The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-06-14
The First Battles The Probable
Issue.

Issue.
The country looks 10 Fort Pickons and
to the Virginia BORDERS for the first i'm
portant engagements between tho fiee-
men Of the South and the Northern sub.
jugators. The chances of war at both
these points are cleatly on the side of the
South. In proof Of this, tho best testi-
mony is that of our enemies, who of course
bear unwilling witness 10 their own weak
ness. In regard especially to Fort Pick
ems, tho Washington correspondent Of
the Cincinnati Enquirer said day or two
since.
/ was shown letter received here to-
day from sn officer now at Fort Pickens
to his father in this CITY. He says the
Fort cannot possibly be held out against
the Confederates foE .Syenty.iour hours, as
/ Bragg has 80 arsaneSa his batteries that
he can lodge si-clls Into the Fort every
minute.
The Louisville Journal Of Tuesday also
contained tho following editorial which
states the case more in detail, and moro
decidcdly.in our favor:
We expressed our opinion the other
day that the attack upon Fort Pickcns,
whenever made, would be successful
We do not see how any other result can
reasonably be expected. The Confederate
troops upon the main shore are vastly
more numerous than the United States
troops in the fort and upon the island,
and thoy have been engaged for months
in planting their batteries and strengthen
ing their deiences. They are prepared
to fight from behind walls as impcnetra-
bic to caunon balls rs the walls of the
Fort, and under as perfect protection
from bombs as the men in the Fort viii
have. And now, when wo consider that
they have three or four times as many
heavy guns and mortars as are in the
Fort, we don't understand how the result
can be considered at all doubtful. We
really don't see why, since the condition
of war is recognized in both sections, the
commander Of the Confederate troops at
Pensacola has had the privilege accorded
to him of fixing lis own time for the at
tack. Maybe it is mere Difference or cour-
tesy or polteness on the part of the Unit
ed States Government. Still we are aware
that we ought to hesitate long before pre-
suming to condemn the military plans of
the greatest General Of the age.
What we anticipate at Pensacola we arc
also inclined to anticipate at Harper's
Ferry, at Norfolk, and at Sewall's Point.
In all of those places the Confederate
troops, under the command of eXperieuc-
and skillful generals and civil engineers,
have had Just as much time and Just rs
many cannon of all descriptions for
Strengthening theirpositions as they could
desire. At Harper's Ferry they have
planted columbiads and other tremen-
dous guns upon the SUBMITS Of the many
almost perpendicular heights in that wild
region; besides haying powerful batteries
upon the leve. Of the village, pointed so
rs to sweep evcry possible way approucA;
and they do not entertain a doubt that,
with ten or twelve thousand troops, they
can easily and speedily repel forty or Hity
thousand assaiiants. At Norfolk, the
Confederate troops, under th" Guidance
of the famous Reauregard, have planted
between four and five hundred Of the big
gest guns in America, all taken from the
Gosport Navy Yard, for two or three mi!cs
along the shore, whilst the rear approach
to the harOor is rendered impossible 10y
sunRcn vessels. At Sewall's Point they
have placed just as many guns and troops,
and completed Just such Notifications as
| they have deemed necessary to the GER
tain accomplishment of their purposes.
Now we have watched the late military
movements with considerable care, Ger
! tainly with much anXiety, and it really
| scents 10 us, at this distance, as If the
! United States Government were prerar-
ing 10 attack the Confederate troops at
all the points named with n force scarce
| l., if of all yurapiCr 10 tha;r ,,rr If fiji.