Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-01-30

per year according to the space they occupy
ne was making seventy-fve thousand dollars
year, underletting the whole"
That is to say, man "apponted" by some
one IN the Administration to hold the monopoly
Oh "sutler over seven regiments" pockets
seVenty-hve thousand dollars per annum of the
earnings of the soldiers, without giving cents
worth OF equivalent, and robs the families of
these seven regiments of this sum, besides the
the larger amount which his underlings take
away. Yankee ingenuity could not invent
more rascally or injurious system than this.
We shall think little of this boasted Yankee
ingenuity if it cannot devise some scheme in
stead of this, which will favor the men who
fghtfor the country, and not the army followers
who get rich on the poverty and sufierings of
soldiers wives and childrcn.-N. Y. Post.
An interesting Statement of the Southern Sit
uation---Gen. Mcclellan has Beauregard
and Johnston in Vice.
The Richmond Examiner of January 10th,
in announcing that winter has set in and the
first campaign ended, says that time has come
when it is no longer unsafe to review results
and consider with candor the situation Of affairs
in the Confederacy, and then proceeds to make
the following interesting statements and admis-
sions of the imminent peris which now environ
the rebels and their cause
While the political leaders Of the South have
been reposing in dreams of approaching peace,
and while our accomplished captains of eng-
neers have been expending their remarkable
scientific ingenuity in the erection of works as
wonderful, and almost as extensive and quite as
valuable, as the Chinese wall, to resist invading
forces from given direction, the enemy have
gradually and at leisure gathered up their i'm
mensc resources and concentrated ther tremen-
dous energies to envelope the confederacy with
their armies and fleets, and to penetrate the in
terror from some one of many alternative
points.
Although they can now do nothing, they have
have their general programme in perfect order
for execution when the whether changes in the
ordinary course Of the earth round the sun
and at this moment we find ourselves in the
face of superior forces wherever we look,
whether to the North the East or the West,
or the South itself General Sydney Johnston
has to strain every nerve to prevent the militia
ry as well as geographical heart OF the country
from slipping out of his grasp. General Joseph
Johnston and Beaurcgard are held by McClel-
Ian on the Potomac in vice. a gigantic
armament is ready to attempt the descent of
the Mississ ppi and their fleets on the Atlantic
seacoast and the Gulf are too freshly before the
public attention to require remembrance. Such
are the fruits of policy purely defensive
Without even the hesitancy which would come
of a possible interruption, the enemy have thus
surrounded the Southern confederacy; and if
permitted to repeat as often as may desired the
efforts to penetrate its heart they will necossa-
rily attain the place and the time where success
awaits them.
There is now but one chance OF escape from
the net that has been coolly drawn around us
it is to concentrate our energy on one point
and cut it through to convert our defensive
into an offensive war, and transfer the scene of
at least part of these hostilities to the enemys
own country. Situated as we are, it is only
possible at one point-and that is Kentucky
If the forces that we are dispensing to the four
corners Of the continent every day, to meet new
menaces were collected under the hand of Cen
eral Sydney Johnston, till column was formed
sufficient to enable hi to manpuvre with some
possibility of success over the plains of that re-
gion. he might hurl back the array in front of
him at present, and penetrate the State of Ohio.
The attainment of this object would render
worthless all the plans OF the enemy. The cir
Gle of armies would be in the condition of the
constructor whose back has been broken, the
scene Of war had been transferred to his own
territory, and every one who has witnessed the
ravages of armies in any of the invaded dis
tricts of Virgin a, knows what priceless bless
ing is designated in that briet phrase He
would be attacked beyond his defenoes. The
alarm and confusion of the United States would
paralyze its Government and its generals, and
the entire arrangement, by which we suffer now
and dread great disasters in future, would be
Immediately reversed
At present Gen. Johnston confronts superior
forces of the enemy under Buell., one of the
most cautious, pains-taking and able generals
on the other side, Gen. Buell. has now, imme-
diatelv in front of Johnston, an army of 10000
men and can bring to bear on us, at other Civ
en- points, 10000 more. What the Confederate
commander has may not be stated but it is
probably enough to hold his present strong po-
| sition against any numbers that might attack
! him there.
But the enemy has the choice to attack him
there, or to pass him on either side get to his
rear and cut oft his supplies This he can do
| by leaving n sufficient army in front of Gen.
! Johnston, while he cen still send upon his right
or left flank force as large as he leaves be-
hind. That this is the plan of Buell. is now no
longer doubtful. He has placed force of
5000 men at Glasgow thirty miles to the east
ward of Bowling Green, threatening the rear of
Gen. Johnston, while it is within easy support
ing distance of two other posts held in strong
force by the enemy.
IL llc pun vi bupll - auNNtNHluls IL UiuN re-
suit in a great disaster. To defeat him, it is
absolutely necessary that more men should at
once be sent to Bowling Green. General Johns
ton must have force sufficient TO attack Buell.
in front, with good chance of success; and by
doing so will not only defeat his scheme on the
centre of the Coniederacy, but Immediately
transfer the war to the State of Chic, and thus
save the whole South from the great danger Of
being overrun in the first fine weather OF the
coming spring.
We are satisfied that, beyond the FMeing
possibilities of a foreign Intervention, the only
rational hone ,ce can entertain of a speedy ter
nliaation Of this icar is to be tomdm IN an o6t1,-
sire campaign across the Ohio, from the point
that Gen. Johnston now defends.
| IRIsH W.T. AIMAYS READY lis NOW knnwn