Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-02-13
OUR sITUATIO ON.


 2 The telegrams, within the past few days, are eoough to startle the brayest and arouse the most apathetic. Tie defeat at Somerset and death of Zollieoffer, were soon followed by the capture of Fort Henry, the ascent of the Ten nessee and Cumberland rivers, the capture of the railroad bridges, and the burning of towns on the coast.
 The plans of the enemy are now so fully and plainly developed, that he who runs may read. With the coast as base they will attack or menace the cities so as to snake it necessary to keep large force there. On the border, four os five columns are to march through the South til they join the forces on the saaboard. Me Clellan, with l50,000 men, will try to force Manassas, join Wool at Richmond, and then proceed through the Carolinas to Charleston. Blell, with column, will attempt to force pas sage through Tennessee and Alabama, to Mo- bile. Smith or Halleck are to descend the Mis- sissippi to New Orleans. Osterhaus is to get into Arkansas, and Lane, with 34,000 ruffians, is to march through the Indian country and Western Arkansas, down into Texas. These columns will march abreast, CT in line, so as tD be able to succor each other, if one should west, they, marching across the roads, can use them to communicate with each other and pre-. vent the patriots from throwing heavy force at any one point. They have more than half a F Ino munitions, proiectiles and all the appliances of war. The recent movements on the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers demonstrate that their gun boats can go anywhere if there is sufficient water to float them. We are told of only two hundred and fifty federals guarding an impor> tant bridge ia the heart of Tennessee and four hundred others marching through populous part of Alabama to another bridge. If such small forces can do this, what would column of fifty thousand men do? As they proceed they intend to gather all the cotton and other produce, and confscate all property, and set the negroes free from their legitimate masters.
 Let us look at these things manfully and cool ly. We must fight desperately and against odds. Every man must be ready to peril life and prop erty. Each able bodied man must, at once, enrol himself as soldier We are sadly deficient in arms. We urge upon every blacksmith to com mence the manufacture of bikes, and bowie knives. Every piece of steel, old rasps and even old axes should be collected and worked up into weapons. Farmers should, at once, get out timber for making handles to these pikes- Each section must fight for itself and within it. self Safety rests now in strengthening the hands of Van Dorn Pike, Price ard the forces on the Missouri line.
 We hope that not flake of cotton will be permitted to fall into their hands but, as they advance let them find that instead of the ripe fruit they looked for, they have only ashes. It is time to put aside the idea that we can whip them three to one. They are better armed and their numbers give them courage. It will take hard fighting and several decided victories tc destroy the prestige of their late successes.- Every man, not disabled by age or infrmity should be ready to do battle. The time of our triad has come. Let us meet it like men and resist to the last. A united South cannot be overrun. As to the conquest of the Confedera. l cy that Is impossible, but unless we unite as as one man, we may find our capitals taken pos session Of, our servants stolen, our property de stroyed andea long wasting guerrilla war forced upOa us.