Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-03-19
WUIsrLING TO KEEPTuEIR COUR.
AGE UP.

AGE VI.
The Virginia papers are counting
very largely upon the strength AID
invulnerabilty Of the new position OF
the rebel army since it has so inglorous-
" abandoned the former line of opera
tions at Ccntrcville and Manassas. For
instance, Just read the following enthu
sisstic blow from the Richmond Ec,
aminer, of the 18th:
The most important movements that
have ever occurred on this continent
are now going on before our eyes. The
brilliant and astonishing success OF the
Virginia IN The waters Of Hampton
Roads, opens new chapter IN naval war
fare, aud marks new era III the strug
Gle winch the South is engaged in.
The grand movement Of the army OF the
Potomac, in Withdrawing from its often
sve iipe 90 the RIVER OF that name, and
assuming defensive one on the line OF
tic Rappahannock aud Rapidan, places
new complexion on the eu,Me war IN
V,reina The .policy Of his change Of
position aciM reference to the intende0
q hnk Of the enemy IS oboio,s. TIL
Iot9mac .cos the proper base TO- often
sice operations against Maryland d'o
Uashtaytou Ctty , but os q Hv.e of de
.te,tce 1or III hmond, or for general re
coau be heid. 7he line upon rh'ch
the army u,ler Generai Joseph Johns
ton is nor tat!sng luck, is Ia the naiu,.
of he are Of q circle. Of chich Kieh
moad IS Tie centre. The enemy Is pu
to the necessity If marching a consider
ab e distance inland before engaging
Our forces Ii defeated IN a general en-.
gagement he can hardly escape annihl-
latlon; Tor he will then be too far from
the Potomac ap1 from Washington
CITY to reach safety by few hour,
flight, like that he made after the battle
OF Manassas. Ii, on the contrary, be
should be successful 10 his encounter
with our forces, he could not take ad-
vantage o. his victory on account OF
the delay necessary to bring up his sup
ples from the distant Potomac.
Whoever vii. take the trouble to OK
anime the map Of Wig MIA, WA fad thai
or tne RI dft1sc, as rov adopted
stretches JIam tie Roppalannock, By q
grand Circle, to Cumberland Gap, i,
The extreme South. Western corner o,
the Sta'e, embracing the Nntral an
the Virginia AID Tennessee Railroa0s
the chi.fc't'es Of Ttrginia, the valley o
the James, aciM rs caaul and railroad
acithin IRE circumference. 1t will b.
seen, too, that this is purely line o
defense, assumed no,c as necessi,y, 4
uie,c Of 'he great force chich zoe lace, b!
our supine policy for sic months, pe,
mit'ed The enemy to ntarshal and pat il
position without disturbance, and at hi
leisure and pleasure. 1t is distress ng I
give mp so large a portion of Virgin.
even for season, TO the domination @
the foe; bu. the measure had become
slratege.ic necessity, and is row III
surest means OF defeating the grand pr,
gress OF the enemy and cnsuring the su,
cess OF our cause. The surprise he " i
receive from the magnificent naval 0,
currences in Hampton Roads, and fro,
the ludlcious movements of our arm
which has been SO long threatening hil
before Washington, Will be very grea
More delay is ruin to him, and consi,
erab'e delay IN the execution of bis pr,
gramme is now inevitable.
All this is nothing more than she,
bancombe, to keep up the courage
the rebels for few days longer. n
man with grain Of sense can fail
observe that the rebel cause is losir
ground with the greatest rapidly.
they think that they have got a "su
thing on the Rappahannock, all tn,
have got to do is TO try it. With
thirty days they will find that region I,
hot to hold them Else we are prea,
mistaken IN oar estimate OF the pluck
our troops on the Potomac.