Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-04-23
M e NJ HIS: :
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CITY.


The events of the last sixty days have entTeIy
changed the military policy of the Confederate
government The ruinous system OF defense,
which originally sought to protect every harbor
and inlet along our coast from occupation, and
which established an imprscticsbIe line on our
northern frontier, extending over two thousand
lzilss in length, has been wisely abandoned, and
our scattered forces have been gradually amsssed
1uso two vast armies, the one in the Mississippi
valley and ths other in Virginia Upon these
two armies hang our hopes, and in them is our
strength.
The meager- accounts which come to US sFom
she East show that great and decisive battle
is imminent on the Peninsula. The sharp skir-
mishes that have recently taken place are fore
runners Of more important results. It is here
that MCCLELLAN, with his splendidly equipped
and well appointed army, which has been under
discipline since last July, has put his army in
position with the view ofresumiug MCDOwELL's
uncompleted march 50 On to Richmond" It is
probable that MCCLELLAN viii be sble to con-
'eentrate as many as 100000 troops with which
10 try this hazardous experiment General
MAGRUDEB, with force estimated by the enc
my at 10000 men, opposes the advance of the
ssYoung NAPOLEON" Il is further the estimate
of the better posted northern journals that this
army can be reinforced TO 100000 strong at any
critical moment. How accurate this HYPOTHESIS
is, we win not venture % say. The best engi-
neers Of the South have been employed to
construct f1rtifcations in York and Warwick
cs1nties, covering the most available approaches
to Richmond, and the best srtillerists in The
Confederate service have been detailed to this
quarter to fight the guns" which are Of the
heaviest anu most approved pattern. For it was
considered in the beginning of the war that
nowhere could Richmond be better or more
efficiently defended, than upon the very ground
which MCCLELLAN's army is now facing.
The route which the Commander of tn Poto-
mac Department has chosen being the most
direct. has. for that very reason, been made the
most dificuls For more than twenty miles
from Old Point, the Peninsula is only ten or
twelve miles in breadth, whilst at one point,
between Yoi ktoyvn On the York river and james
river, the distance across is little more than five.
This neck, then, affords ample facilities for
formidable military works, and they have not
been overlooked Yorktown itself is an i'm
mensely strong position, and we are not surprised
at the statement that mortar and siege trains
must be used faT sssaultng, or otherwise no
impression can be made.
Yorktown, the county town of York county,
is on the south side Of York river, eleven miles
from its mouth. It Is seventy miles east south
east Of Richmond, and one hundred and eighty
i've miles south OF Washington At one time
it was in a fourishing condition, but al present
consists Of about sixty houses, its population
proper being in the neighborhood Of five hun
dred. Already famous as the place where Lord
CoRNwALLIs surrendered the British troops to
Gen WAsHINGToE, in I78l-it may figure on
the historic page for its connection with the
events in the present conflict
In the West, the hostile armies still face each
othsr within the vicinity of the bloody field Of
Shiloh. Like two coutending giants, exhausted
by conflict, they eye each other with deadly IL
tent, ready TO renew the clash Of arms upon
the slightest provOcstion. The importance Of
the issue to the enemy is attested by his tre-
mendous preparations. HALLECIl, the pride Of
the northwestern army, hes been sent to take
command at Pittsburg, and bis army from Mis-
sOuri will doubtless follow him. The Federal
army that fought and was routed at Shiloh, is TO
be doubled, and that terrible conflict be perhaps
again repeated. The next thirty days is preg-
nant with startling results, therefore, in both
the East and the West. Within that period we
may expect at least two battles to be fought,
that may be classed among those that have
q fixed the fate of nations" If Southern arms
triumph decisively. our independence is an ac-
knowiedged fact-otherwise the effect viii only
De to encourage the enemy in his vain hope of
conquest, and thus pTotract the war, but result
in our subjugation, NEVER