New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-17
VIEWS or TnR WAR FTP
sRAT OF RF~ ~~N THE
ssLLb%,N.
<ne Strength and the Weakness OF
the Rebels.
NUMBERS AND DISPOSITION OF THEIR ARMY
NOTES OF AN EYEWITNESS.
From ap oeeasiOnsl Correspondent.

insure its safe arrival. My last coiiru"'o"'
=, sou, e,or, ,b;s c;,v was in May last, when
prepared you for the horrors wDicn "ou,u
fond an invasion of Virginia, and when I'M
plored Won not to attempt it unless IT could Oe
done simultaneously from three dierent dlrec-
tions. with three different armies, each at least
IN 000 strong. What has since taken place
tends 70 confirm the information which then
rave you At the time of cur occupation Of Al
exapdrjs. the number of available troops in Nir-
riuis hardly exceeded 35,0OO-my estimate ID
June was 5O,O0O--and the present force is be-
tween 10000 and $4,000. Pryor, few days
ago in making up the list Of all the troops IN
al parts of Virginia, could not cipher up more
tan $4,000, including many regiments winch
have been cut up by the battle OF Bull kun'
However, it matters comparatively little whether
Che Rebels have 10000 more or less troops.
The strength of the Rebels is not in their supe-
rior numbers, but in their unity; in their fierce
determination to fight to the bitter end; IN The
freedom of their commanding generals IRON al
MI political and civic interference.
In the South the war is controlled by the
soldier; the political power is subservient to the
military. Tie commanding Generals in the South
nntrammeled by lay influences, and IN the iuii
enjoyment of the confidence of the people, are at
liberty to develop the full scope OF their military
genius: jeff Davis dances attendance upon Beau
regard. not Beauegsrd upon JEFF Davis; but
latitude gives wings TO the genius Of General
Unity and distinctness Of purpose constitutes
another element of Southern strength umonists
may still exist; but their voices are stired or
silent For all practical purposes, the Union
sentiment has ceased to exist 10 Eastern Virginia
and in the Rebel States generally. For all prac-
tical purposes, Union sentiment is dead, dead,
dead. Unity of purpose is exhibited on al SIDES
by a hearty determination to annihilate the IN
yadi0g foe. Dstinetness OF purpose is likewise
exhibited on all sides by an alpervadDg consld-
GRAFTON that the war is waged for the defense OF
Southern homes and fresides, of Southern ma
,ionality. The hatred Of the Yankee is fierce
and bitter. Ii is a hatred bottled up for years
past, and now exploding with indescribable fury.
30 compare it to the hatred of the English CaVa-
hers against the Puritans would be slanderlng
those Cavaliers. 1t is the hatred rather of CayA-
liers who have nothing left bat the pretensiOn Of
their order and whose moral nature has been
polluted by the institution of Slavery. Ii is
hatred soaring high in the same proportion as
fbeir nature bends lew. 1t is hatred famed
by all the evil passions Of politicians disappointed
in their tmehaIOwed rule over the North. 1t
is hatred famed by al the preudices Of
Southern society. 1t is hatred famed by
the women of the South, particularly by those
bred On plantations and moving in the higher
circles of society. This hatred found its climax
e Oath L..
owe allegiance to Lincoln" say the Cavaliers,
eve would become subjects Of France or En-
gland OF Russia, if We should not be able TO
maintain our independence"
Lincoln represents to the Southern mind all
that is most uncOngenial to them in Yankee civ
iiz8hOn the rising power of the free Wett
makes the slave bound South stagger and despair;
and remember thai despair is another element Of
Southern strength. Add to this, that the South
boasts of having ruled this country since the
foundation of the Government, of having supplied
the principal Presidents and statesmen, and Of
having held the most important functions in the
military, naval and diplomatic and in almost ali
branches OF the public service; and depend upon
it, that it viii not relinquish its power without
deadly struggle. This disposition on their part
is increased by their contempt for what they
call the imbecility and incOmpetcncy OF Northern
politicians. The WisOns Wades, Trumbulls
Summers" they say, have seen us for years con.
spring 10 bring about this movement, but they
had not the pluck and ability to thwart our
purposes. They have seen us robbing them of
their money, their armaments; they have seen
us sending off their regular troops to remote
parts, so as not to give us trouble; but they
have not had the ability to thwart our purposes
While they were talking were doing, aud hence
Ous success
1 have penetrated 10 this city at this most peril.
Gus moment at great personal risk, because deem
1T Of the utmost importance tnat some one should
be able to let you know the truth, and nothing |
but the truth, about the public feeling in this |
region. This feeling s TO resist TO the bitter |
end--to remain for al time separated from the
NortL. 1t Is feeling intensified by the hatred
e. which 1 referred, and. deriving new force
from the retreat OF army at RulI Run. At
this solemn moment of our nations history, he
who gives truth to the nation is its greatest bene-
factor Let the North fully undt rstand the tenn
per Of its enemy, and it may be in future better
prepared 10 oserwpower him. j repeat then,
that this enemy is most formidable in the inten-
sity Of iis eDmit!, 10 tho independence youch.
saicd to its military commanders in the unity
nnd distinctness of its purpose, III its defensive
position upon its own soil, and In the guerrilla
character Of iIs forces; for its army consists nct
go nuch in 30 many disciplined regiments, but