The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-12-25

army and its officers are placed in com.
mand, both Of its own military force, and
of the militia Of tho States, who are call
ed into the field, within tie territorial hm-
It's Of Confederate commanders. Its troops
are organized 10y individual enlistment,
among the Southern people and it in.
corporates organized troops coming from
the States vet its whole force is homo.
geneous, for the principles OF military or.
ganzation are everywhere Identical ; and
however the parts may have been scpa.
rately constituted, they easily coalrsre,
and form one consolidated army. Ia
creating this army the system has been
eflicient; vet it seemed to have been over
! looked, ,,ha, the militia of the several States
might suffer. That OF South Carolina
has been so seriously Jared, as to be al.
most dislocatcd In the generous ardour
/ of our people, who volunteered for the
/ service Of the Confederacv, none Of tne
| distinctions, subsisting in the militia, were
regarded. Officers changed places with
one another, and with priva,es, withou,
respect to rank {; and IN some sections,
there we're not men enough for the off
ces who remained ard more frequently,
! IN others there were not Off enough
for the men. The Confederate army rose
up with fresh vigour, and lie, like the
! fabled Phoenix, from the militia Of the
! States which was almost consumed TO
ashes, by lis generation.
The new military law Of this State,
recognizes this condition, for it vacates all
existing militia commit. sions, AS soon as
new elections can be had, (wiih some
special exceptions), and euac;s tho
rough reorganization. The territorial
military divisions are preserved, wisely
perhaps, as there iS no, time for an inves-
tigation Of the effect Of the formation Of
the Con 'edera,e army, upon the severa!
sections Of the country. Should the mi.
!itia be called into active service, anv
disparity in the respective Beats,
may be rect.iied, in the reorganization of
Regiments, numerically. This law may
reset the dislocated members Of our State
militia but there has been much room
for gloomy apprehension for the safety Of
Charleston aud the country has not We,
recovered from the dispri,ing sadness, with
which 1t beheId the invasion of our shore
by large and well appointed army
while our militia was dcranged, and the
Governors proclamation for volunteers hv
companies, who might he armed, to rs.
sembIe at Columbia, for organization,
was the substitute, for orders that Regi'
men,s and Brigades, already formed,
should march to tie scene OF action. II
is not the first time tha. the humblc eve
OF faith in a protecting Providence, has
discerned rs guardianship Of our people,
since this war began.
If the enemy had pressed onward, with
energy equal to their preparation, could
any one have predicted an adequate de.
fence OF our metropolis We trust, per
haps fondly, that We have escaped the
danger, aud that under the new law, the
militia will be soon efficiently organized :;
but let us not venture on such perilous
hazard again. 1t might have been avoid
ed, had the integrity Of the militia been
preserved, simultaneously with the lorna.
ton OF the Confederate army. Every
vacancy in :he one. occasioned by yolun.
teerng for the other, might have been
supplied; and thus both would have
been efficient. 1t is respectfully suggest.
ed that, by vigilance aud energy in the
Executive. this can be effected If the mi
Iitla laws are sufficient; and, If not the
Legislature can provide the remedy.
When tho twelve months volunteers in
Confederate service, are disbanded, their
places must be supplied by enlistment,
or volunteers out OF the body Of the mi.
Iitia; and our experience Of the past
should instruct us. In human affairs the
first error is often harmless; because it was
not anticipated 10y our adversaries but
when known to others, as well as our
selves, the repetition is dangerous and of.
ten fatal.
Ii is well TO remember also, that the
principle Of the volunteer system is less
firm and enduring, less regular and uni
form, than that Of duty. Self gratilica.
ton, from concious generosity, and the
praise of olhers as well rs the novelty of
the service, and he ignorance of dscip.
line, attend the volunteer system. To
some exten, it requires tribute from au.
thority, AS compensation for free will Of