdtion PaPerS-Marsha
for Tennessee, etc.
= RICHMOND, July -.
There is no tyranny more exacting than that
Of cred tape" and the tenaOity with which this
Government adheres to certain dogmas, in re-
gard to the military service Of the country, is
beginning to excite the apPrehensions of many
Of its most intelligent and staunchest support
ers. They see, not without the deepest con-
Germ for its result, an evident attempt upon the
part sf the authorities, to regularize our gallant
little army, by bringing it as near as possible
TO the standard erected by the severest routine
of West Point. This Is sought to be accom-
plished by such expedients as lengthening the
period Of enlistment greatly beyond that for
which volunteers have hitherto generally been
called; By appointing all officers above the
grade Of captain, thus taking away from the
soldiers the choice of their rsgimental field Of
fcers; BY the introduction Of a system Of rigid
discipline in the minutie of camp life, which,
however necessary and proper for the soldiers
Of a regular army, as generally constitutes,
will be alike irksome and Improbable if
applied to our volunteers.
It is within my own knowledge that several
corps have already disbaRded, because, az it is
alleged, the Government refused to accept their
services, when rendered, for a shorter period
than three years. To what extent this win be
the case, I cannot say. It is to be regretteJ,
in the present exigencies of the country, that
it should occur at all. In mlny quarters, it is
feared, the considerations mentioned above,
VII seriously embarrass the enlistment Of VOL
u~uteers. I DO not believe such will be the result
in your State, whose inhabitants pride them
selves upon having earned for Tennessee the
appellation Of the &" Volunteer State" They
will maintain, in the Southern Confederacy, the
proud reputation they earned under the old
Uni3n. But one effect must be, everywhere, to
materially affect the character Of the enlist
mehts, whether for the better, as red tape per-
tinaciously insists, or for the worse, as com
mon sense modestly suggests, we must leave to
the future to decide.
To those acquainted with the constitution
Of the army now mustered in defsnse of the
honor and independence Of the South, it is need
lesst to state wherein it differs from any that ever
took the field before. The active intelligence,
proficiency in drill, steady courage and cheer
full submission 10 the necessary restraints of
discipline, which it displays, are the themes of
universal wonder and admiration. Men called
but yesterday from the pursuits Of peaceful
life, perform their military evolutions with the
skill and prOmptitude of veteran sOldieTy-ac-
customed to the comforts Of wealth, and even
to the refnements Of luxury, they undergo the
vicissitudes Of heat and cold, hunger, thirst,
fatigue and sickness, with the ~uncomplaining
fortitude Of regulars. They do not fight for
pay. Their unbought services are rendered as
a voluntary Offering upon the altar Of patriot
ism. When the time of their present seEyice
has expired, the same motives that promBtad
them to enlist before, will again infuenesahem
to volunteer their services should the country
demand them. Is it the part of wisdom, then,
to so hamper our gallant volunteers with the
useless but calling insignia Of regular service,
as to drive from the army hundreds who would
willingly re-enlist for a reasonable period,
under officers Of their own selection? That
such viii be the result of the present policy, is
matter Of serious apprehension.
With the exception of the cheering news
from Missouri, which came to Us through
Memphis, and is, therefore, already known TO
you, we have nothing of peculiar interest in
regard to the operations Of the military. The
reported victory of Col. Ramsay's Georgia
regiment, over a superior force of the enemy
at Laurel Hill, is neither confirmed nor de-
nied-no later intelligence from that quarter
having reached this place.
The time of several Of the three months regi-
ments in Gen. Patterson's command having
expired, they refused to re-enlist, and a portien
Of them, said to be four regiments, have
started home. It was the confusion attending
a failure to r~e-enlist them, and their conss,
quent departure, which probably gave rise to
rumors, everywhere current yesterday, Of in
subordination and mutiny in the enemy's camp.
A passenger from Harper's Ferry. to-day,
brings a report that Col. Thomas, OF St. Mich,
oIas notoriety, has been convicted of piracy
and executed at Baltimore. The report is
doubtless premature, though great apprehen.
sions are felt for his safety. There are facts
connected with his case which tend much tc
complicate the question. But if the Lincoln
ties desire his execution, they will not scrupls
in regard to questions Of law. The laws will
oppose but a feeble barrier to those who over.
ride at will the constitution Of the country.
It is a painful Circumstance in this unfortunate
affair, that the clue to Col. Thomas wherea.
bouts is said to have been given by a newspa-
per here, which published an account of his
departure from Richmond, with the prediction
that the public would soon hear Of him in new
fields Of enterprise, when he would not fail tc
gather fresh laurels. The authorities OF Bal
timore Immediately set the detective police OF
the lookout, and the result was his capture
So much for the publication Of iIl-advised anj
cTiminally foolish sensation paragraphs. Il
is within my knowledge, that a similar para.
graph, in the same paper. prevented the ship.
ment Of a large quantity of hospital stores
purchased for the use of the army, and the
want Of which has already caused our gallant
soldiery great Inconvenience and much suffer.
ing. Shame on such abuse Of the pressl
Gen. Jesse B. Clements, of Nashville, fol
many years past, and until recently, United
States marshal for the Middle District Of Ten.
n%essee, has been appointed marshal Of thu
Confederate States for the District Of Tennes.
see. In addition to being a very clever anC
universally popular gentleman and a most ex-
cellent officer, ne possesses the additions.
claim to the consideration of this Govern
ment, Of having been an original, out and ouI
dyed in the wool secessionist Of the South
Carolina school. The appointment will Civ,
universal satisfaction. VIRGINIUS.
Suppression of the st. Louis state
Journal.
The following ia the official order Of Gen.
Lyon, snPpressing the further publication OIL
the.St. Louis. State Journal:
HEAD QUARTER Q. s. RESERVE CORPS, I
st. Louis, July II, 1851. (
SIR: Under an order from Brig. Gen. LYON.
commanding the forces of the United Stater
within the State Of Missouri, l am directed tC
prevent the further issue of a newspaper, pub-
lished by you, in the city Of St. Louis, called
"The State J%ournsl," and to use such force as
may be necessary for that purpose.
hereby notify you that the further publica.
ton OF the newspaper aforesaid will not be
permitted, and if attempted by you I shall not
hesitate to assume the graVest responsibility
and to use the whole force at my command to
enforce the law.