Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-03-13


with their blood sweeping them off their fats by the
FIRE of the two guns under his command sinking one
entirely and killing vast numbers another, and this
while one Of their batteries opposite was dropping shell
around him and his men, Luckily none OF our people
were hart. Not even horse nor piece OF harness
was injured.
It. McIlhenry speaks confidently Of the ability OF
Savannah to resist any forces that may be sent against
her. either by the land by the river 1t is said to be
the opinion of General Lee that the city can be held by
the forces available for its defence against an hundred
thousand men,
The Lincoln gun-boata in the Savannah are not iron
clad, like those on the Western waters.
The POINTS to which public attention is now most
earnestly directed are First -Memphis, rather the
deences above Memphis, whether they be Island Num-
Der Ten, Fort Randolph, other points OF the River
or Jackson on the inland flank All this department is
put under General Beauregard. 1t forms the direct
central line down the Mississippi to New Orleans, and
also to the interior of Louisiana and Arkansas, through
the Arkansas and Red Rivers. Second-Sufolk which,
forming the junction of the two roads connecting or
folk with the Interior its possession By the Federals
would seriously endanger that city, and incidentally
Petersburg and Richmond Third-The South West
ern line of Railroads. which menaced through East
ern kentucky and Tennessee by the Federal forces IN
der Thomas and Schoepf on the South at Chattanooga
by forces from Nashville, under Buell. and on the South
west at the Mississippi ine by boat expeditions up the
Tennessee. Fourth-Savannah and Charleston, mena-
ced by Sherman by fresh expeditions, etc. ETC., Sayan-
nah being the point most Immediately threatened
The danger at Suffolk and at Memphis is certainly
the most imminent Suffolk especially for there is in the
Memphis Department leader in whom the people have
confidence that all that can be done acU be DONE and
done areH. Let those in authority see that the same
confidence is inspired and Justly inspired in the Norfolk
department, aud much ground for anxiety will be
moved and we will have an assurance that the recently
exultng and swelling tide Of Northern invasion will be
stayed. Roanoke Island was the back-door of Norfolk
1t ought to have been held at all hazards. 1t is
universally admitted that its defences were so badly
planned as to be almost wholly worthless. Yet General
Huger depended on these defences without going
on the Island to see for himself! Send an officer in
whose vigilance and engineering skill confidence can be
Teposed. man with at least tlU0 ideas, which would
be one than any officer that department has yet
shown himself possessed Of.
We don't think that either Savannah or Charleston,
in any immediate danger Their capture would
probably be found to cost than they would come
to- The fact is that the forces of the enemy at Port
Royal on the South Carolina coast, and in the vi
entity of Savannah, and elsewhere on the Atlantic
and Gulf coast are doing their part of the play about
as efecualy the Federal authorities could desire.
They creating a MISUNDERSTANDING a large
number Of troops for home defence that if thrown
on either of the great main lines of the Potomac
or the Mississippi would totally Illustrate any Federal
movements and free Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee
and Missouri at least far North as the Missouri Ri
YER The strategic lines Of advance for the Federas
just based on the Burnside expedition, on the
advance down the Mississippi and on the effort to get
possession of the great interior line of Southern and
Southwestern Railroads How for the programme may
be changed as the season opens remains to be seen.
OF ALL the things preudicia to a cause, destructive
Of the morale Of forces and wrong in themselves is the
despondng hopeless spirit that like the celebrated coon
in its interview with Captain Scott gives up before
hand acknowledges the corn that it has not touched and
by of the sympathy spreading contagously from
man to MAJ, depresses the general spirit and parayzes
exetion, thus doing exactly what the enemy wants. and
securing the effect which be has sought to produce by
his Dragging manilestoes and high sounding announce
ments.
No community is exempt from the sombre vaticina.
tions of these prophets of i-omen who shake their
heads with solemniy that would have run Burleigh
himself crazy with envy, and the very wag of whose
coattails says wee, woe! And these toreboders are
frequently good and true and brave men personally and
therefore their power to do harm unintentonaly exer
Csed is greater than if they were not So and so es
teemed.
Nay, we are sorry to soy that even our camps are
not wholly free from such things The effect is very
bad for officer to think and facility if not by words
let the impression get abroad which shapes it
self into words like " we'll try but -" (Cbancellol
Burleigh's shake again.
Men cannot be expected to perform impossibilities
and no one would expect it, but good military authori
ties pledge themselves that river deences cGn be
maintained, and with the assurance and confidence
arising from this knowledge, we believe they qcM be-
But it would be looking for mpossibities indeed
expect success if permit ourselves and our troops tc
go into any contest with the foregone conclusion thai
we must fail That is not the spirit that animates the
heroic Price and his gallant Missourians nor the spirit
that will pervade the ranks of our brave men here or
the day of trial.
WONDERFUL The Richmond Enquirer of yester
day gravey informs its readers that ga resolution has
been introduced into the North Carolina Legislature
give volunteers for the twenty-five dollars bounty
in addition to the fifty dollars offered by the govern
ment"
The North Carolina Legislature has not been in ses