Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-09

Correspondents q ne Appeal

Special Correspondence Of the Appeal
WcKsRuR0. February z, 1863.
The apparent inaetion Of the enemy Tor the past few
days Is only indicative Of what Is coming. and no one
must deceive himself by hoping that the CT ss san be
long postponed The present quiet Of tie enemy IS but
a short truce at the uttermost the weatasr and state Of
Tue river can only delay the collision bus q few days.
The aspect Of thu enemy was never mors menaclng1 han
at ibis moaent. In few hours, perhaps, the toesin Of
alarm may sound in our ears AID call to arms the whole
strength Of our army to beat back the invading hosts.
and to defend with an undying determination our soil
against the pollution Of the enemy
The importance Of o~btaiuiag pc session OF this psn,
is well understood by The Federal government. It r.
regarded as The key Of the Mississippi, and our last grip
on The great and productive territory beyondit. Already
has the attempt been made with enormous force on two
former occasions, and has been defended with courage
and success, results in disaster and disgrace to tho enc.
my II ls now sgain TO beaf the brunt Of one Of the
most formidable armamen of both land and naval
powsr thatthe world has yet witnesses, audevery nerve
will be stretched in ias attempt a. its capture.
II no other motive prompted the Federal army.
rational pride would be sufficiently strong in The heart
Of the North to compel this armada to another attack,
in which life and blood viii be layished to reopen the
iot river, and to recover some of the glorious Laursls
which cur CoufedsTate generals and our brave troops
have torn from their standards in the last week Of the
pest year. There is now no longer any doubt but that
tho who's fosce Of The enemy is concentrated within
seeing distance of the city, and the mortar boats were
being towed down yesterday to q point near the grand
rendezvous of the feet Every moment may announce
the commencement of the attack.
Every available force, naval and land, viii be called
into r~equisition 70 assist in the great work before them.
The stage Of the river IS favorable to operations BY
water, and by delay viii prove equally unfavorable for
the purposes OF assault by land, and under these eircum-
s anees it becomes an imperative necessity to commence
operations sooa. The possession Of the river is q sine
qua non with tie West, and if it is not obtained by
sprisg we may expect that the Western troops will
fight no more, and their States viii withdraw from the
contest agains; The South. We must, therefore, expect
to meet and rspel the shock whieh is now imminent
Fortunately for VieksbuTg and for the ConfedersCy,
We have in co nmand Of the army ons Of the best gene
trals in the Confedeist service, around whose brow the
Iaursls of victory are still green, and whose prestige Of
success fills the hearts Of his cOuntrymen with coat
dsnee and faith ~ his courage aud eonsumate skill as q
leader aad soldier. Is watchfal eye and keen discrim-
ination are equal to any emergency, and when the con
fct comes, his great generalshlp, aided BY the strong
arm of bis admiring soldiers, viii bring us out of the
! struggle with victory perehed upon our banners. The
fsy is near at hand, and again our brave soldiers must
bare their breasts to the raging storm. But they know
FOR what they fght-their hom8, their wives and chill
dren, and all they hold dear in lie. An army composed
Of such material, and fighting for ssuea a cause, can &C
compish wonders, and no thought Of failure is enter
tsiued. Rather would the Last man willingly sacrice
himself to the great cause than consent to a surrender.
But under the management Of Gen. Pemberton no one
thinks of meeting with a reverse from incompeteuey,
oversight o neglect in the preparations necessary for q
successful resistance, and victory win most speedily
crown their efforts.
A considerable degree of apprehension was mani
tested yesterday evening at he supposition that an at
tack might be contemplated during the night This
suspicion arose from certain movements Of the ferry
boat below, which h in g lake behind the levee, and
being noticed to be under a full head Of steam, as was
also the ram, and imaginary reports circulated freely
that the enemy was throwing a force across thelSver at
Warenton. It was, however, soon asesuained that
taese runors were groundless, and>Ho attempt being
made by the enemy, everything remained quiet during
the night. This morning the same old status is observed
that has marked the past week. sOme movements Of
the feet at the mouth of the Yazoo would seem to ind
cate that a movements up that Hver might be on the
tspis. NEsTOR