New-York daily tribune., 1861-05-27
HIGHLY IMPORTANT FEOH 7NE SOUTH.
THE REAL CONDITION OF TIE REBBL AMY
DISTRIBUTION OF THEIR FORCES.
Character Of the Hen, Compared with the
Defenders Of the Union.
From Our Special Correspondent

doubtless be on the side Of the Secession'sts, eN
cep. perhaps in Western Virginia. The leaders
here except that the majority for the Union be-
yOnd the Aleghanies, will be very small
The city is in the most fearful state of agita-
ton. Troops from all parts Of the South are mr.
irving here every day, averaging 5Oo 10 ooo
daily, 20 that for some time 10 come we may
count on an increase of the Confederate army
in Virginia at the rate of 1000 per week. The
whole number of troops in the State estImn'e
at about 30, COO distributed as follows; In Rie'i-
mond and vicinity, 5000; at Lynchburg 3,OVo
at Hsrper's Ferry, 500; at Norfolk, $500,
and 10 the other cities and villages of the State,
5000. At the present rate OF increase from tho
South the army will reach 5000O a month hence.
On their arrival here the Southern troops are
sent nto camp near Richmond, or distributed
10 the various exposed points. Most OF the
troops are yong, having scarcely reached adult
age, entirely inexperienced, ill-clad, and i'larmed,
but thus far tclerably well fed. They require
much drill before they will bc able even TO pre-
cent respectable trout in pitched battle. The
best portion of them 10 the militia of Richmond
Charleston, aud other large cities, and this is
tolerably effective body of gentlemanly soldiery.
But neither the majority Of these inexperienced
youth nor the gentlemen soldiers, will be of much
use in q military point of view for some time,
aud the only really formidable force is mace up
of the hardy troops of Tennessee. Mississippi
and Louisiana, who have smelled powder In
actual fight with the Indians and the MeNcans,
and the soldiers of South Carolina who have
been accli mated TO war during the last five
months at Charleston. These available troops
| comprise about one.tbird of the Virglnian army,
and are increasing in about that proportion, 70
| that in a month there will be about 15,CO0 Of
! them, aud even more perhaps, as their superior
effectiveness will no doubt suggest to the Goa
federate authorities the propriety OF sending
proportionately larger number of these than
of inferior troops. Bat nust not forget that
the experience of these troops has been NANNY
in guerrilla warfare with the Indians ard Mex
leans, and that they have never yet been set face
10 face with a regular, well-organizcd army.
They are excellent for scouting parties and for
surprises, but before on enemy capable of scien-
tic strategy they will be fourd to have but few
military resources. The system, therefore, which
will be employed against tae Northern troops
will most likely be that of guerrilla warfare, in
| which these troops will be in their element. No
doubt the commanders will endeayOr to give an
| appearance Of scientific organization 10 their
men; but it remains to be seen whether they
will be able 10 make respectable troops out Of
their regiments of dashng adyenturers.
The officers present a remarkable contrast to
the soldiers. They are usually accomplished gen.
tlemen, while the privates are inferior in every
respect. have many times heard here tho
statement that the army has efficient officers but
iDeff ,ient men. The efficiency, however, of the
officers is exaggerated here. Lee, the General
in command, is cavalry officer, and good
engineer. He is man who hos the old Virginia
traditions reproduced in the dignity and courtesy
of his manners, and il good representative Of
the gentlemanly military men Of Virginia. Still,
he il an inferior officer in yigor Of mind and
energy of character. The mildness of his dispo-
sitiOn will lead him to prefer negotiations to
battles. Generally speaking, the chief officers
will 90 into battle carried rather by the current
of popular feeling than by any settled convictions
in regard to any permanent separation from the
that there will be no great battle for some time
TO come, and that it will take several months To
ganizs the army of the South, as well as the
army of the North. While this half-pacifc i'm
preston is prevalent among the officers, there is
a sanguinary ardor among the troops of the
West. With the exception of the gentle.
men soldiers Of the large towns, the
troops have q simple, half-idiotc appearance,
with a dash Of drunkenness aud frivOlty. While
many of these poor boys have the appearance Of
| having escaped from an insane asylum, large
number of the Western troops appear to have
escaped from bagnos; but both usually thin
and lean, and form O very grotfsque contrast
with the rotund forms Of the city gentlemen mi
! litia corps. Contrasting these with the troops
of the North, we see the moral and intellectual
degeneracy of the South in the most vivid cOlors.
While the Northern troops come from among
the aboring clssses and bear in their appearance
and character the stamp Of that intelligence ard
troops of the South cannot be recruited from the
laboring classes, since they aro slaves, but they
have to be made up mainly from the soma of the
small planters whose intellectual life is literally
life Of vegetation, 90 that these poor uniortu-
mates come into the world with the stupidity and
ideness of their progenitOrs tantng their blood,
reacting fearfuly on physique, and producing
generation without energy and without intelli-
gence, such as is seen in the interior of Virginia
and Of North Carolina. Especially in the ranks
CT the North Carolinians have noticed absolute