Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-08

This estimate is certainly large enough and IL
probably Exaggerated in every instance. 1t is muss
rr.b bic that the entire force Of all points did moi
exc ed l4O 200 m-n.
How is this enormous d. fict to be accounted for?
Il vas the wish OF The Administration to bring the
largest force into the fell The Northern press
urged it. General ScoTT exerted every energy 10
carry into action an overwhelming force Ye 4,
though it is admitted that haif million vOlun
tered and ha: go Gee were received into service
Cny $50 coo we're as any time in arms. Why
w7s this
The Culy possible solution is tat TH= COVE RNNGNT
HAD >oT Guns TO AIN 4 GREATER AUNBAR.
great number OF guns (perhsps most Of those
l. tie Government Grseaais) were sent GU: to the
southern States during BUCHANAN's Administration
Tie North has row. besides what rem, lined in the
a1stls!s, only The few tEcy have had time to make
and what they could buy abroad. They cannot
have obtained many yet from the two latter
sources They coul not purchase from foreign
governments, and the manufacture abroad by indi
vidual enterprise to fill orders must be slow. And
a. home having lost the machinery at Harper
Ferry, the NEST extensive armory in the country,
they must rely on their remaining armories at
Springfield and elsewhere, and the supply from
private woI kshops OF manufacturers Of arms.
This mad, quate supply of arms will account for
much that is Otherwise inexplicsble 1t accounts for
the silence of the Administration und>r the
reproaches of the rabid BLAIR school of Republi-
cans, haunting it with Inc ficency. CAMERON has
bseu cRnpeed to suffer in silence unmerited impu-
tations of official incapacity He dare not justify
himself by avOwing the true cause. Hence, too,
tie suggestive fact that in the recent battle in Mis-
souri,. small as was LFox's force two thousand
tories under his command were got brought into
action The intimaton that LYON feared to trust
them Is evidently false Doubtless the true reason
was: TeTe tosre no guns to arm item. Hence, also,
the pressure upon SCOTT which forced him to Rd-
vance upon Manassas, Notwithstanding bis sVowal
thst he was not ready. He has since complained
bitterly Of being forced into action under the cir
cumstances Why did the Northern leaders do it?
They had men enough in reserve. Why did they no
wait that his command might be Teinforced-until
he could march forward in overwhelming num>t
bers? They lcere apprised Of the deficiency Of arms,
consequently aeo that greater force could Be brought
into tie red If he could not conquer then he never
cou,d: and the cry of the press, ION to Richmond,
enoad in the halls of Congress, forced the army ia-
TO oGsile ard subjected it to defeat.
OF the one hundred and fifty thousand muskets
in the hands OF Northern troops, in the middle OF
July at least twenty thousand were thrown away
in the flight from Manassas. OF these, many which
we're thrown INTO lost in deep pine thick
cts. have nos b-en found: bat probably ten thous-
aud have come into cur possession Consequently
She relative strength of our force as compared
with that Of the enemy is thirty thousand stronger
than before the battle.
This state of things must materially modify tie
no ie, of The North Northtrn armories' both pub
he and private. are no doubt ringing with prepare
ton Mn kets. doubles, are being manufactured
IS ra,iity as Pos.ibe But the guns must be oivi
30 d ,ryen Washington AID II Louis. and tie
&. Tt energy hardly sG@p!y before Christmas
IL. .l Manassas and spring Geld. Unless large (
ST p,... ale received from abroad, MCFARLAND .
ca, no. socn Oe ~ pared to assume the offeusive /
and advance into Virginia, In Missouri, also, Fed |