The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1863-12-24

4 srnA e. - besa sald u IL coasse Ct
- ~ absut ~. 1Ailuss Of our snefals 70
ana1oW N their Victories The Northern
.ors.ah have bssa equally elancrous shout
sanllAr sAestconings o The part Of ths'I
own conmAa1sss. Tie Karepsaa csIs'es
have pelated eas NJ sans peculiarly IN
Amsle1A mTlitasy operations. Inc I.u "
rnAnninAaa ~ "a The great battles o. sne
vwAava - indicative, bnt that fact may
~ sree.nfed for Without any imputssaom
80 he eksl a the 0caerals ON either side
n - bssn sald that our oefcers have been
eapeatsd under peace establishment, and
nsvee aecustousd. before the present war,
. ~ handllng Of large bodies Of troops.-.
n "a Unitsd States Army did not number
tvSnty Thousand men. The military men o.
Hurcre have been fAmiliarixed Tor ages to
Tie opsntioas Of armies 40 great ss those
vAieA are now IN operation 10 Americsa-
lGoseoves, their iacslitiss Of transportation
approaeA perfection. Long use has rendered
svosy ds4an Of their organization perfect
~ complete. Besides, their rank and ale
- "A msrcenazy soldiers. military machines
wAees disdpllneh Of the moot rigid charac-
~. Every arm OF their service Is perfect
tAdr cavalry Are always In force sui-
nciaat 70 charge "a enemy, and follow
up - advantage, and IN every battle
thses \ . strong reserve. which never takes
Part In the contest until the day h decided,
ana = then hurled relentleesly upon the re-
tirin9 Toe. We, In tho Southern States, have
ben laboripg from the beginning against
Aisadvantages which win never be fully
known TN tho war h ended. We have been
dsaclent not only In Numbers, but In NUM-
tlons OF VA, and Ia facilitaes Of trsnsporta'
ton, whilst tho volunteer character OF our
soldicsy renders II impossible to enforce that
sigid discipline which prevents men frGm
struggling after defeat, and nom scattering
themselves after . victory to secure the
tempting spoils Of tho vAnquished.
But the best reason Of all for the difference
In following mp, between European and
American battles h, that Ia Europe battles
sre fought upon a Wide and level expanse Of
country, where the cavalry, whose business
II y to cut to pieces the retreating foe, have
full scope for their annlhllatlng work,
whereas the thing here IL o physlcal I'm
possibility. The rugged and mountainous
character OF the regions in which most of
our battles are fought, presents to retreat,
ing army . series Of dc1ensible positions,
which can be taken up at pleasure, one after
another, and forblds the use OF cavalry ex-
eept on very limited scale. The main reli.
ance in following mp must be cavalry, for foot
soldiers have but little chance Of overtaking
foot soldiers. especially when the pursued have
cast away the burthen OF their arms and &C
coutrements. Our own infantry have driven
the Yankee infantry further back than ever
the infantry Of Europe drove an enemy
But there have been few Of our battle-felds
in which cavalry could operate. What
chance was there for cavalry pursuit at
Chickamauga, or Fredericksburg, or Chan
cellonvilley Such facts a. these explain the
peculiarly Of not following up" in Ame
RIGA without the necessity Of any reflection
upon tho military capacity Of the command