The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-07-19
The Management OF Armies.

The Montgomery advertiser has some very sen
siblo remarks under this head, respecting the dis
position Of many editors TO blab all thoy can learn OF
the secret movements Of our armies and the plans
Of our generals, ~ wo as to orticiso and condemn
their conduct Any reasonable man can only BIO i'm.
pressed with mingled emotions Of amusement and
disgust, when no hears tho military policy and move
ments Of Davis, Bcaurogard, Johnson, Leo, and OH
Gers Of that class, passed upon and censurcd ca
caboira, by somo newspaper editor thousand miles
AWAY, who mover "sot squadron in the hed,' and
whose ignorance in such mattoA Is cqualled only by
his presumption II Is gratifying to notice, however
that, with very few exceptions the newspaper press
throughout the Confederate States are disposed to
forogo criticism on the movements Of our armies
now in the field and to preserve dlgnihed silcnce
denim wrong and acknowledgement
but IL should also DO remembered that pcrsons at
distance can novor fully understand the reasons
which induce General TO mako certain military
movements, and therefore any hasty condemnation
of what appeara TO unmilitary mon very illadyiRcd
measures, is calculated to do more harm than good
This silence at the South proves too that thero s
very general feeling Of confidence in tho prudence
and ability of the officers who. have been chosen to
lead tho Southern hosts and also shows that thorois
no dosire to obtrude unweeomo advice on those who
cannot fail TO know far bottor than their advisers
what il host to be done,
There are, however, aomo newspapers aud some
people, with whom huthndng has become chronic,
and unless the Confederate armios Fight several lat
ties week, theso apenetic individuals accuse their
Generals of ncompotency and want of energy If
we may believe these yalorous heroes, who fight
with the tongue or pen, had they been at the head Of
affairs, they would ere this have driven the Yankees
out Of Virginia, and taken and burned in succession,
Washington, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati by this
time they would have had Mr. Lincoln on his knees
before them begging for mercy. This looks well on
paper, and we should be glad II the programme could
be carried out as rapidly a. these fulthnders desire,
but it has always been FOUND moro difficult to con
duct campaign on land than on paper. The nocessi
ties Of an army, which sometimes takes weeks to
supply are in the latter disposed Of with dash
Of the pen and persons Who could not drill squad
of ten men on level plain, to save their lives, sct
themselves up as Judges, and presume to say how a
compaign should be- conducted. man may be a
good lawyer, doctor, planter, editor or ministor and
yet know nothing at all ~ the management of arm
les Knowing rs We do, therefore, that the mon who
arc at tho head Of the Confederate .armos sro Oil
Of experience and ability, we doom it the part Of
patriotism either to observe scnce express CON
fidonco in tho wisdom OF their management and not
chill the feelings Of the people by nsnuating doubts
and foars. There have been movements mado since
the commencement Of this war, which we frankly
confess we did not and do not understand, but aware
that those movements were ordered by experienced
military mon we are inclined to believe that all is for
the hest, and await calmly the issue of events.