Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-01-21
Late News from Southern Papers.
An INTERESTING STATEMENT NJ TIL
SOUTHERN SITUATION.

Late News from Southern Papers.
AN INTERESTING STATEMENT oF THE
SOUTHERN SITUATION.
A Hgh Compiimsnt 10 HE Fsdsra .Aa'donh,s
Gsnsrai hcCislian has johnson and Bedwrgard
ina Iice-An Aggresare Var Policy Rscam
aeadsd-Ks 10 be The Stdrtiag looi, 'ic
From the Richmond Examiner, jan 10Th.
For a period uncertain IN dnraiion whether
OF days weeks or months the season commands
truce This Il the true winter. The hrs
campaign is ended Ai y time has come when Il I
s m longer unsRie to review results ani can
slider with candor the situation OF our affairs,
The campaign has been strictly defensive
We have gained nothing, for We have attempted
no gain That we have LOST comparatively liule
ol actual territory during the latter six months
is due only 10 the difficulties of an invasion in
country like this the necessity for time 10 prepare
half million of soldiers, the courage Of the
southern volunteers and the individual cownrdice
Of the northern meIcenaries II IL, however,
nudeniabe that the defensive policy, besides the
moral strain on an army that awaits repeated
and endless attack, and the exhaustion Of
country which is the scene of war, has given the
enemy an uninterrupted opportunity to prepare
d gigantic host and to arrange 1t nj leisure far
| the full trial of relative strength when the
seasons permit the resumption of hostlities.
While the political leaders of the south have
been reposir & in dreams of approaching peace,
aud while our accomplished captains oil eng
neers have been expendug 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 insa-
ding forces from given direction, the enemy
have gradually and at leisure gathered up their
immense resources, and concentrated their tre-
mend1us energies, to envelope the coniederaey
with their armies and fleets, and To penetrate the
interior from some one Of many alternate points.
| Although they can now do nothing they have
their general programme in perfect order for
execution when the weather changes in the Ordi-
nary course Of the earth round the sun; and Mt
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 Sidney johnson has TO strain every nerve
to prevent the military as vel! rs geographical
= heart of the country from slipping out Of his
grasp. Generals Joseph johnson aud Beauregard
are held by Mcclellan on the Potomac as iu II
= vice A gigantic armament is ready to attempt
the descent Of the Mississippi, aud their fleets on
the Atlantic seacoast and the Gulf are too freshly
before the public attention to require remem-
4 brauce Such are tue fruits of policy purely
r defensive. Without even the hesitaney which
/ would come of possible interruption, the enemy
: have thus surrounded the southern coufederacy
and if permitted to repeat as often as may be
e desired their efforts to penetrate its heart they
will necessarily 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 thrown around us
- Ii is to concentrate our energy on one point ant
:" cut il throuRh-tO convert our defensive into al
offensive war, and transfer the scene of at leas
~ \ part of these hostilties to the enemy's Owl
70 country Situated ms we are, ii is only POSSIBLE
"a at one point--aud that is Kentucky. II th
" forces that we are Dispensing to the four corner
. of the continent every day to meet, new menacef
were collected under the lead Of General Sidne
10 Johnston, till II column was formed sufficient I
enable him TO mnnouyre with some possibility 0
% success over the plains of that region, he nigh
hurl hack the array in front Of him at present
lu and penetrate the State Of Ohio The attainmeu
49, of this object Wonld render worthless oil th
- plans of the enemy. The circle OF armies wonl
10 be in the condition Of the constructor whose bae
~ has been broken, the scene OF war would
~ transferred to his own territory and every on
20 who has witnessed the raVages Of armies in an
,o of the invaded districts Of Virginia knows VIII
W a priceless blessing is designated in that bril-
bu phrase lie would he attacked beyond his de
fences. The alarm and confusion II the Unite
20 states would paralyze its government and i
w generals, and the entire arrangement by whiC
20 we suffer now and dread great disasters in intur
~ wond be Immediately reversed
the confederate forces in Kentucky as the pc
70 son TO whom this business should be- eniruste
because he is the only one in position, at th
w w point OF the game, 10 undertake an advance
20 the enemy with probabilities OF success, even
ed sn,icient force could he allotted to the othel
No natural obstacle encumber his path, a. in Il
case of Polk and Beauregard. concentrate,
of troops now employed on the seacoasl, and
other points where no vital blow can be eth
given or received, is all that s necessary to hi
tor effecting this great end, To form such CO
ceutration il will be necessary TO leave SOL
portions of the frontier without other protect
18th than the inhabitants of the neighoring count
eau afford but this will in most cases he tou
more than sufficient against attacks that We
ose only intended to draw our troops from real poll
de of strategy, and even if otherwise, they must,
yai brief time, be lett to take their chance till
run blow that will relieve them, with the wAoe &C
oi federacy, can be struck where only it eau be
ol, ", liVered.
MI At present General johnson confrOnts super
'ry forces of the enemy under Buell., one Of the INT
70 cautious, painstaking and able generals on I
10 other side General Buell. has now, immediate
stn ~ in front Of Johnson, an army of seyenty-
'he thousand men, and can bring to bear on US,
mn' other given pOntg, thirty thousand more. WI
FWSe' W the confederate commander has may not
.ne Nv. stated but it is probably enough to hold
'n present strong position against any numbers Il
-. tnlght attack hlul thcfe. Dut lne enemy nus
iou- choice to attack him there, OF to pass him
,s q either side, get to his and cut off his 81
: a.i' ~ plies. This we can do by leaving sutici
eaA- @ army in front of Gen. johnson, while he can s
SURF send upon the right or left flank force as la
.... as he leaves behind That this is the plan
''aae ae, Buell. is now no longer doubtful.
no' He has placed force OF eight thOusa
eOI, men at Glasgow, thirty miles to the eastward
~ Bowling Green, threatening the rear OF Gene
slse Johnston, while it is within easy support
nore distance Of two other posts held in strong 70
snas by the enemy. If the plan of Buell. is suCcessi
. pe it may result in great disaster. To defeat h
-. it is necessary that more men should at once
wa l.s., sent to Bowling Green. Gen. Johnston m
a"ul ~ have n force sufficient to attack Buell. in fro
|, 2 with good chance Of success; and by doing
.io will not only defeat his scheme on the centre
,Ssa ~. the confederacy, but Immediately transfer
-, ~ war TO the State OF Ohio, and thus save
~, whole south from the great danger Of being o'
~. run in the first fine weather Of the coming spri
nana We are satisfied that, beyond the filter
M possibilities of a foreign Intervention, the O
rational hope We can entertain of speedy ter
nation of this war is to be found in an often
~ campaign across the Ohio from the point