The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-03-26
Campaign N R.l.la.

| We are endsavorine 70 show that IL the
| Russian campaign of 1ei2 was a rash under
taking then NIL the great mill tary opera tons,
| OF which we read in The biogra phics OF the
| most renowned Generals were so. We have
| already noticed the campaigns of ALEXANDER
and HANNIBAL. Let US now notice those of
JcLtus CEsAR, }@s6
C.ssAR commenced his military career at a
more advanced period of life than either Of
the aforenamed Generals. ALgxASpER was but
twenty two when he invaded Asia PAsxI-
BAL but twenty seven wheh he invaded Italy.
But CESAR, somehow or other, had a bad
name among those who bestowed honers at
Rome. SYLLA had said of him, when n boy,
or was reported TO have said of him, which
was just as bad, There is many MARcIss
in that boy" Give n dog bad name and 1t
is as well TO hang him. ClesAR seems 10 have
been suspected at very early period OF his
life of a design to overthrow the liberties
such as they were-of his country: and, con
sequently, every effort was made by the arts
tocratic party, to prevent him from getting
the means OF obtaining that end. II is painful
to read of his earlier years, condemned to
waste the seed time and harvest OF life in the
petty squahbles of the forum and the city, or
to drown the promptings Of his mighty genius
In fierce and unlimited debauchery. And yet
that debauchee who took much pains to
scratch his well-combed hair with his little
finger, that he deceived the keen sighted
timid CICERO, was well known to possess un :
bounded ambition and mighty intellect =
Rome, the most powerful military Govern
nent that ever xisted-Rome, whose power
was founded upon her army-Rome, who
owed all that she was to the vslor and saga
city of n long line OF warriors-Rome kept the
greatest General, by far, that she ever pro-
duced, from any command worthy of his
mighty genius, until he was forty-one years
Old. AT length he obtained the Consulship,
and had Gaul for his pro vince.
In his first year, (SS before CHRISTI soon
after he took the command, he obtained
the long-coyeted opportunity of showing
what he WAS. The people OF Helvetia, mum
bering 800, 600 sous of whom o. 900 were I'M
der arms, left their mountains TO make a set
tlement on the ocean. The Edni, allies of
Rome, sent to CESAR to announce this alarm
ing fact He was at Vienna, NOW yienne J
on the Rhone. He set out with his whole
| army, of six legions, assembled the Rhone
crossed the Saone, defeated the Helvetians a.
place about days march from the present
Autun, and compelled them to return home
lie was two hundred miles from Vienne when
he fought this battle. He then repassed the
Saone, went 10 meet the German King, Ayo-
vEsrUs, who had crossed the Rhine with his
whole nation, comprising a large body of
fighting men, crossed the Jura met him three
marches from the Rhine, and utterly de-
siroyed the whole nation. This battle was
fought two hundred and fifty miles from vi
ennc. But CESAR did not depend on that
post, nor did he leave posts in his rear,
thereby weakening his main army, and ex
posing these detacbments 10 capture. He
kept his legons together, and left the care of
his communications to his allies. lie always
had provision for q month in his camp, and
he selected and strongly fortified, at as shorta
distance rs possible i'll his rear, a single for
tress. There he kept his magazines and hos
pitfalls If he was ever compelled to abandon
his communications, he did so for the mo-
ment without alarm, because he always had
provisions enough with him to ans wer his i'm
mediate purposes, and he knew that soon
as he was successful he could restore them
The exploits of CBsAR were numerous
that ii is impossible to dwell upon them all
at large. They were always conducted upon
the principle we have mentioned; to keep
astrongly fortified position immediately in the
rear for his magazines and hospitals, to have
months provisions in his camp, to keep his
army together, and to trust his communica-
tons to the good faith Of hi. allies Acting
on this principle, he went anywhere Dis.
lance was no obstacle. At one time when
his nearest depot was Toulouse, he pushed
his army to Nantes and Vannes, thus placing
four hundred miles, with large mountains and
several rivers, between him and it. Some
times, as at Alesia, his communica tons were
entirely cut off; but it gave him no trouble
Tor he had enough in camp for present pur-
poses, and he well knew that victory would
open the way for him. In the five cam
paigns Of the civil war, this daring character
was still more strongly manifested But his
daring was always calculated, and never rash