The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-05-31
The South Imnre2u3ble to Invasion

The south fmpre2nable to Invasion.
1t is noteworthy fact that the South has
never been successfully invaded. II Is also
remarkable that during no attempted invasion
has the negro population mani fcstcl any dis
position to side with the enemy. During the
whole of the war of 1872. Southern territory
remained rntrod by hostile foot, except in
hss:y raids extending few miles from the
shore. The occupation q narrow portion of
Maryland between the Bay ard the Potomac
wa. but for few weeks, when the enemy
found ii proper to diseinbark. The hasty de-
scent upon Washington city and the march
across Maryland ending in discontinue, is the
only sembance Of invasion which the South
suffered during the war. The brief career o:
PAcKE.HAM in Louisiana, ending in his signal
catastrophe at New Orleans, was but dlsas-
trous attempt at invasion.
During the Revolution the case very
little different. Owing to the meagreness OF
our population, the British got possession OF
Charleston, and made successful raids into
Virginia under ARNOLD and others, while her
troops were fighting in the Carolinas and up
holding WASHINGTON at the North but these
were bu: rapid plumber excursions, attended
by none of the results of successful invasion.
The British campaigns in the South more
nearly approached the character of such in
vasions than any other that the South has
ever encountered but these campaigns par
took more Of the nature Of civil war than OF
foreign intrusion. Tories from all parts OF the
Colonies had in the early years of the strug
gle sought security in the soclusion of the
Western Carolinas; and when the war was
transferred to that quarter, the fnrodiey col
umn consisted of hut regiment or SO Of Brit
ish regulars, supported by many regiments
OF Tories. But for the domestic aid which
thus rallied to the British standard, history
would never have had TO record the important
events of the Southern Revolutionary cam
paigns. Despite Of these campaigns, the pro
position remains true that the South has never
been the theatre Of Il successful invasion. The
mere climate and distances travCrSed destroyed
utterly the magnificent column Of De SOrO.
1t is Il remarkable fact that the only wars
against the Indians which cost the whites reg
ular and protraced campaigns were those in
the South. How many years Of fighting, how
many thousands Of lives and millions Of dol
lars did the Seminole war cost the United
States? II required all the genius Of JACKSON
and all the skill and hardihood Of his brave
Tennessee and Kentucky rifcmen, exerted for
some years, TO put down the Indians Of
Georgia and Alabama. What was the Black
Hawk war in the Northwest to the Seminole
aud Creek wars in the South? 1t would have
required the slow genius of ScorT rs many
years to conquer the Southern tribes Re it took
him days to end the little affair of BLACK
HAWK. The difficult, arduous, costly, and pro-
tracted campaigns against the Southern Indian
tribes, teach the impracticability of Southern
invasion, even when conducted by Southern
Generals and armies.
The impregnability of the South is partly
owing to the climate, which makes summer
campaigning as impracticable as winter; but
chiefly to the large distances requiring to be
traversed, to the sparscness and warlike char
acter of The people, to the incorruptblc tideli-
.ty of the slaves, and to the many large water
courses lying athwart every road and highway.
The South-suc is the character of her sea-
board, and such the breadth of swamp and
sand barren lining its whole extcnt-can only
be invaded from the Chesapeake, from Charles
ton. from New Orleans, or from the Upper
Mississippi.
Prom the Chesapeake only Eastern Virginia
can be assailod; for any attempt to reach
North Carolina or distant parts of the inte-
rior would require long lines of communica-
ton, crossing wide rivers which could readily
be broken up. Charleston is now closed by
improbable forts. New Orleans is protected
by its distance, its miaana, and it's boundless
and fathomless swamps. The Mississippi
above Memphis is securely guarded by
swamps, by canebrakos, and by batteries of
columbiads.
All the South is secure from invasion except
Eastern Virginia. All the South can, there
fore, afford to concentrate its forces in our
State. These forces are pouring in upon US in
formidable numbers, and we think the cause
is safe. The presence of the Confederate Gov
eminent is equivalent to host of men. The
excellent generalship of President Davis will
soon infuse system, order and confidence in
every division and corps. When our forces
are got well ain hand" and all things are
ready for the fray, we shall then see what fate
awaits the invaders of Virginia.
While the South is closed. the North is very
open, to invasion; and if the war last a year,
it will be waged upon Northern soil. The
Virginia campaign will make veterans of the
Southern forces. 1t will then be for us to as
sumo the offensive and TO plan campagns.-
We shall carry the war into Africa; we shall
commend the chalce prepared for US to their
own lips.
Determined TO Crush the South.