Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-10-07
AllhmonO EllQulrtt.
ny TYLER, WISE d AlLEGRE.
SATURDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 4, 1872:
PREPARING FOR TIE COMING SHOCK,

eNpoct. any thing else than IN: continuance ot
the wal for another campaign and on very
grand scale. True. Lincoln 'snesro proclamation
is raising ao,nr rulnmotion in the North; but
his universal mar,al law will probably quiet
that. The Yankee Snrms to hava lost his
whole dcSire.t.r his own freedom in his n.
tempt to 'lcstrny ours; and the world doe:
not al this moment present 4 more grinding
tyranny and & more ahicct submission than
is seen in the dnminiona Of Abraham tho
FIRST. Without, therefore, some such pn,,l.
lar revolution as day may indeed hiring
forth, but which it is very unwiSe 10 ,mlculate
upon, the whole power of the North is
still IN he exertcI E,r our destru:rion
Our people and government are all con.
conscious of the giant preparations which Li,,-
coin is making. His vast drafts of inerl are
not all. HIS ship-yar,ls sre MI busy, and gun,
boats "f heavy draft and Of light draft ,cased in
iron aimor, and fitted up with all the art o.
war and all the appliances nr ingenuity, ars
heir:: constructed in groat numbers.
Thus, while gresi army is to press us on
land, our coasts are to lie infested, and our
large and small rivera penetrated by mailed
gunboatS.
1t has become Of la:e little fashionable 10
sneer at gunboats. There is no gnod reason
for this. They are certainly Formidable
means Of offence, to imople who cannot
meet them in the same way. And tk- rice
in the rivers, which the rains of winter al
way S produce, will give them the power ut
ascending to the heads Of navigation.
We must prepare for these gnnboats,
not by aippantly snc ring at gunlnat
panics: that would be very unwise. Not
by timid apprehonsioua of inability In re-
aiSt ttclu: that would be very unwise ala".
But we must prepare defencrs on oui
rivers and ohs'ructi"ns in their channels
We must try all the virt'i;S "i sharpsshootrrs
on the banks, and snb-srncons batteries in
the stream. We must make it ner..S Snry for
moves at all: thus we shall reduce The num-
Der Of his attempts. We should have river
guards Of active. courageous men, sufficient
to prevent the crews trnul l,ndiug and pene-
trating into the country. The crew nf a
gunpcst is small, and can te easily overcome
away from the vessel. The shores that we
cannot defend must hr relieved Of every
thing that could reward maraudins parties.
All movable property should be retired to
a suitable distance.
To meet the comin, husts of the enemy on
land our army must not only be sufficiently in
creased in point of numbers, lul it's discipline
and efficiency must he promoted TO the highest
degree; and good citizens and good soldiers
must all cheerfully submit to a,d cooperate
in whatever is necessary TO Secure these re-
suits. It is thus and thus only, that the Wal
is to be safely and speedily ended. All who
desire those results az his first wish, should
be willing to employ the means. The war
is separating men frcm their business and
homes aud lnterIlpting the industry and the
happiness CT the country. Let us end it as
soon as possible.
One Of the principal evils to be corrected
in the army is the practice of struggling. II
is vice, *hioh. if allowed. will destroy any
army in the world. It can oul Y he restrained
by rigid discipline and whatever regulations
may be necessary 70 ti,iS crd, Shen'd be srs-
tained by tn: sentiment ol til. urmy and
the cuuntrs. 1t is very colnrlnu, how
ever. 10 canSurr a. harsh. any attempts
made to rep5esa this cS;l; and perhaps these
ill-considrred Complaints may have s"rhs-
times found their way into portions Of this
paper But so fn fr,n Icing harsh, It is
only just 10 the good officer ar solder who
stands up unhinching,y 10 bis ardguma duty,
not to allow one VINO il LEppsod 10 shutlls, to
strasslc from hm side. The prevention Of
stragsliug is demanded hr the best interests
Of thai callAr lnr Which the army itself WGa
raised; and of which S.tag:lns would be the
speedy rui".
1t would aurpr,sa the nunt"rrfed to know
1ow largea number there are who hahitnally
'traggle away from duty. 1t is said
here are some who have been in the war
rom the beginning, but have never Leen in a
hight. In the army. similar TO what We see
Il everything there are good men aud there
Are shutters. These last have TO he strictly
disciplined, or they will prove nothing but
Useless consumers Of a"my rations. And
when they are procre,iet against, our sym
Iathy should be not with them, but with the
,aod aud brave men whom they are leaving
% bear the whole blunt cf the fight.
1t is these ssragg!ers, TOO, that are so terri
Die scouTge TO country through which m
lrmy passes. They tarry Lehind TO pundtr
while their brethren go on to fight.
The procuring of army supplies and the
discharge Of this i1npo1 tant duty in such
manner as not to destroy tie resources
If the country; nor affect the people, demand
;hc most earnest attention. The safety Of
he republic and the comfort Of the citizens
ire beth involved Cniaithtul, incompetent.
'r dishonest quartermaatera and counrisss
lies could plunge the country into ruin and
he people into i, ,siiiulion and distress, be-
1ond the possibility Of ayertng it. The en-
,eriencc OF ,f.' ;:"vcrnlnunt Ilas enabled it to
loow who are atA 'e::t ,nrn ia these depart
nsnts. LIZ them he cherished and lrmcred.
init men mus he discharged %ihnnt hesi-
tand upon the feelings Of f.itnds which will
'e hurt BY it. Iy our loYo oi our country, and
ur love for the SOLDIER who tjghtH its baltles,
fe must turn theIn out; and not 10 make
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