Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-05-18


BEantnsy Pover afNyirsInIa-Characte Of
ne Southern Trsops-Their Opinion Of
Northern Soldiers.
A correspondent who has passed some
years in yirginiA thus writes to Che New
York Timess
The military power Of the State Is greatly
moderated by the North, and Is not yet
properly appreciated by the War Depart
ment at Washington. A week ago, the
writer failed to convince Mr.. Comeron that
Virginia with her foreign forces, would
raise an army Of fifty thousand men ready
and anxious to attack Washington City but
the truth is, that eighty thousand men, or
gained into companies and regiments; have
already responded TO the call Of the Gov
ernor. So many of these men, uniformed,
armed and equipped rushed to Richmond,
that the Governor was obliged 10 issue q pro-
clamation ordering the soldiers to remain at
home, ready to obey orders at a moments
notice. Including the private arms Of the
citizens, and those stolen aud distributed by
Floyd, (many of which have been sent to
Virginia from other Southern States, } there
are enough to arm fifty thousand men,
Many Of these arms are the old hint-lock
musBets, which are now being altered into
percussion locks. Some three weeks ago
forty seven four-horse wagons, loaded with
these guns, were taken from the armory at
beAlDkbOu, huu Sent W hiCDmOnuh Uu 6lSe-
where, to be altered. Norfolk, Harper's
Ferry and the foundries Of Richmond, added
largely TO this stock of arms; yet still, with
all these, they can not raise more than fifty
thousand, according TO the opinions and
statements of those most intelligent upon
this subject. Of heavy ordnance they are
quite deficient, and those seized at Norfolk
they are distributing over the Southern
States. Memphis is already supplied with
them
Militsry organizations have never been so
common in Virginia as at the North, hence
q vast proportion of her soldiers know
nothing of military tactics, nor are they so
much accustomed to the use Of arms as
Northern men. To obyiate this difficulty,
the Cadets, being educated by the State at
the Military Academy at Lexington, are at
Richmond, drilling the raw recruits. The
whole State, except a few of the western
counties, is in a Juror Of excitement. AL
most every man and boy belongs to some
military organization, and the women,
equally jealous, are engaged in making
clothes for these soldiers.
The Press, the Pulpit, the Stage, ore all
engaged in melting the people against the
North, which they consider the aggressor.
They believe they are TO fight for their
homes, their property, and their rights, and
let no Northern man disparage their bravery.
The Southern masses believe that they are
right-they are brave and will fight as long
as their power of physical endurance will
permit, and when the necessity comes, those
without firearms will use pitch forks,
seytbes, stones, or anything else with which
they can make a show of defense.
The character of the Virginia troops is
worthy of comment. l have seen thousands
of them in camp, in barrack, in the cars, and
on the march, and l have never seen any
thing like disorder or rowdyism among
them no drinking or. carousing but one
spirit pervaded the whole of them, and that
an ardent, burning desire to meet and conquer
the North. The Virginians are generally
large, well-made men, and the forces now in
the field are composed of the best and most
respectable men.
A few hundred Kentuckians, commanded
by Colonel Duncan, of Louisville, were sent
to Harper's Ferry. They came without arms,
and are stout young men, mostly from the
Colonel TO be n coward, and at Lynchburg
one of their Sergeants, in a speech made to
the men on the eve of their departure, de-
noupced the Colonel, who was present, and
made no reply. The Alabama troops now at
Hsrper's Ferry, came well armed and equip
ped they are thoroughly drilled, and as
soldier-like in their appearance as any New
York regiment. The South Carolina troops
at Richmond are physically inferior to the
other Southern soldiers, but they are full of
spirit, and are anxious for a fig hit. They
particularly desire TO- meet Mass achusetts in
the Geld. .
TIE Southern people know that the NORTH
ern troops will outnumher them, but they
believe that Southern courage, and the
righteousness Of their cause, will triumph
over the North, whose soldiers are, cow
ardly ~mercenaries, who fight for money and
not for principle. A very prevalent idea is,
that one Southern soldier is equal to five
"Yankees; " and another, that their ene-
mics will fight as long as they can use
Minnie rifles, but that they will not meet
them in a band-to. hand combat and that q
charge will put them to flight.
They have an abiding faith in JEFF. Davis
and in General Lee, whom they consider
superior to General Scott. Troops are being
concentrated at various points whence rail-
roads diverge, so that in a few hours twenty.
five or thirty thousand troops can be at any
given place. For the transportation of thess
troops in vast numbers, they are fully nre-
pared beside passenger cars, they will use
freight cars, already prepared with rough
seats, ard when the freight cars ara filled,
the gravel trains will be made resdy. In
Richmond and Petersburg, engineers are en-
gsged in uniting the railroad tracks, so that
there'will be no delay in going from one
| Annnf 10 nnnA6nH