Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-04-02

authorities here:
CAxP AT RUssrLLytLLE. |
January =, 1862 !
Hon J. L. n CuaRr:
Dasr You will be surprised at receiving this lett
from me am sure but my reason for Addressing ycu
will no doubt justify the liberty take, particularly as tie
sut ect is in my judgment OF immediate and vits in
orance the safety if not the existence, Of the Coz
federacy itself
The cir eusr and most remarkable ircreduliiy Of the
S5usherr oils from the q st TO he VAT pcpr 10
which tbis 10 assume before IL vas over Is like
TO jeopaIdEe our Cause IL still continues, a. will,
unless Cor gress does tomehng cept 10 avert the can
ger sut Of us 80 Of the mos terrible snd desotirg
nvasons ,ha. ever cursed any country l. yet within
the 10 str OF C1nge TO avert IT. bit tvo months
sl!o .ed 10 elApse 1t will certsi, y be too ats
Our present policy, forced upon by the naction OF
our State auhorites aud the want OF ptIminebt Coz
,eders.e Government involves simple impossibiiy.
We are attempting 10 guard q iro1tier extending ff
teen hundred miles in length from the Potomac the
Rio Graude, asairsl Invasion by an enemy weo have
m ore than doute our Lumbers ia the elt and caa wi
,a,e, ou;numoer rs three l esvs out Of COR
derstoa h,re The attempt We are aso making 70 guard
asains: invAsiol ths coast. upon lie Two Oh
sand miles long To guard these immense frontiers
against forces 60 superior simply Impossible by ary
dsfeusiVe .ystem OF clnpaisuiug You ca3 and ought
certainly prevent the advance Of the enemy upon
certain nss Of greatest importance which, with the help
beyond his it is impossible to 60.
The calamity Of invasion must be averted by diff
eren. polcy-snd that uust be TO nvads the territory
Of tbe enemy. To do this ii Is absolutely necessary to
reinforce Gen JOhrsons column on this line with an ad.
Si.ional force Of at least 600 men. This should
be done without days dlay, and sithcu, regard to
any c1pcs!ory policy towards any Saie or section Of
he Confsderacy any pf dce or caprcss Of the peo.
pie or any previous sy tsm Of military Organization,
any expense.
{ a L.. IL. IA, H..
ssd /. at en- end. The lay Of the Provisional Cougr
attempting reanma;eiI iI win be- has already proved
extremely psrnicou j: has loosentd the bonds Of dis
cipline slack they before and has turned the
whole army into a camp of electoaeering for cfhca-
Il ought 70 he instantly repealed In lieu tf h Congress
should pass law drafting" into the service Of the Con-
federacJ fer the war oretenh Of all the population OF
the Saiesthe volunteers in service should by the
sane law be retained in service part OF the same
levy, AID TO them suitable bounty might bs given.
Tne present ergaLiz ,on ol the volunteers in SER
wise might be tolerated amongst them but vacancies
occ1r lhey should be filed from o already appoint
ed ADD drilsd at camps o. Instruction Toe levies
should be cent arrived 70 the Ices netdng
them mos, aud the others shoult b. assembled at ell
be points in camps cl ns rue ion, where they would
become fenilsr with Their duGiss IN camp, and pIs
through all the camp diseases hur,iul to army in
tn field.
Tle Ifc,rs should be appointed by the President arc
Ssnar and fairly proportoned among the Staes. The
persoas i:t,Gded for appointments for the entire force
should be designated At orce aod all sent forthwith to
clmps Of instruction under oompsent Instructors As
the regiments formed the most prcf,isnt men, as
oortliaI TO be so by minatcn should be appointed
10 conmSud hem from colocc TO last lieutenant. The
troops ard cfc should b. much mixed from all the
Safe, as posble Prowotiops after the first appoint.
meIts shouli 60 by seniority Cp the grGde OF colonel
IL should be reqlir, by Law that no one should, after
tie fret appointments made be designated for the
officers school Of instruction, except conscrpt taken
f.om TIE ranks, Who upol eIbminaion might be found
rthy and proficient. However | must crave your
p1on os entering into details ABOUT the organization
Of the army The great ard paramount object low Is
t. Auyuevt oar forces 10 sufficient umbers by imme
date ieve and you may ST assured that nothing
bu. "drAf will accomplish this and as have said this
wi | be too la;e il it sbs be deferred sixty days.
The advance of tho enemy from the Ohio river south
ward upon au enormoul scs, and LOOKS at this mo-
rent TO be almost irr sst To- Zccf.rs force defeat
ed and dispersed which lays open East Tennessee to the
advaoce Of the victorious army, and encourages the
traitor element much the largest there TO 40 immedi
ATE outbreak. The loss Of this force enabl the emy
to move unmoested upon General JohDsons rear, and
IS threaten at HE line OF communication with the
ciy OF Na'hvie Resides this, the enemy ad'arc.
q by the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers 10 immense
flrc ttrestening the very heart Of the South. These
Me facts. OF them you clp jligs us well as can.
Another fact is tha, We certainly have not half the
msn der s-ms that our enemy has, wilst they have
The Ohio, Telnessee, Cumoeriino MISSOURI ana nlSlt
siPpi rivers !or their undsurosd transportation Uaai
We carry the wa across the olio river il safety
any 6reside in the Oonfederacy.
have sriIten this letter you because, from the
no:ice gave your public 10 the oil Cor gress,
saia5d YOU will give ita proper consideration, snd,
should you concur Ia ths views fea every CO. fence
tlAt ycu have both the energy and ability TO cur
county from he impending ruin which nov 40 serious
y threatens.
/ am, sir, with high esteem,
Your obecient servant,
JOHN b. FLOYD.