Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-07
WAT -eeoneR WILKES says.
The Present ConditioH-whast f. TO
Come. -
Doodence Of the New YORK Tribune !

go Come. -
oc.respoadencs Of the New York Tribune -
4 WASHINGTON, November "a 1s6i.-Thoagh
nobody pEetends to know AeClellan's plans,
the Impression il very general that he intends
to drive forward at Manassas, and having
thrown ont powerful corps G'azzase on either
faux, to move upon the center, or very apex
Of the ffowning triangle, with compact mo-
bile columns. These are TO succeed one another
with rapidity and freshness, each in turn fall
ing of and giving place to its successor as
soon as the tempest of its energies begin to
flag Blow after blow Of this character, each
shifting with the quick hardness of refined
steel, and all delivered, and necessarily kept
up upon the same shudderiug point, must
necessarily penetrate its object, and the tri-
angle once entered by our bayone's, The
fracture will be sure to extend to the base of
its position. This accomplished. the re-
mainder OF the picture can be seen. The
"short and bitter phrase of the master Of
the situation will be verified, and the rebel
ion, perhaps De virtually over before the
next year is six weeks old. 1t is always the
policy Of a general, who has superior forces,
to fnd his enemy where he is in greatest
nlmber, so that his blow may be wholesale
and utterly destructive; and Mcclellan Is
statesman enough to know the Importance 10
q nations pride and prestige, of wiping cut
where 1t was endured. Moral effects are as
valuable to a people as physical successes,
and the bOastful rebels. who are to depend
again upon the favorable positions of the
18th of July, must be made to hate the very
sound OF Bull Run and Manassas.
There are many timid patriots, however,
who look with doubt and uncertainty In that
direction, and who, mindful Of the vast re-
sources of that terrible triangle, fear that we
ran Z nd fhat toll no xrhi
we can deliver there will come back broken
and shattered like the FIRST. But they do not
sufficiently deliberate the contrast. The
army Of Mcdowell, though composed of gal
liant men, was in reality but little better
than a militsry mob. They we're not skill
fully marshaled to the fight, and, through
lack Of concert, had to depend upon mere
/ desaltory valor. On the other hand, the
columns of Mcclellan are not only skilled In
discipline and thoroughly Injured, but they
are reliant on their chief, and they know, too,
when they strike Manassas, exactly the ma
ture of the job. If their commander, follow
ing the tactics of Nelson and Napoleon, d.
reefs them to pierce the center, the attack
ing column will not be kept for hours tug
gipg, exhausted, al single point, bat. haV-
ing discharged its rage and energy. 1t will
pass aside, and be humored With repose ere
is be employed again.
terial or physical, that cannot be overcome
by man and numbers. The main question to
be considered is the willingness for sacrifice;
aud if the cause which inspired the French
and British in the Crimea to find a lcdgment
on the parapet of the Redan, or 10 make
lane of bodies through the 'hell-fre" OF the
Malakoff, was good enough for such sublime
ly heroic efforts, ours should be strong
enough TO carry Us through the rebel fast
A.. -,
ANY place can De taken with plenty OF men
and cannon" was the favorito saying Of
celebrated European general; and l am re-
minded by the maxim, that there is preda-
! tory ant In Africa, which at shines. turns out
so poteHtly, that It's billions overflow whole
belts OF country, in straight march, for
miles aud miles, enyeloping and devoaring
everything, whether it be man or beast,
within its track. Even the bohemoth, the
elephant, and the otherwise unconquerable
lion. take to the water, to avoid the sitting
and impalpable attacks Of the resIstlesS,
creeping swarm. Ley there be- no fear, there
fore, that Manassas is inpregnable to our
arms. Nothing Is invulnerable to due ap-
plication of strength and courage. We saw
that the other day at Port Royal, and If Ma
nassas be the object Of our young chiettain's
eye, 1t will be carried, aud presented to the
country, perhaps, as Christmas present by
his devoted troops.
As TO tbs tune lpisn, it is almost as hard to
fix the date of movement IS IL was a month
ago. There certainly is much that is yet to
be done before Mcclellan will be satisfied to
move. The review which took place on
Wednesday last, though it numbered seventy
thousand men, exercised but third OF our
entire force In that necessary style Of mas
sire evolution; and it would seem by the pa
tient manner in which the General has con-
Quoted these field examinations, even from
the day he began the organization Of brig
ades, that he intends to be thorough with
them all. That, in short, he designs, most
likely, to give every corps d'drHsee Its lesson,
final step OF the general task.
: In evidence of this, we find a review Of all
the regiments at Washington ordered for
lie eastward of the Capitol; and it is but rea-
sonsble to suppose, that We shall hear of an
other monster field display on the western
bank OF the Potomac during the followiBg
week. Upon the heels of one of these grand
demonstrations, or perhaps from out oft, the
legions may keep up their swing, and march
straight on; bat am not impressed with the
belief that q move, just noF, is imminent. II
has been favorite idea that the army here
would be held in check until thSblows upon
the southern coast should demoraliTe and
decrease the rebel strength on the Potomac.
The first stroke, however, has served but to
make the rebel army more compact, but we
are now about administering the second. The
argument, therefore, that was good three
months ago ought to be worth something now,
aud we should hardly expect to see General
Mcclellan march until the sentence of DEATH