Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-01-24
THE FIELD or CONFLICT

A soUrH-sGDE vGEw--JoHNsToN ARD BEAU
REGARD IN A yIcE--osLY ONE CHANCE
or EscAPE.
The following highly interesting and very
significant extract is from an article in the
Richmond Examiner of Jan. l6. reviewing the
past and present condition Of military affairs
The campaign has been strcfy deteRsire He hare
have lost comparatively lutte u actual territory during
the latter six month h due only the difficulties Of nya
sion iu country ike this the necessity for time pre-
pare half million Of soldiers, the courage Of the South
volunteers and the individual oowardce OF the North
Crn mercenaries is, however uHdeuiable that the de-
fensiyc policy, besides the moral strac " army that
swaiis repeated and endless attack and the exhaustion
Of country which Is the Of war has sYen the ep-
s%y an nd u ~ 3 I ,' sF1sne
tive strength se thescs6ns permit the resumption OF
hostiiues
Uh,e the to6ioai LEADERS Of tbs South hare been re-
posing dreams IF approaching peace and irhte
accom- hsbsd captains Of engineers hars bso rlondng
their remarkable seiendc ingenuity ~ me erection Of
io0rhs wonderful and almost eTcHsirc and quite
rdhi1bie, me Chese irIH resist muadlng forces
from girca direction, he emmy haze gradually and at
leisure gafhered up their immense and concern
frafed Mctr reDis Hd0ts energies 10 uireop c coedT
aoy cih Meir and fleets, and and 10 pHefrafe
nc INFERIOR from some one 81 many aHef"d'irc points
Although they can now do nothing, they have their gem
erai programme M perfect order for execution When the
weather changes IN the ordinary course OF he earth round
the and this Rd Ourseiees ~ the face
Of superior forces ghereuer os took Nhcher 20 he North
The rust the West, me S0Hh itself General sydney
Johnston has strain every prevent the military
as well as geographical heart Of the country from slipping
out Of his grasp. Genea JOseDh Johnston and Bsaure-
gard held By Mcclellan The Potomac as -, a pee
gigantic armament is ready attempt the decent Of
the Missppt and their deets the Atlantic sea coast
and the Gulf too freshly before the public attention
require remembrance Such the fruits uf a policy
purely defensive Without even the hesitancy which
would come OF possible interruption, the enemy have
thus surrounded the Southern oonfederacy and. " per-
med 10 repeat often may be desired their ej0rfs
10 penetrate rs heart they DW necessarily attain he
place and the time phere success Gioaits them.
that has been coolly drawn around i is to
ttate our energy point and cutt through
defensive into offensive war and transfer The
Of at least part Of these hostes the enemy
own country Situated as we are, Il is only possible %
point aud that is Kentucky. II the forces that
dispensing the four Of the continent every
day, tn meet new menacea, were collected under the
hand OF Gen. sydney Johnston, till column form-
ed sufficient 10 enable him 10 with some pos
d6ilily Of success over the plains Of that region, he
might huTl back the array In font Of him at present aud
penetrate the State Of Ohio. The attainment OF this
object would render worthless all the plans OF the enc
my The circle Of armies would be in the condition Of
the constructor whose back has been broken, the scene
Of war would be transferred TO his territory, and
every who has Witnessed the rayages Of armie IN
any OF the inv lded districts Of Virginia, knows what
priceless blessing 10 designated in that brief phrase lie
would be attacked beyond his defenses. The alarm aud
confusion Of the United States would paralyze It's gov
eminent aud It's generals, and the entire arrangement,
by which suffer and dread great disasters In fu-
! ture, would be immediately reversed"