Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-02
now THEY WERE EaagD ON TO THE
ATTACK.

now THEY WERE EgGED ON TO THE
The following article from Richmond paper
shows how the rebel Generals were spurred on to
make an attack upon Mcclellan:
From the Richmond Exsminerl
Mcclellan can operate against Richmond In
with his flank covered by his boats, bring With
him his siege trains, and, IL not attached, DO here
for the second time what he has already done
town. OR, he can reach his army mp the norfhern
bank Of the Chickahominv through Hanover, get
troops between Andersonis army and Richmond,
and when he has done away with IL, form union
with Banks and Mcdowell at his leisure The
hickahominy furnishes an excellent defensive
line for our army; but Mcclellan 10 on the other
side Of It. IL defends him, too, while occupied In
these comfortable arrangements.
OF course, IL he Is allowed to take his own time
and do all he wants over there; IL the Confederate
commanders are going to sit down and twiddle
their thumbs till be condescends to begin with
IL 81: h:pns 8. ?, and Sggs
other guns and the digging Of other trenches,
then the end Of II 10 certain. Nothing Is more
msthematically proven than the plans Of at
cs ush'oo os S0ys s, Wes' roi1 * and osne,
into blocks Of stone, which will stand still to be
measured, weighed, calculated and then one to
be lifted over another as II by cranes and pulleys
e,
transportation, and numbers, viii always get the
defending army In such a az that IL Is bound to
retire or be cut In pieces; and up to this time our
defensive army has regularly retired In compli-
ance with the principles Of Jomini. Such has
hitherto been the history Of our war. But such 10
not the history Of war In general, and cannot al
wayscontinue to be so here. There are such things
as bravery, enterprise, invention, quickness Of
movement, determination Of purpose, which have
had much TO do with the military results In every
age aud country, and they will sooner or later
make their way over all the precedents Of the late
army Of the United States.
1t 10 easy to repeat the cuckoo song that war Is
q science; that no one knows IL but those who
have passed a life pretending to study IL; that
Generals have done %, newspapers have not done
so; that IL is impossible to deliver battle TO supe-
riOr forces in unassaiable Positions that our Gen.
erals offer battle 10 Mcclellan, he will not accept
IL, &c But an appeal from common conceit to
common sense and 10 history 10 always justins ble
The greatest masters OF the military profession
have left on record this unanimous Judgment
that war Is an art, not Il science much less j
mystery; that II cannot be taught or reduced to
rules that success In It depends upon mother
wit, not study; that quick perception, strong
sense, courage, enterprise and general mental re-
source are the qualities that make a commander;
that the worth of officer 70 to be tested by his
success, and the merit OF a campaign Is TO be es-
timated by Its results, and by the opinions or
criticisms OF persons having military ptetensions
Now, what have been the results OF the war In
Virginia. The war has lasted year. Many bat
fought In Wire inia, with the exception Of Cheat
Mountain and Roanoke, the Confederate soldiers
have had the advantage; vet the Confederate
armies have been always In retreat, never In ad-
vance, abandoning position after position, accord
ing to rule and square, till now the State 10 nearly
all swallowed by the enemy, iss. fields desolated,
farm-houses sacked, the slaves wandering In
troops, the people nation Of eIiles and the CAPT.
tai still safe only on the suppostion that the pre-
cedent OF the past shall here be abandoned Ii In
time to put In protest against precedent, and to
give solemn warning to all those, II any there be,
who propose to continue the campaign In Virginia
az 10 has been commenced
But our generals have often " offered battle -
Mcclellan would not accept IL. Therefore they
could not dght him. On this point we would re.
fer TO memorable piece Of military history.
When the great general Of the civil wars Of Rome
was engaged In his campaign against Publius
Silo, distinguished commander Of the other
p,rty, he bothered him much with his trenches
and slow advance. Silo often sent out his legions
In che Ice positions, 90 Offering battle,n which
Caius Marius would never accept. At last Pub
Illus Silo resorted to this simple expedient He
sent herald In the lines Of his versary to make
him this speech so, Caius Marius, IL YOU are
indeed great general, why do you not come out
Of your bitches and fight me a battle ?n MarIus
sent back his own herald to make him this reply :
:" o, PU5iiEs Silo, IL yos are great general, schy
do yok not make me come oHt dsd fight yor a
cattle >''