Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-12-13

Numbers not always Strength

war reminds los readers that nothing is more frequent
ia the history Of var than proofs Of the tendency Of
large armies 70 insure their defeat" 1t continues
History abocals with disasters that have happened
20 such grand armies frequently inflicted by small
forces and often hy time alone without the aid Of any
more visible enemy than disease and starvation Nothing
IS more clearly proved by the experience Of war than
the difficulty Of moving large masses OF troops
Az army of 20I0lO men, with all the dead weight
of material that modern requires 70 make efficient
only be moved 10y the greatest masters OF the art
Military operations on such scale are Ctcrt even IN
the most open countries, such she old fighting
ground Of Europe Flanders or the vide plains OF
Northern Ge-mIy and Suesja. The commanders who
eau uanTuvre such immense bodies have been very few
L il rare combination Of faculties that makes g'eat
General One Jr two pre-eiusut soldiers in century
- TIE range OF the supply. let al the difficulties such
comnlnter- have 20 mee, the Americans encountered
Win army beyond the European standard of num-
ters, img'r'ec',r trained aud without any previous
habit Of sItog'iHssJon.
Wellington fought most Of his battles with less than
10000 mon. Marlborough B,eaheiu with little
IHo-c than 1lN.h NlpOleOl's greatest army OF lnvt-
soa brO-ght about his greatest catastrophe IN the Rus
sian Gamma 60 There are manv testimonies on record
oy f,u0r. military commanders, from GOnyiya down
wards, Of tu,is preference tor small armies such were
the io-ces that wECed the in Hungary against the
Turks, who hth.tg'v moved in immense numbers, and
Vers often bs,'.I hv armies oniy iractoa third
nth, or even "a ttu.h Of tati- own.
lEmsu,irv s s. 'le 7l5., implies the deity of Yam.
kee alteration Tbs.-comuon veruacuar is rcplstc with
suGs.ves aa5hvp,7boes and they seek TO attach the
idea o. va,,u1. AMI presmnenCe to every thing per
tlia.as to them. Their Presden, attempts to deduce
"a argument a-fas; the separation OF the Union into
two G5vcrpueat- from the multitude Of inhabitants the
country would contain in given number Of years if it
remained ua3y- single Government According the
Yankee s,lais-' Of national greatness and excellence
Gina o0gat % be rHe most powerful and 0'e ed OF 81"
lA''-aA'e' oe--e i'' population i most numerous
Leo away by ia'' singular fancy they readily persuaded
themselves that there would be no difficulty IN conquer
me 'so,-.-' >'-'''' '"el o-'1'''''''' vs. Ia -'.''
Ul ''. -'''' wa. "-'''s'> were "''' i'.'"'
''-' 40 ' ''' '''', '"'e'''s' '1-'''' '''' ''su
l-''P! '-'' a''''' '' no" '"eE nave more ne"
'I-e' Arms '"1a any AA'oa mas mustered during '"e
Es''.' 'e''i''
Notwithstanding this, We believe nov as We have
dose f-om 'he ts that when the character Of tie two
races ' considered The object for which they fight the
dHsl.;es attending in sasOn, IN, advantages belonging
g 4e-Ree, the eI.>a' OF territory TO bee moved oyf
1-1 Isl ana '.s "'--' S'-ItHs, lN sSrf5 sG;t'o Y
90: : a4s sH'l'Si 'i"ef - With DE- NsFf
- eo'si2Po'4E! 'r'osreN slAl' wrestling usu'h'
p Ptehei 2a'- the most numbers and The moF
ans ~ol.d ~ ana5E Ss unrS'rs. in that case ~
q a-sA a.;s9 10 the srs Napoleon would be irceE
'FfeVience generally iayors the heavierr guns.
b; var Oes~yca nations Is 4 wholly d.ie7eu; aish
f-oai oatt'e IN the Eelt Tia, contemplate, aloue
seses Of Affairs, Involving great maoy elements q
sseeeSs las 30 true. tlai II Is posy.e for oDe pat
y 20 win every bltts aud We; be obliged finally 20 sut
- and give ove' therrneTai Of etfor' The goScri
D$nt us';be maintained at home. The uatOua, r.
sources mast BE- Kept up. The people must hold ias,
10 theirioya!ty or numbers the OF de
feat He0Ce trade aud home Industry ms, ,si4 four
SIS, M 5ofnes6s oSht hur' Sc si.tanef Without
G.ftsse, TIE most powerful nation must abandon il
efyrs 70 sa3,ug,te one Immensely weaker in compare
nee resources. 1.-THE latter can only pe-seyere aud
si,eg Saeh dsis4L impose upon the opposite party the
rCcesstv o. -u,wll o. Effort the must DE aban-
Toned Fos Sth bankruptcy, civil di.coIi and pros
rrlton Of trade either OF then 10 is rear such are
t'e inevitable AVS u politics and society, that gov
suHeut san prosecute -,i.m-- OF conquest Is fatal
and suicidal
Anv government So ,-sI NAV he happy 20 ave i,.elf
Al home I, ~. therefore. very shallow r,m,rs rr,,
rs-s., m,ls ty General I!..- M New Orleans. ",
are certain 20 conquer yar Irf,a mere question OF
time ", are efy.r,., mi,i,r- and WON ar. ,,bt" 1,
NAV sr the feeling. of , b-,,.,,r. Gsrsr,rt,ts so
and nav ,p7,I ,f ,r..s and r,r,c..irs az Ms 20 ,ript
-o but is empty SQUAD 20 the statesman or historian
To Judge correctly. ae mus, take more enlarged field
Of view. We mas. reflect; thar eighteen millions diyi-
ded amoags; themselves, bankrupt and impoverished,
are no match for even d half million OF united in
their resistance and possessed OF that sIllb,or5iug
earaetaess Of purpose which neither bc altered by
defeat nor tired Ly orrastnatoa. Wherever Liberty
h,, truly taught the heart. of people she has
whispered in their ears after each baied