Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-05-28
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
From the Richmond Examiner.
THE CRISIS.

THE CRISIS.
No situation so important rs the present has been
observed on the American continent. What tre-
mendOus consequences, what terrible stakes, what
enormous results, depend upon the action and sue
cess of the two armies Camped within lew miles
from the hills of Richmond. Spectators of their
own fate the citizens are compelled to remain silent
and patient while their liberty or slavery, wealth
or poverty life or death, is decided by the Skill OF
Mcclellan and the intelligence of Johnston. These
armies not-yet trying the question by an appeal
to the sword. Neither general has yet fought
battle. Hitherto they have only played game OF
chess and they are still engaged IN evOlutons One
plays an offensive the other a defensive game.
Hitherto one of these men has stopped the advance
of the other as long he could, and then retired.
Perhaps he was quite right to do so at Manassas
and at Yorktown for the destiny of the nation was
not in jeopardy at either point, and it was impor-
tant to preserve the army intact for a more mpor-
tant service. But let all parties be warned of the
consequences inevitably to follow similar step
from the banks Of the Chicamahominy These
consequences are not only military, but civil-na
tlonal They are Generalization and dISorganiza
tion out of which the army and the country will
endeavor to save itself by creation of leaders
and rulers; adding thus TO all our calambieS and
difficulties, that Of revolution.
\ complete and total defeat of Johnston's army,
an utter anhlation Of the best troops and rout of
the Others successful assault and storm of the
city by overwhelming mass of Federal troops,
would be heavy blow TO the. Southern Conicde-
racy, but by no fatal to it, The spirit Of the
people and the soldiers, the confidence OF the
try would neither be broken nor diminished, but
rather rise in ercer fame and to a loftier eXalta
ton. The enemy would be desperately crippled to
attain their victory, and could not pursue their ad
vantage. The remains Of beaten but brave army
would be quickly recognized and rapidly recruit
ed. The war would go on with more bitterness
and determination than ever.
Not thus would be the situation Of the South
should the line of the James and Virginia be aban-
dOned on the stale plea of military necessity and
scientific compulSon. We are diSinclincd to paint
the condition of the Southern army and people and
cause after such an event. To call over the cOnSc
quenccs of that step is task too painful. Every
man Of common intelligence and the least infOrma-
ton the state of feeling among the soldiers and
the people may easily Imagine them without the
aid of our words.
The conclusion to be drawn is direct This place
must be the witness Of a trial of strength. If nil
itary science will not permit of that appeal till all
the evOlutionS text books gone through with,
then the attack must be made and the battle dcliv-
cred after they done, whatever the inCOnvc-
niences of our position, and however great accor
ding to the principles of the art, the probabilities
of our defeat may then be. Defeated or victorious,
the Southern army and nation must be satisfied
somewhere, and this is the last chance for them to
prove it.
Mcclellan can operate against Richmond in two
ways. He can come up the banks of the river
with his flank covered by his boats, bring with him
his segc trains and if not attacked do here for the
second time what he has already done once with
unmolcSted ease and success at Yorktown. Or he
can reach his army up the Northern bank of the
Chickahominy through Hanover, get troops be-
tween AnderSon'S army and Richmond, and when he
has done away with it, form union with Banks
and Mcdowell at his leisure. The Chickahominy
furnishes excellent defensive line fn- our army,
but as Mcclellan is on the other si'ie Of it, it de-
tends him too while occupied in these comfortable
arrangements.
OF course, if he is allowed to take his own time
and do all he wants there; il the Confederate
commanders are gong to sit down and twidde their
thumbs till he cOndeScendS to begin with them :;
if his hauling of heavy guns and digging Of trenches
is to be repealed by the hauling of other guns and
the digging of other trenches then the end of it
is certain. Nothing Is more mathematcalIy proven
than the plans ofaack taught to boys at West Point
and other academies, provided armies can be reckon
ed into blocks of stone, which will stand still to be
measured, weighed, calculated, and then one to be
lifted over another as if by cranes and pulleyS.-
The attacking army, given the requisite time
transportation and numbers, will always get the
defending army in such Fix that it is bound to
&,
defensive army has regularly retired in compliance
with the principles of Jomini. Such has hitherto
been the history of our war But such is not the his
tory of war in general and it cannot always con-
tinue to be here There are such things as brave
ry, enterprise, invention, quicknesS of movement
determination of purpose, which have had much TO
do with the military results in every other age and
country, and they will sooner or later make their
way over all the precedents Of the late army Of the
United States
1t is easy to repeat the cuckoo song that war is
science, that no one knows it but those who have
passed life pretending to study it. that Generals
have done So newspapers have not done so; that
it is impossible to deliver battle superior forces
unassaiable positions that our Generals offer bat
tie to Mcclellan, he will not accept it. &C. But an
appeal from common conceit to common sense and
to history is always justifiabe. The greatest
tiers of the military profession have left record
this unanimous Judgment, that war is an art, not
science, much less mystery that it 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
resource are the qualities that make a commander :;
that the worth of officer is to be tested by his
success, and the merit of campaign is to be esti-
mated by its results, and not by the opinions or
criticisms of persons having military pretension.-
Now, what have been the results of the campaign
in Virginia? The war has lasted year. MANY
battles have been fought In every one of the bat
ties fought in Virginia with the exception of Cheat
Mountain and Roanoke the Confederate soldiers
have had the advantages yet the Confederate armies
nave been always in retreat never in advance,
abandoning position after position according to rule
and square, till now the State is nearly all swallowed
by the enemy, its fields desoated villages deserted
farmhouses sacked the slaves wandering in troops
the people nation in exile and the capital still safe
only on the supposition that the precedent of the
past shall here be abandoned 1t is time to put in
protest against precedent and to give a solemn
warning to all those. if any there be, who propose
to continue the campaign in Virginia as it has been
| commenced
But our generals have often Offered battle
| Mcclellan would not accent II TheraE,ra tho,