Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-05-24
For the Chronicle.
The Military Ardor and Enthu-
siasm of the South---Making
Raw Levies Equal to Disci-
plined Troops.

The military enthusiasm now exhibited in the
South is unparalleled in this country, and in the
Revolution of l776. Men, women and children,
all ages and both sexes, seem equally aroused and
equally resolute and determined. Courage and con-
dence Of success beam from every eye and fill ev-
cry patriotic bosom. The soemnity of the occasion
and the magnitude of the danger, have drawn all
men closer together, and made them feel that they
are band of brothers, embarked in a common
ica6se. Most of human happiness is sympathetic
and reflected and this tightening of the band that
binds society together goes far to alleviate the evils
Of war. Our volunteer troops are composed of rich
and poor, learned and unlearned. Our best and
most respected citizens fill the ranks sol
diers. Our army will be school of good breeding,
and general information The young men who en-
ter its ranks will not be demoralzed, but will re-
turn home should they escape the casualties of war
wiser, better, more experienced, and enterprisnG
men.
Such is not the case at the North. Their troops
like FalstsfTs ragged regiment arc made up of the
' canker of bad world and long peace" Of ig-
norant, unemployed foreigners loafers, criminals
and desperadoes Respectable men will not volun-
teer to invade country whose only oense is, that
it wishes to govern ITSELF to control and regulate its
own social and domestic institutions, and to estab-
lish its independence. But respectable people are
the very first to volunteer to defend their country
when war is waged against the family home, and
against all the ties that attach man and man and
| L. 4
ct people have most ties binding them to soCetyand
the greatest interest in its welfare peace and secu
rity. In fact Northern troops fight solely for pay
and plunder; we, of the South for our liberty oul
wives and children, our property and lives. De
feat would entail upon poverty and disgrace ant
other evils too horrible to reflect Life, even il
spared by our nsgro-equality conquerors, would bC
inolerable under the conditions they would impose
on US. But if conquered and subjugated, we should
soon be massacred, and another st. Domingo trag
edy would dsrken the pages of history. We all e
into the fight Gheerfully and confidently; we fgh
from necessity, and with the full consciousness tha
we must conquer or die. With such material com
posing our armies and with such motives to en-
dow us with courage and desperation it is hard tc
conceive how we can be conquered, except by utte
determination.
In the beginning of Revolution men are inspired
by a military ardor ("ardor militans y. which
makes them selfreliant headong nddesperate ant
the equals of well disciplined troops Lexington
and BunKers Hill teach this lesson, and the frs
eight or ten years of the French Revolution confirm
it, The rav-leves Of France were an ovsrmatci
for twice their number of the veteran and discipln
ed troops Of all other nations. They were invinci
bic only long as their military aud revolutionary
fervor lastedonly so long as they fought for liber
ty, revenge aud glory. The race is not always Il
the swift nor the battle to the strong. II will no
do to rely, solely, as the North does on heavy ar
tillsry, numbers and money. The mass Of th
Northern troops are composed Of men without hon
or, honesty or morality and inpelled to 6ght by NJ
worthy or respectable motive. Let them see tha
they cannot profit by fighting us; that there is NJ
chance for booty and plumber and they will Ay likt
sheep-fcr they have no honorable motives, no con
scious rectituds of purpose to sustain them in tn
hour Of battle. Add to this that they are who'll,
undiscpned, and Differed by men who know moth
ling about military affairs, and we think we hGv
shown sufficient grounds for the cheerfulness am
confidence with which the South enters into tn
war. SOUTHERN WATCHMAN.