Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-08-01
Not One Battle Only

lowed Ln6m 10 go 1ree
Not One Battle Only.
The spirit in which the of the great and impor
tant victory of the 2lst was received by the people of
the South was worthy of mode of praise only second
to that due to the vaor of those who achieved that go
rious feat 1t was of thankfuness of joyful hope for
the future not of foolish or boastfu exultaton It
as it should be.
We took occasion before to say that although
might be difficult to overrae the moral ard physical
Importance of the results obtained by the encounter at
Manassas, yet it not impossible. This we repeat
Those who for years past have watched the course of
events, have marked the length of time during which
the elements of this storm have been gathering to
head and have estimated their volume aud force cannot
be brought to believe that they have been or be
hausted in thunder burst, matter how vivid the
flash, or how crashing the peal.
We must also bear in mind all that we have said
among ourselves. We have said, and said truly that
people fighting for their rights upon their own soil
might be defeated and again, but they could
not be conquered In saying that, the South said to
her own heart and proclaimed to the world, that she
would not yield to one defeat, to dozen. That
was and is her true spirit. But might it not look
little inconsistent with this spirit if she any part of
er people, were to take it for granted that the enemy
going to give up the contest because he has been de-
feated in contest matter how great or how de-
cisive, People are supposed to be inclined to judge
others by themselves and the world might without be-
ing chargeabe with any great degree of prejudice, sup
pose that what readily believe of others, of our
enemies, might possibly do ourselves, under similar
circumstances. We think the world would be mistaken
but at any rate handle would be given to the
! rious.
The circumstances III which the two sections are
placed are certainly different The North is fighting to
subjugate. The South is resisting aggression. The
North is invading and can cease; the South, on her
own soil must meet the enemy be ruined But if the
South is fighting for her homes her fresdes, her insti
tutions the North has at stake her wealth, her
cal supremacy her great and almost only really valuable
market together with the control of those great semi
tropical products which have paid for her exports and
sustained her exchanges. Her people vain of their
very great material progress aud boastfu of their
teria strength They not think it possible that the
scattered agricultural population of the South could
stand for moment against their progress against their
Colts pistols and their palatial stores, and Fifth
AvenuedIes and Seventh Regiments and Sha1ps rifles
One defeat will not open their eyes. They cannot Or
will not realize the fact They will have it dexerousy
explained away. The motion must have second before
it be put and then it may have to be vigorously
enforced before it can be carried.
The fact is that very many of our people going
on rom the South take nearly the same view. They
are suddenly wheeled from the quetude Of their
village the stiffness OF their pine woods the
repose of their farms into the great commercial city
of New York. where they concentrated the trade Of
half continent. They round them the things that
# "you read about and heap of things that you don't
but above ALL they see an immense number of people
gathered together The rush and of great city is
around them. They anything like it in their
lives IS the elephant! They are bewidered and are
ready to excam in nearly the words of the old Russian
proverb, who can withstand God and the great New
q York;" And the impression is deepened by finding
that all New Workers, with the proverbal modesty o
d cockneys, take the view of the case.
Perhaps a little reflection and little examination
into the of this apparent wealth, and the
sources upon which it depends, might correct FIRST i'm
pressions but few take the trouble to think and
l. inc for themselves little knowledge of hstory wou,
d prove that too artificial condition of society," what
the of the day is called hgh civilization is NJ
favorable to the development of military spirit or the tru
est craftsmanship All these things require thought
Is experience reading and study. How many involved
the pursuits Of ade the search after pleasure, hav
N time for all these things?
L. The mistaken impressions of neither section can
done away with by great BATTLE how far tina
event may go towards bringing about so desirable a
end and again. the contest progresses it wdens an
re deepens. Lincons proclamation against the origns
Confederate States, brought out against him the grea
States Of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee
Il 1 the gallant young State of Arkansas His tyrann
O. over Maryland the brutality Of his minions in Nilsson
RI his violation of the soil Of Kentucky land this las
N inevitably will bring these States also to the side
the Coniederacy Can Maryland be deserted or forgo
ten Can the great State of Missouri be left to stru
gle alone Shall traitors always hold Kentucky, an
20 cast the odum of this war upon the South? There
~ but one answer. 1t will take more battles before il
vaders are driven out and traitors crushed before
war transferred to the Northern banks of the Ohio
ne the Susquehannah and Philadelphia, New York an
Cincinnati taught to tremble before the fate wit
ut which they have so uriousy threatened the cities
| homesteads of the South
ne AN INDIANA REGIMENT about 700 strong has been cal
tured bodily by troops Falls Church. In the
pede they had lost their way and wandered about hun
nt and exhausted, until Friday morning party of OF
scouts forced them out force SENT and they
enl dered glad, probably, of the chance.