Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-03-02
spirit Of the British Magazines

The Nassau correspondence February 2Oth) of the
Charleston Courier has variety of selections from late
British Magazines and Reviews portion of which we
copy The writer of the paper in Blackwood "enttled
" months Visit to the Confederate States having
Witnessed review OF our army in Virginia, says:
AS the regiments marched past me, I remarked that
soveny the dress of the of any particular
company might be, their rifles were invariably in good
serViceape order. They marched too with an elastic
eau she pace Deng somewhat slower than that of our
troops and not only seemed vigorous and healthy but
each man had the unmstakable look of conscions
strength and many self-reance which those who arc
accustomed TO review troops like to see Tbava .aau
many armies le past IN all the pomp of bright clothing
aud well polished accoutrements, but never saw one
composed Of finer men, or that looked more like worL
than that portion of General Lees army which 20
fortunate enough to see inspected.
'0f the cavalry but itte as General Stuart had
left for his raid into Pennsylvania the day reached
headquarters and only returned couple of days be-
fore commenced my homeward journey. did remark,
however, that all the rode WELL in which particular
they present striking contrast to the Northern cavalry
who scarcely sit their horses even trotng Indeed
have no doubt but that all who have the Northern
troops on duty in Washington will agree with me in
thinking them the greatest scarecrows under the name
OF cavalry that they ever Apropos of them,
Southern lady told me that one occasion, when lest
ing with Northern officer about the inability of his
troops to contend with Southern chvary although the
latter were not half so numerous, he said "What can
we doy We can never catch them; for whilst we are
opening the gates, they all the fences" Every
white man in the South rides from childhood and con.
sequently is at home in the saddle whereas TO be ON
horseback is most disagreeable position for Yankee
and one in which he rarely trusts himself In the
North thousands keep horses but only drive Them
What is the of having good roads If YOU don't
drive on Them they say. TO have horse that
can rot mile in two minutes forty seconds is the
pride of New Highlander; but good fencer would be
as useless to him elephant. The troopers in the
Southern cavalry have their horses and upon the
breaking out OF the war they provided themselves with
arms as well. Sabres have since been issued to them
by Government and they have mostly armed them.
selves with carblnes or revovers taken from their dis
comfted brethren of the North. Their knowledge of
drill is limited, and altogether their constitution re.
sembles much that of our irregular cavalry As they
cIn never be required to act in open country sua-
bic to masses Of horsemen they admirably adapted
for the service required of them. Cavalry that could
not fence well would be utterly useless in Virginia
but in close country like it, where the quantity of
wood always prevents any extensive view body of
good riders such as the Southern cavalry invaluable
to General as by their alone he can learn the
movements, and sometimes the whereabouts, of the
enemy The want of such skiliu horsemen is sadly felt
IN the Federal armies, and accounts in measure for
their general ignorance of where the enemy is and
what he is doing. The Federal Generals hitherto have
been either extremely rash extremely cautious and
luCl spuIl Tue attending upon their
irregular army and unable to attain the efficiency of
regulars they possess the drawbacks of both systems
without the advantages of either The Southern ranks
the contrary have attained efficiency equal to that
of the best irreguars They are therefore, enabled to
make long and rapid marches, caring little meanwhile
for regularity so long they form line upon the de-
csve points whilst their puzzled enemy clogged with
all the routine of drill without officers able to direct it,
soldiers sufficiently instructed perform it. is irving
in vain to discover the whereabouts. 1t is owing
these circumstances that the Southern cavalry under
Stewart, has been able to march round and round
Mcclellan sezing and destroying his reserve of stores
in the rear, whilst lie blndly feeling for them in
front. As the real power of army rests upon its
ability in marching WELL the Confederates make up for
their deficiency in numbers by rapidity of movement"
The Cornhill Magazine publishes the experience of an
English traveller in Richmond and Washington during
the War;" The writer thinks Richmond the least wicked
OF the two Places but spares the political and socia
morals Of neither. Of the President, he says:
" First among the great personages in Richmond is
the President, with his slight agile figure and intense
face. He is little grey, tride haggdrd and carnRoru
but as fully equal to the responsibility OF his part
when, sixteen years ago he met, with few Mississippi
friends the shocx Of thousand Mexican lancers His
manners have been kenei TO those of Washington to
whose position indeed his very much cores
ponds. Like the great Chief he has been maligncd at
home and carcatured abroad but have been more
modest, prudent and devoted"
Our English friend had an appariton of Alexander H.
Stephens, whom he sketches thus:
"The Vice President goes amblng between his home
and the capital bowed urrowed and hollow of eye and
understanding to with shudder and never for
get"
The London Saturday Review, in an article upon
Harriet Brecher Stowe, acknowledges great reaction
in England upon the question of negro slave y and says
the Abotonists of the Stowe-Beecher school have to
thank themselves for it.
"All the Year Round Charles Dickens Journal sings
pean Indian Cotton 1t thinks whatever be the
result of the contest in America there chance of
the cotton cultivation in the Southern States being ever
to its former condition Whether the North OF
tue South be the victor this is cear-that slavery is
oomed."