Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-09-18
FROM THE SEAT OF WAR IN VER-
GINHA.



Place Lecture By Mr.. SpraH, Of South Cdf0HHO'
on the Battle of Manassas.
R~1cHMoND, September IA, 1861,
It certainly cannot have escaped your notice
that the New York press which s, loudly de-
handed the Onward movement to Richmond
in july, is now crying cut for a hostile descent
of the Mississippi. TIE Herald unfolds this
new plan Of operations in an editorial that re-
minds rs very much of its articles before
Manassas was fought. New Orleans is now to
be the point Of attack, aud great ships carrying
great guns are to be foated down the Father
Of Waters to the very levees of the Crescent
CITY. Ga their way. they will destroy Mem
Phis, Vicksburg, Natchez, as matter OF
amusement and practice to the invading
troops, landing a sufficient number
at each place to accomplish the work
Of demolition and pillage. The excursion
promises to be far more delightful than did the
trip to Richmond, for while the latter is only
a small provincial town, New Orleans, look
you, is populous, gay, cosmopolitan. New
Orleans has spleRdid hotels and Rne streets
aud the opera-at New Orleans there are
French cooks and other triumphs Of civiliza-
ton, and a winter in that city will be worth
talking about. All this is no doubt very at
t~raciive, and the reduction of the programme to
actual performance may, perhaps, seem easy
to some people beyond the Potomac, but you
have something to say about it at Memphis
and the region roundabout. An expedition,
such as the Eerald advises, would never reach
New Orleans, except in a loose and fragment
arr way, in broken timbers floating upon the
current, and here aud there the corpse Of a
Yankee, which has escaped the catfish, drift
ing to the shore. As it is well to know the
designs Of the enemy, in advance, the HerGi
is obligingly civil in letting you understand
what is to be done during the autumn, so that
you may get your batteries into perfect Teadi-
ness to salute the armada as it comes dow the
river.
We are waiting impatiently, as you may
suppose, for Gen FiOyd'5 official account Of
the battle between his command and the troops
Of Rossncranz, on Tuesday last, the 10Th inst,
on the Gauley river, Of which re heard yes
terday by telegraph from the Federals. From
their admissions as TO the killed'and wounded
on their side, the engagement must have been
spirited. That Gen. Floyd fell back, burning
bis temporary bridge and sinking his ferry
boats, does not Of itself establish a reverse /;
the movement would seem to have been a mill
sary necessi Y with Rosencranz on one side
and Cox on tue other. What has occasioned
the greatest surprise here is that the general
with the German name, who was sup
posed to be seated down quietly before Gen.
Lee, Esar Valley Mountain camp, in the
county OF Randolph, should turn up all at
once in the county of Faystte, som fifty or
sixty niles oil, at the head Of a con
siderable force, and that Lee, usually
50 vigilant should know nothing about it. The
explanation is simple enough. The headquar-
ters OF RosencraDz has always been at ClaTks-
burg, in the county Of Harrison. on the line Of
the Northwestern Virginia railroad, extending
from Grafton to Parkersbarg, and there the
main body of bis command has been eacamPsd.
To leave his troops at Valley Mountain under
Gen. Reynolds, and place himself at the head
Of afresh body Of men at Clarksburg for opera
tons On the Gauley river, was a movement
quite easily performed, without changing in
any degree the condition Of Affairs at the former
place, Probably Lot a single company was
withdrawn from the neighborhood Of Valley
Mountain to make the advance upon Floyd.
As yet we are not advised whether Roseneranz
is in communication with Cox. To-msrrow's
mail will doubtless put US in possession If the
exact status Of the contending parties near the
Gsuley Bridge.
The sympathy expressed by the Emperor of
Russia with Lincoln appears to have given the
latter despot very great satisfaction, and be is
heartily welcome to all the comfort be can de-
rive from it. It is the most natural thing in
the world that the strongest Of all the Euro
pean governments should rejoice to gee a strong
attempted in the United States,
though Lincoln has left even the late Car
Nicholas Far behind bin in his exercise OF pow
er. The National IGtehigsacer cannot speak as
freely as the InUali3e Rasse was wont to DO in
the lifetime of the dead emperor, nor were ex-
lies sent to TObolsk as frequently as The YaE-
kee President consigns political prisoners to
Fort Lafayette. Russia and America have 80
little direct intercourse with each other, that it
ia a matter Of triaing importance what the
Muscovite is pleased to think Of our rebellion,
On the other hand, there IS 50 immediate a con
n%ectiou, politically and commercially, between
Spain and the Confederate States, through the
Island Of CUBA, that it concerns us very much
D., bro,r ,vbet h. Chr:sl;sr ros;,,t- ~ AF,I
rid thinks and feels Interference 70 our struggle
for independence, and the recognition recently
given by the authorities at Havana is more
than an offset against The correspondence be-
tween Seward and the Russian minister at
Washington.
A simultaneous hostile movement of the
Federal force under Wool, upon Norfolk in one
direction and Yorktown in the other, is thought
to be imminent. To Iepel more certainly al
attack in either quarter, several regiments have
been forwarded within a few days to Generals
Huger and Magruder, and we are prepared at
any mOnent to hear thai an action has been
fought at one OF both places. There ia no fear
that we shall sustain a serious injury in the
Lfhtltbuidl5 anu uL 4NtltDtA ttt ulAlJ5L tG8h-
dence is entertained Of the ability Of the Con-
federate commander to destroy any expedition
that will be obllging enough to come within
the range Of his batteries. Among the troops
sent to Yorktown, is the fine legion ef Thomas
r. R.. Cobb, OF Georgia, consisting OF Elk
companies Of infantry, four Of cavalry and
four of artillery. The men are all in excel
lent drill, and eager to emulate the valor Of
their brother Georgisns, displayed on the mem
orable field Of Manassas.
Writing down the ne me Of the battle reminds
NE to mention the lecture thereupon, given
last evening for the benefit Of the sick and
wounded soldiers, by Mr.. L. ". SpTstt, Of
South Carolina. Mr.. Spratt was an eye Wit
ness, from favorable points of view, Of the
more important incidents Of The struggle, and
he recitos very clearly and intelligibly the bis
tory Of tie day, referring constantly for expla-
nation to a diagram Of The field. A repetition
Of this lecture in all the cities Of the Corfed-
crate States would probably result in a very
considerable addition to the Patriotic Fund,
and l tIust Mr.. Spratt may be induced to make
the tour Of the South for this prsisewortby
purpose. An entertainment Of a different kind
for the same charity was given q few nights
age at Metropolitan Hal. This consisted OF