New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-09-11
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The Federals are complaining very much OF the
mode ef warfare adopted by some of our men IN
Western Virginia. We published, yesterday, |
letter written by g correspondent of the Cincin-
matt Press from the mountains of Virginia, IN which
he complained grieyously that the invaders were
frequently fred upon and killed from behind rocks
and trees, and the attacking party, when searched
for could not be found. I'VE notice, also, that a
writer in the New York Express, from the same
region, calls it horrible mode of warfare. He says
that if one of the Federals takes ride out into the
country. some concealed foe cracks away at him
with rifle and emptes the saddle. The shots come
from overhanging rocks and hills, which constitute
natural breastworks, and it is every day occur
renee for the Federalists to be picked off from
above while they are trayersng the valley below.
These fellows seem to think this is very cruel ant
eowardly. II they will reflect moment, they will
easily see how to avoid it. If they will abandon
Virginia and go back to their homes, they will be
perfectly safe from our sharpshooters. They can
save their lives by this course and we advise them
| to do it, charging nothing for the advice.
/ If they think they will be permitted, without re-
sistance, to invade sovereign State, shoot all of
| the inhabitants who do not submit, plumber them
of their property and set fire to their houses, they
| will some of those days wake up from that deiu-
b = Ft.Fg 3 :" .
| sion, if they have not done so already.
Ifitis right to hang an Aboltionist who is caught
in a Southern State stirring up insurrecton or
burning down houses-and our nelghbors of Texas
thought so last summer when they swung up every
one they caught--then, a tptiori, as the lawyers
say it is right to hang who comes with arms in
his hands to do all these things and to shoot US
down besides. And if it is right to hang him, it
is still more right tpshoot him.
This complaint is somewhat akin to that in re.
gard to our putting bullets in our gnns-which the
Federals appear to consider great outrage. II
makes the job which they have undertaken, Of
subduing our country, much more difficult Of exc
cution, and we are not surprised they should
strenuously object to it. Nevertheless, we ex
pect our soldiers will continue the reprehensible
practice.
We are under no obligation to conduct this wal
upon the same principles that the Federals do
although we have done nothing worse than they
have, and nothing even so bad. But our positions
are altogether different. They are invaders, We
are defenders. We do not know what the alb
straet rules of war are, nor do we care. We know
what the rule of common sense and self defence is
and by that rule an invader of country which j:
DESTROYS of living in peace with all other countries
= and which neditates wrong to any other coun
try, ought to be driven back by all the means tina
can be employed. In the present case, this is the
North's war-not ours. They are making wa
upon us, not we upon them. We sent commits
slonefs to Washington to treat for settlement
but they were not even officially received. Th
Federals have avowed their purpose to oVerru
our territory and reduce us to submission and W
would not be fit for freedom if we failed to emplo
all the means which God has given us to repel an
defeat the attempt. The common law justifes
man who shoots q burglar, with designs upo
property only and not upon life. But here are in
vaders who come not only to rob and to murder
but deprive Of liberty all those that they do no
Stay. We do not appreciate the refinement of tina
] | casuistry which pronouncea it wrong to destro
! them by every known method. The hardy free
men Of the Virginia mountains do not know any
thing about scientific warfare and fighting by rule
4 | and they do not care to know anything about
. when an insoent foe is devastating their country
/ They shoot a proving Yankee in precisely til
same spirit that they would shoot any other bea
! of prey. If the Yankees don't like it, let the
It abandon the country and go home.