The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-05-02
Invasion of the south-How to
meet it.


The capture of Moscow proved the sal
yation Of the Russian Empire Napoleon
committed the mistake of supposing that
its capital was to Russia what Paris was
to France. But, to his dismay, he found
That great empire had no capital, the fall
Of which could draw down with it the
fabric of national power. The very mo.
ment in which lie thought to have COM
pleted the conquest of Europe proved to
be the commencement Of his own down
fall. The Russian campaign sapped the
foundations Of his empire, and the day
that he left Moscow was the one when he
launched on the .(aeiiis descsaslH which
led to such swift and utter destruction.
The scuth has no Paris and many Mos
COWS. Like the Russians, we are with
drawing from our confines and letting
the enemy into our interior. While his
army is so strong and so thorougly equip
ped as at present, our policy is retreat,
and our safety to be invaded. We have
learned by experience the folly of order
ing our generals, against their Judgment
and protest, into such hopeless snares ms
Roanoke Island and Fort Donelson.-
The great business we have now in hand
is the destruction of the enemy's armies.
Before he had raised his immense forces,
it might have been our policy TO invade
his country and conquer peace on his
own soil.
But the object now is to destroy his
forces. They outnumber our own and
are better provided with the implements
and munitions Of war. The expense of
meeting him or the border would be
greater than the damage he may do us
by invasion; and the hazard would be
If we meet him on the from
tier under the disadvantages we would
have to suffer, the chances would be Of
his destroying our armies instead Of ours
destroying his. BY Withdrawing into
the interior we insure the object which
we seek to accomplish. At the begin
ming, he may carry it with high head,
and subject us to serious reyerses but |
time, and distance and climate, will sure
y do their work upon his troops. We
have but to keep our army intact and |
Jide our time to recover our losses with |
interest
But tie people Of the South must not
trust supinely to the Southern armies
The object is the destruction of the in
lrdins columns and "A this w0rl. ali |
can lend helping hand. The army is
of those who volunteer for the
war and are charged with regular opera
Iions in the field. But where there is
one volunteer for the war there are five
men in the country that can render SER
vice for a month or week at the critical
If the most of .hese are called
INTO the militia, still there are young men
md OLD, outside Of the militia limits of
age, who can render efficient service
against the invader in many modes.
In modern warfare transportation is q
,inc qua non of all military movements
An army without transportation is an ar
my whipped. To get into the rear Of
West Point is like draining water from
about the fish. 1t exhausts and ruins
without blow. While our armies are
yarring against the enemy's columns let
our people make their campaign against
heir transportation. The best armies in
he world are subject to stampede; and
aking away its transportation would
stampede q column even in the moment |
If highest success and confidence. The |
dash Of body of Austrian cav
airy across the rear of the French at the |
battle of Wagran stampeded a victorious
column after one Of the most splendid tri- |
lmphs known in the history Of arms
10 demoralizo an invader he must be at
tackled in detail on all occasions, and in
force very rarely Irregular operations
in front of them. He isapt to know with |
accuracy the force he has to control in |
front; but attacks in the rear set his inn
ngination at work. A night attack of n
hundred men, made about the hour Of |
two in the morning, when the mind is
most timid and apprehensiye, is apt TO
produce the impression that at least FIVE
thousand are upon him; and the trans
portation Of several regiments may be
destroyed before he gets to his feet
The chief evil Of invasion is the effect
it produces upon the spirits Of commu-
nifty. But, at last, the destruction Of
property in the immediate track Of the
army is all that the people have to fear
1t is the duty OF the intelligent men Of
the country to remove whatever depress.
ing effect may bo produced, by explain
ing to their neighbors the object Of with
drawing our armies from the frontier and
letting the enemy into tho interior His
success, so far, has been all amphibious.
lie has been able to approach us in force
by means Of water and railroad trauspor.
tation. He took advantage Of the fresh.
ct in the Tennessee and Cumberland riv.
ers to preoiptate an overwhelming force
upon Donelson and get possession Of
Nashville. lie attacked our seaboard
towns by water But the rivers in the
West will soon subsde, and the summer
sun will soon begin It's work upon his un.
lucky soldiers upon the seaboard When
he shall have penetrated into the inter-.