Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-01-23
Southern News.
THE POLICY OF THE CONFEDERA1'ES
A SEMI OFFICIAL EXPOSITION.

hlchmonu paper puhl:she5 from al
vance sheets an article prepared for De
Bows Review. 1t is said to be semi-ofi-
cial exposition of the policy marked out by
the Confederate leaders. We make few
extracts -
Not needing the lessonsewe tried to teach
the Yankees at Bethel, at Manassas, and the
other day at Leesburg, thoughtless people
among us are continually complaining that
our armies do not follow the fatal examples
set by the North, and rush headlong into
positions where they would have to encounter
superior force, strong fertilization, and natu.
,ral advantages Of situation. IT'S the mob of
the North, and its mouth-piecc the prees of
the North, that has urged on their armies to
certain defeat
So far, our President and all Our officers
have disregarded the senselcss clamor Of
housekeeping people, who talk and write ig.
norsntly, thoughtlessly and rccklessly about
the conduct Of the war, which they compre-
bend about as well as they do the Chaldaic
language or the Egyptian hieroglyphics.
; Out of dangers way themselves, they do not
feel or care for the useless danger to which
they would expose our troops. Orr officers,
whether volunteers or regulars, have exhi-
bted remarkable prudence, skill and saga
city. AS conscientious men they have en-
deavored to gain victory with little loss of
life. In this they have succeeded, because
they have fought the enemy at advantage,
and never at disadvantage. An army acting
on tho defensive, in its own territory may
by rereating choose its own position for
battle. The invading army must either cease
to advance, give up its project of conquest,
or attack it at disadvantage in the strong
position which it has selected.
The Confederate States present greater na-
tura obstacles to an invading army than any
equal area Of country on the globe. Armies
cannot march down our Atlantic coast, be-
cause of the great number of bays, inle.s,
creeks and rivers nor down the interior
because OF mountain ridges, impossible roads,
sparse population and scarcity Of provi-
SONS.
The Mississippi is narrow, long, tedious
and easily defended, and its valley is subject
to overflow. No invading army will attempt
serious invasion in that direction. 1t is our
true policy to decoy the enemy into the intc-
rior, and then to cut them off, as were Brad
dock, and Burgoyne, and CORVALLIS, and
Ross, and Packenham, and our own troops
in the everglades of Florida When we have
defeated and captured their armies, exhaust
ed their treasury, and cowed their spirits by
defensive warfare, it will be time for us to
begin to act on the offensive, and to invade
their territory"
The article argues strongly against any
invasion of Maryland at present, and in this
connection says
Should we be defeated in Maryland, our
whole army, with their ammunition, would
be captured by the enemy. We might in a
short time repair the loss Of our men, but the
loss of our munitions of war would inlict
upon us stunning and appalling blow
One defeat in Maryland would do us more
harm than ter in Virginia. We have the
selection Of the e-ground-why choose
Maryland -
JACKSON'S EXPEDITION TO BATH.
From the Norfolk Day Book, JAMS {
LYNcHBURG, Jan. 1.-Two letters from
Winchester have been received here, dated |
the 7th and 9Th, furnishing intelligence from
Jackson's command The first letter saws |
there has been no fighting beyond little
diminishing, in which three or four casual |
ties occurred on each side, and a capture by
the Confederates Of two cannon and ten
prisoners, when the enemy retreatcd across
the Potomac at Hancock.
We have also burnt the bridge across
Mount Cacapon. The encmys force WAS
estimated at two or three thousand.
The second letter says that Jackson was
on his return, having accomplished the OBJ
ject of his visit, which was the destruction of
Dam No. 6 Of the Chesapeake Canal, and
the bridges of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road in the locality. Jackson lost in tho
expedition some twenty men. There was
but small force of the enemy in that quar-
ter, and but little fighting. 1t is supposed
We lost more men than the enemy, General
jackson captured in his expedition abou.
forty thousand dollars worth of clothing and
military stores.
On Monday last, some FIVE hundred mill
ia, stationed near Col. Blues, on the North
western road, fourteen miles this side OF
Romney, and were soon put to flight, with
oss Of three or four killed, some few prison.
RS, two pieces Of artillery, and their baggage
wagons. The enemy also burnt a mill near
" and several dwellings. including Colonel
'airs, destroying all the private property
md live stock They shot poor old shoe
maker in his house and burned 1t over his
,cad. Among the wounded is Capt. Alex
'nder. of the Arkansas regiment, who lost an
Irm.
Our force rpcentiy nj UrnterviIia n.., /