New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-15
THE DEArH Wall OF THE REBELS.

THE DEATH Wall OF THE REBELS.
From The Richm6nd ErGniaey, Jan g.
/ The policy of monoionons defense which has hecu
persevoringly pursued by the authorities of the Con-
federacy, has been tie subject Of universal regret
among the Southern people, Of annoyance to our
generals, and of disease and death to our armie-.
On the side Of the enemy it hes more than repare6
the damage inflicted uron them in many brlilns
battles and among foreign nations, it has engen~
dered more dstrust Of our ability 10 make good our
;ndeper deuce than all other combined.
On the army it has had a dep!orable effect nct
merely producing that erp,ui winch is tie fraiduf
mother Of seases discon;ens, and decentralization IA
the camp; but it has substituted for that buoyant
confidence and resolution 70 do, to dare ard to dies
which actuated volunteers, widespread feeling
of liz l3ss opelessness Of results, with IN indiflo,
Ion and partial incapacity 70 achieve the.
The enemy have found themselves a. ledee, lcs.
rrc ia tne very pfesenCe OF oar leglons, to device
mature ard make trsl Of a'y Plan OF campaign 90
assault which they Lave thought esl edient. Mo-
where have tsey been thrown, by any movement Il
OUR, inte moments alarm for tie fa,ty of any
army or any district Of county in taeir Possession,
except on tie memorable occasion OF their panic ir
tie safety OF Washington City, which The same evil
gen'us Of defehse prevented from being taken by
forces. Their Generals ard thsir politicians have
been left 10 entire liberty 10 plan any schemes n
csnpaign any assarts or raids, or incurrions inc
our territory tlat their esnins ragh suggest or their
rspaoiiy or malienry isht devfo. They have en-
connfered oppo'ifon at any stage II tser prela.
ration for these operations. We have stood sill and
allowed all their preliminary arrsnesHa"n'r 20 10
perfected, attempting to mp 10 sche.ne OF misclis
10 the bud, ara never thinking for single moment
or 10 solitary Instance how much more easily ms
chief NAV be crushed In its inception than snecoS,~
fully witns,ood when At the head ard IL fIli tide ani
momentum OF execution.
To Ill eyes sbroad our energies seem 70 hove b e0
pslfied by fatal paralysis. All Tia. might Lave
been achieved by policy and e9uils haS been reg.
lected and nothing has retrieved our reputation
for yigor and capacity, bat tie bolduess Of our
solers and the cess If our Generals Ia active en-
eacement. Tue impression made upon the forsigR
mind il No If our Generals had been All tbe tiae
msnacled BY secret nstru tons from le coset; ard
our soldiers essbed Ike hounds forced TO siiok s1a
crawl AT the heels Of the hunter, though u IVES les
that they were noble blood. needing but the sonut
Of the bugle TO open la full and terrible cry. For
general to put forth exeTtion, war 70 render some
explanation of conduct Necessary; for bin to hgis
battles and win victories, VAS TO encounter iade't
censpre to provoke the cold shoulder and inai o.
rate quarrel with the powers above.
The effect Of this obstinate sdherence "a the defen
siye programme has been very d-piorsble upon tis
lists OF mortality. Willie We have let thols .nAs
by disease we rave st only tens by he casualties
OF the battlefield The whole country il filed vim
mourning; ard the sad lament Of mother father,
wife sitter all l. that their kiusnen cied tic hor-
nd death OF lie hoeI ils end no, the glorious oess
of soldier OF The battlefield. The noble spirits tha,
in volunteering for their cOuutrys defense, thcs1
10 seek glory al tie oannons mouth, have paid q a
debt OF nature upon beds Of fever III vas eball't
bouses Of dlsesse where those who uiDS'eTeu -
them knew not th,ie names, and vhere they wels
lost 10 all possibility Of discovery from aNi9us'V
seeking friends. The policy of defense has cOsi ITO
lives of the more gallant and brave spirits g
chaed under inaction; il has bereft our armies a
10 900 heroes who, If led against the enemy, ~odt
have escaped the dangers VI the field after winnay
victories that would have added lister 20 or
annals
This defensive policy has Eot only cost us men, b.s
Il has cost us territory. Many counties OF Essein
Virginia. and important regions on the more south
ern seaboards are now occupied by toe enemy who
would never have yentured forth 10 such GitaaG 81
il they hid been menaced nearer home. Neatly ~
of Wes,ern Virginia lie in TIE hands 4 in enemy who
never would have gained icothoid in the interior.
II our rginal Plan Of aggressive attack slous no
line of the Baltimore aud Ohio Railway, and ifol'
Nytheville toward the month of the kanavha ana
Sandy through Eastern Kentucky toward tinci-
natl had been adhered 70, instead OF concentrai'
our forces Tor defense on Cheat Mountain ahk
| on Soweli. This moment Bowhrs Green ana 90
luubus could be- more efeltualiy relieved and M,
Southern cause in ky put more speedily ora
its legs by menacing Cincinnati with column ~
| ten thousand men from Western Virginia, than ny
concentrating u hundred thousand men III Tue l"o
"a hich the enemy has Chosen for his nsT'1 f'o'a
| Louisville southwark. That cannot 20 go" Se'e~
ralsip which leaves the enemy AZ ierier' "N,'' W
mature ali his PREPARATION tor ag&resion "Iu ue'
10 choose tho roads BY which ne viii march aho 10
GeLis on which he will fight. Ihat clluot be si0-
| rious system of warfare, which never vsntnle. y"
aggressive movenl nt, OF even bai'Ie ana Wni'',
though expecting attack eyory day, ye ueeihsVs ~
! armies by mactioh.