Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-09-04

, AWAY LAST YEAR in the very heat of the summer,
the tide of military success set strongly in favor OF the
South. The country rung with the echoes from Big
Bethel Manassas and many another q Id
Ali along during the fall ard winter of last year. the
North was full OF preparation Her iouDdries and her
workshops were busy turning out artillery without
parallel in the history of Vast bodies OF troops
were raised and drilled Gunboas we're fitted out and
armed with the immense guns that bad be- made at
Pittsburg and New York, and elsewhere. This the
North did, while we did little or nothing. Luled into
nacton by the deusve dream of foreign Intervention,
resting satisfied with the glores in the beginning
of the campaign, made little fort to maintain our
position, and none to improve it so that when the
spring opened it found weak and unPrepared, while
the enemy was ready for advance at all points, and
be did advance. Tennessee and Kentucky were torn
from u.s. We were driven out of Missouri
The coast of North Carolina was left open to
the enemy The most hopeful trembled-the frmest
almost desponded. The battle of Shiloh first indicated
the turn of the tide which is still with US. We are
gradually reganing our lost ground
This Summer like the last has been time of vic
tory. Shall this Fall like the last be cur time of inert
ness and neglect? We trust not. 1t must not be-.
The enemy will take the field 10 the Spring with i'm
force, which, by that time he will have toeraby
welldrled, and we all know to what extent discip
line make up for the want Ct higher incentives to do
and dare. 1t will not do to underate cur enemy fail
to be prepared for him., The North has as yet given
no evidence of any desire or intention TO relax her
efforts either to sutjugate ruin Wherever they
go their track car be traced in havoc and desoaton
and long years must eapse before the cruel wounds
they have inflicted can be healed Their remembrance
can never fade out.
We must expect our coasts to be harraSsrd during
the whole of the coming winter and nothing but the ut
most Ngor and determination be relied to pro
tect them successfully. We will have hard trial this
winter and the coming spring We need not attempt to
disguise that fact from ourselves.
The Northern military service is Certainly risky
business. Not only does the commander other Of
fcer stand fair chance of being popped off by South
ern bullet pierced by Southern bayonet cut into
small pieces by a Southern sword, but if he escapes
this, he s pretty certain to be sacrificed by his
people to appease the c!amcr OF The populace. McClel
Ian is the man rapidly going .d'wn to the bottom
of the wheel. Pope will be the next. Fremont has
had his Buell. is pretty certain to be badly Cut
up and worsted in Tennessee, and tken be must 90
der.
Poor General Benbam made an attack upon the Con.
eerae batteries On James Island ar Secessionvile
and be was pretty badly tbrashed and with heavy
loss He was arrested and carried North We see
now the announcement that he has been dismissed from
the service.
The enemy has only two generals now to fall back
upon We mean two of any reputation, tcr they have
been using up all their former great leaders rapidly
that they have lost confidence 10 the whole all Of them
We take it that Pope and IIuleck viii have
to 60 under to appease popular clnmor, and
then in all probability Roceerarz will be the
man for Rosecrarz is of decided ability
more practical efficiency than either Halleck, Pope
or Mcclellan When they fall out with Rosencranz
we suppose they will fall back upon Sigel, the flying
Dutchman," somebody has called him. woo is certain
ly an energetic commander, if nothing else. We may
reasonably presume, however that matter who set
up in future it will be some little time before the Nor
them papers will again proclaim their commander-n-
chief a young Napoleon" or, indeed, any sort of a
Napoleon. That sort of bombast oaght to be about
played out