New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-11
ALFSsoN FROM THE ENEMY.

The developments of the last four weeks OF the
wal have been the most remaI kable that have oc-
cuued during is entire progress. The beginning Of
December saw the Yankees in full force apparel tly
ready for decisive battle at all the important points
OF the frontier. On the Potomac they had tie best
appointed army on the continent stated by their
own authorities 10 he goo, 900 strong. in Kentucky
they had massod together two immense forees, Of
-, 000 to $1,000 each, which mensced Columbus and
Bowling Green, and all indications pointed with
tainty 10 an immediate advance upon our hnes, at Il
time when we Were weak and were poorly able 10
withstand assault from heavy columns. Zolliooiier
wae prt ssed before Cumberland Gap BY force more
than double bis own; Pound Gap wac at the mercy
OF Nelson, having only thonsand men TO oppose
against 10 O00 RotecIans was on the Gauley With
an army which he oonfesses TO have been 1900
strong, against Floyd, bauOg only 300; Reynolds
was on Cheat Mountain with 5000, opposed by
johnson with oily 200 OF 400; and Sherman bad
sncceedod in landing $1,000 or 10000 men at Beau
fort, while we bad 10 thai region at the time but
few thousand forcfs, little better than militia poorly
provided with arms and ammunition And TO crow
al the sIlendd weather invited them to the charge.
| Then was presented the golden opportunity TO
strike of every one Of these points. Bold, effective
blows, stricken then simultaneously by all their
aru ios could not have failed to crush our strength
in several quarterr, aud put gloomy face upon our
affairs. Success n Columbus and Bowling Green
would have been almost annibatiDg TO our fortunes
in the West. Success at Cumberland and Pound Gaps
would have cut our connections with Tennessee and
amy in The Ksnawha would have laid open all mid.
lie Western Virginia next Spring TO the easy In
vasion OF the enemy. vigorous push from Beau
fort upon the Charleston and Savannah Railroad
would have separated those two cities, aud cut our
army OF the seaboard in two.
But the enemy have let the golden opportunity
slip through their fingers. They have allowed ne
time make good our defenses IN every threatened
quarter. The energy of the Southern people has
been aroused by the imminent danger, and we are
...tus Izl.r AZ
vulnerable. Our danger is passed and we are now
at liberty to speculate upon the blindness or imbecl-
itv which prevented the enemy from using oppor
tnnity which will never return to him.
10 what cause is the eDeinys failure eyerywbe
70 advance attributable. 1t clearly was not due TO
the want Of men, 10 the want Of supplies or 10 the
want Of preparation in facilities Of every character
No troops were ever better armed, better clothed or
better furnished with provisions and ammunition
Ills was not only the with particular corps, but
war the care with al. And yet, though fully pre-
pared for effective operations, though The whole
world was expecting Heavy blows to be struck and
decisive results to be achieved, their arms every
where either remained stock still, or ANONYMOUSLY
and most strangely and suddenly stampeded from sn
imaginary and non-pursuing foe.
There can 10 but one solution Of this mort strange
phenomena. The Yankees do not enlist 10 fight;
they enlist only TO draw pay. The cessation OF
Southern trade having put stop TO their factories
and mechanical trades the operatives have had no
other means Of livelihood than enlistment; the
clerks and foremen have, under the zane necessity,
taken ieutenancies and capaincies, and the bosses
are forced 10 play colonols They have all gone into
The army as a means o. livelihood, aud without any
sort Of Intention to throw away their lyes. They
took to the army to keep body and sou together and
without the remotest thought Of employing thai
method for separating the two. Accordingly, when
Mcclellan orders AN advance from the Potomac, as
be is said to have done repeatedly, these we-fed,
well-clo,hed, well-paid, and salaried men OF war
persstently do not march. SO in Kentucky, where
they had every opportunity for victory and 80 at
invited an advance. All around the frontier they
exhibited this same frugal regard for life and com
fort, and tho same ftod iDmobity under orders for
an advance We regard the last four weeks as
decisive OF the war, not merely by its results, or
but by its clear development Of the fact that the
Yankees have emitted in the army for living and
with fixed objection to hard fighting.