The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-05-02
Invasion of the SOUTH How to

| committed the mistake of supposing that
its capital was TO Russia what Paris was
to France. But, to his dismay, he found
that great empire had no capital, the fall
of which could draw down with it the
fabric of national power. The very mo-
ment in which he thought to have COM
pleted the conquest of Europe proved to
be the commencement of his own down
fall The Russian campaign sappcd the
foundations of his empire, and the day
that he left Moscow was the one when he
-lsnsscs An .thass fssl;s- --is.ss,s~stwhicf-
led to such swift and utter destruction.
FThe Seuth has no Paris and many Mos
COWS. like the Russians, we are with
drawing from our confines and letting
the enepny into our interior. While his
army is 20 strong and so Thoroughly equip
ped as at present, our policy is retreat,
and our safety to be invaded. We have
learned ~ experience the folly of order
ing our generals, against their Judgment
and protest, into such hopeless snares as
Roanoke Island and Fort Donelson.-
The great business we have now in hand
is the destruction Of the enemy's armies.
Before he had raised his immense forces.
it might have been our policy to invade
his country and conquer peace on his
own soils
But the object now is to destroy his
forces. They outnumber our own and
are better provided with the implements
and munitions of war. The expense of
meeting him OH the border would be
greater than the damage he may do us
by invasion and the hazard would be
incalculable. If we meet him on the from
tier under the disadvantages we would
have to suffer, the chances would be of
his destroying our armies instead of ours
destroying his. BY Withdrawing into
the interior we insure the object which
we seek to accomplish. At the begin
ming, he may carry it with a high head,
and subject us to serious reyerses but
time, and distance and climate, will sure
ly do their work upon his troops. We
have but to keep our army intact and
bide our time to recover our losses with |
interest.
But the people Of the South must not
trust suplrely to the Southern armies.-
The object is the destruction of the in
vading columns; and in this work all
can lend helping hand. The army is
composed of those who volunteer for the
war and are charged with regular opera
tions in the field. But where there is
one volunteer for the war there are five
men in the country that can render SER
vice for month or week at the critical
If the most of .hese are called
into the militia, still there are young men
and OLD, outside of the militia limits of
age, who can render efficient service
against the invader in many modes.
In modern warfare transportation is a
sine qua non of all military movements
An army without transportation is an ar
my whipped. To get into the rear of
West Point is like draining water from
about the fish. 1t exhausts and ruins
without blow. While our armies are
warning against the enemy's columns let !
our people make their campaign against
their transportation. The best armies in
the world are subject to stampede and
taking away its transportation would
stampede column even in the moment
OF highest success and confidence. The
accidental dash of body of Austrian cav
airy across the rear of the French at the
battle OF Wagran stampeded victorious
column after one of the most splendid tri-
umphs known in the history of arms
10 demoralize an invader he must be at
tackled in detail on all occasions, and in
force very rarely. Irregular operations
in front OF them. He isapt to know with
accuracy the force he has to control in
front; but attacks in the rear set his i'm
agination at work. A night attack of q
hundred men, made about the hour of
two in the morning, when the mind is
most timid and apprehensive, is apt to
produce the impression that at least five
thousand are upon him; and the trans
portation of several regiments may be
destroyed before he gets to his feet.
The chief evil of invasion is the effect
it produces upon the spirits of a commu-
nifty. But, at last, the destruction of
in the immediate track of the
army is all that the people have to fear
1t is the duty OF the intelligent men of
the country to remove whatever depress-
ing effect may be produced, by explain
ing TO their neighbors the object of with
drawing our armies from the frontier and
letting the enemy into the interior His
success, so far, has been all amphibious.
He has been able to approach us in force
by means Of water and railroad transpor-
tation. He took advantage of the fresh
ct in the Tennessee and Cumberland riv-
ers to precipitate an overwhelming force
upon Donelspn and get possession of
Nashville. He attacked our seaboard I
towns by water. But the rivers in the
west will soon subside, and the summer
sun will soon begin it's work upon his un-
lucky soldiers upon the seaboard. When
he shall have penetrated into the interi-
or, then VIII ne our opportunity. Let
every man remember, that to destroy the
enemy's army u now our great object;
that TO do this with least loss to ourselves
and the greatest certainty. he must be al.