Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-18
INVASION By WAY OF THE VALLEY.
From the Richmond Dispatch, July Is.

River.
INVASION By WAY OF THE VALLEY.
From the Richmond Dispatch, July Is.
The obvious design of the enemy is to get into
Virginis.by large columns of troops thrown upon
our left flank, under Gems. Johnston at Winchester
and Garnet at Laurel Hill. 1t is very evident that
most of his attention has been directed to his affairs
in that quarter for several weeks. This announce
ment by the 1Tibans of an immediate attack upon
Gen. BeauregRrd's command before Alexandria, and
the parade Of crossing troops the bridge from
Washington to this side of the Potomac, may be re-
garded teints to distract attention from the rea
design of entering State in force by way of the
Valley. The mutny of Pennsylvania regiments at
Martinsburg may delay the march of Patterson's
column but, in all probability there will be fight
ing of an important character at Laurel HILL if not
at Winchester, in very short time, probably be-
fore these lines are published.
Many advantages would attend the success of
this plan of campaign. Virginia would be entered
in the healthful and comparatively cool region Of
the Valley, country teeming 10 provisions of all
sorts, and admirable for the summer operations Of
an army. The citizens of the Valley of Virginia
are amongst the most loyal of our people to the
cause of the South, which they have testified by
the number and excellent character of the troops
they have put into the field To invade this region
and to suppress the spirit of loyalty there, would
weaken the energies Of Virginia materially in this
struggle, and proportionstely cripple the Southern
strength. This portion of the State is also imme-
dIately contiguous to the realm of the Yankee Pier
pont and to annex it to his dominlons would add
greatly to the dignity and consequence of that pi-
ratical Government in the Northwest, of which
Pierpont and Upton, Garlic and Wiley are the
worthy Representatives. 1t would give those pre-
tenders one-third of the of Virginia, and
than third of the white population; and it might
lay the foundation for ultimate division of Yir
Rina, in the final arrangements for setting the
terms of division of the old Union.
The military advantages of this invasion of Vir-
gina by way of the Valley would be as great as its
political Beauregard's column would be passed,
and that General would be in the condition so much
abhorred by Scott of having an enemy in the rear
as well as in the 'front.' Staunton would probably
be made the first object to be secured from which
central point operations could be planned at leisure
against other portions of the State including Rich
mond. The possession of StauDton and the Valley
by the enemy, would go very far towards giving
them possession of all West Virginia, except the
Southwest
If the enemy does not succeed in this plan of in
vadng the State, inclined to think his chance
of getting in st all is very bad. HIS first design
was to take Norfolk and to move against Richmond
by the Yorktown peninsula and the James River.
But Norfolk is cow inpregnable, and his expert
ences in the peninsula have cured him of all ex-
pectatlons of success in that quarter. At Aqua
Creek his fortune has been no better, and at Alex
andria the game has been blocked against him
To achieve success at these points could only be
through forces greatly disproportioned to those he
would have to encounter.
His only hope is by way of Martinsburg and Phil
lippi. He has accordingly placed as many as forty
ty-ive thousand troops under the command of Pat
terson and it is not known how many under that
of Mcclellan, for q demonstration upon the Valley
of Virginia 1t now remains to be seen what luck
he will have in that quarter. We do not fear the
result He will find lion in his path there, as well
as st Manassas, at Acqus and at Bethel There will
be more fighting, and fighting on larger scale,
than we have yet had, but we are confident the re-
suit will be the same. Even if he should achieve
| Ill anskn ,n1 hat
tle his task will only then have just begun. Our
forces would be seconded by the militia Of the
I Valley, and every mountain pass every tree and
every hill side would be charged with the messen-
gers of death.
seem to have promised an easier success than any
other; but we venture to predict that the attempt
to carry il into execution will bring more disaster
upon tie enemy than he has yet had TO encounter.
NOsS UeTTORs.
THE TRAIrORs-oUTRAGEs UPON vIRGTNANs.
The Richmond Dispatch of the 18th says:
With the exception of the Northwest, Virginia
has been pretty well purged of traitors. Here and
there they lnger in small NUMBERS, keeping very
quiet and waiting with downcsst looks and sealed
lips an opportunity for vengeance upon good ana
true men, 1t is only the Northwest that they are
open blatant and defiant in their allegiance to the
bloody despotism at Washington. We have heard
of deeds of crime committed upon Virgins women
BY the invaders to whom these traitors have opened
the door of Western Virginia, that make the blood
run cold. One of them, which is alleged upon good
authority to have occurred at Phlppi, we dare not
narrate till we have the most explicit evidence. The
parallel is not to be found among the outrages Of
any war in which the United States was ever engag-
ed and has only its equal in Gtrocity in horrible
crime and dismal tragedy in Alexandria, which,
upon its first publication, was deemed incredible,
but which now is supported by the declaration Of
one of the Oldest clergymen in Virginia, whose
name if we felt at liberty to give it. would be the
most ample guaranty of the accuracy o. any state
ment which he might make. If such Internal deeds
go unpublished, then has vengeance forsaken earth
and Justice deserted Heaven.
We learn from the Winchester VirginiaE that
LNcoLN's thieves found number of Black Repub-