Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-07-17
The Confederate Victory at Richmond.

There is no longer any reason to doubt the overthrow and equalization of Mcclellan and his entire army near Richmond. Confirmation of the fact reaches us from northern as well as southern sources. The young Napoleon has | undoubtedly succumed, and surrendered his | arms, its immense magazines of munitions of war, its vast stores of clothing, provisions and medical supplies, and its trains of wagons, horses and mules-property of all kinds amount ing in value to millions of dollars. History does not record such another victory. It seems incredible that an army of over one hundred and thirty thousand men, so well armed and ap> pointed in every respect as Gen. Mcclellan was, should be defeated, routed and captured entirely, in the brief space of six short days But so 1t is. The defeat is overwhelming-our victory is complete.
 This victory establishes our independence be- l yond peradventure, and 1t will be immediately | followed by recognition on the part Of the na- tions of the earth of that independence. Ihis | is undoubtedly the fact, and the continuance ot the war, whether it be of short or long duration, will merely be for terms. It will no longer be a war for conquest. It is no longer civil war, but war between two powerful, independent nations. The relationship of the contendng parties is entirely changed, entirely and incal~ l culably to the benefit of the South.
 The duration of the war will now depend wholly upon the spirit and enterprise of the Confederate government and people, The power of the North is broken; one-third, if not one~half of it's trained fighting men, and at least one>half Of its supply of artillery and small arms, have been utterly destroyed, and nothing now is left it but to abandon most of the territory it has overrun, concentrate it's shatter> ed forces, and by every means in it's power cre> ate delay. By delay it may hope to fill up the hinned ranks of it's army, amass new stores oi .rmy supplies, manufacture fresh supply oi .rms, restore its prostrated credit, and thus be .nabed to make another advance upon us.- The North has now but one hope left it, and
 hat is, by protracting the war, weary us into
 uch terms as 1t may demand in treaty o peace.
 Our duty, we think, is evident to every reflect ing mind Advance at once, and all the time should be our watchword. We should imme' diately repossess all of Tennessee and Virginia and carry the war into Maryland, Kentucky anc Missouri We should not pause moment unt we take Washington City, Baltimore, Louisville and St. Louis. They are ours by right and art now in our power, if our armies are moved for ward without delay. It is impossible that the North can resist an immediate advance Delay alone will ruin us. Let the conscript act be enforced, let the ranks of our army be filled, lei every effort be made, and, our word for it, the war will be short one. With the proper en> terprise upon the part of our government and generals, we confidently look for cessation ot hostilities in go days, and peace by the first of January next. Without it, the war may be protracted to an indefinite extent and our terri> tory again invaded next spring.
 It is impossible to overestimate the value ot the victory obtained oro- MeC1ellan. # # ia jn1> l proccd. It achieves our independence, and will give us possession of all the border slave States in less than two months. If however, as after the battles of Manassas and Oak Hills, we rashly conclude the work to be done, and quiet> y fold our arms, the good results will all be lost and the contest will have again to be renewed, and the battle at Richmond again to be fought. |