Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-05
|. On TO Richmond. /"

menSurate Win us power anu the PaeIf
otism Of the people for their released
To such an extent have the prisoners
confined on Belle Isle been weakened !
by the insufieieney of food furnished
them during the past Summer and Fall,
that they cannot possibly withstand the
severity of winter. Their condition is
most pitiable, and calls for prompt &C
ton for their release. We are not pre-
pared to accept the terms of exchange
offered by the rebel commissioner, for they
are unfair and humiliating. We have but
one course of action LELAND that is for
the President to issue call for 100000 |
or 100000 men, according as he thinks |
best for the sole purpose of capturing
Richmond and releasing our prisoners
We suggested this proposition some
weeks ago, and find that our cotempora-
ries heartily endorse it.
The great difficulty in the way of the
Army of the Potomac is, that it is not
allowed, under any circumstances, to
uncover Washington. When it moves
on Lee, it is always compelled to attack
him from the front. It is not permitted
to make flank movement, for fear Lee
m at 8psse6 RasEdrRg on the EfSa as at saR
ly fortified all the approaches on his
front, and is impregnable against all as
saults in that direction. If, however, a
new army of 100000 or 100000 men
were called out by the President, they
could rapidly advance up the Peninsula
and Gen. Lee would be compelled to
evacuate all his Notifications and fall
back ON Richmond This would enable
the Army of the Potomac to advance
and cooperate with the army on. the
Peninsula, and insure the downfall Of
the rebel capital: A winter campaign
is not impraeticable. The swamps
of the Chickahominy would present
fewer obstacles than they did to Gen.
Mcclellan in the summer But there is
no necessity to cross those swamps at all.
Richmond is much more vulnerable on
, the south side Of James river, by the way
of Petersburg, than at any other point.
: Ifthe city was assailed from that direc-
ton, by an energetic commander, it
would be compelled to succumb. If the
President would but issue the call, the
men would be forthcoming at once. AS
9 sure the people that they would be led
against the rebel capital for the purpose
: of hberating our starving prisoners, and
3 that they would be mustered out of ser
vice so soon as that object could be ac
compIished, and they would swarm from
: every hillside and every valley. Indi
!, ana could have $4,000 ready in few
hours In three weeks time 100000
: men could be concentrated on the PENN
4 sula, or at such other point as the Gov
: eminent might select r-,e.
This army too, would not be an arm
u ed mob. It would be superior il
every respect to the army which Gen
Run. 1t would contain in it thousand
). of men who have seen service and smell
: gunpowder. They have been in the arm,
and have been discharged on account o
BAD health. But their health having
y been restored, they would cheerfully ioil
:. in a crusade for the accomplishment O
g so holy purpose as the liberation of on
suffering prisoners This new army, toe
!; would be well differed, and in ever
= respect qualified to take the field.
How such large army could be pre-
;. visioned-called as it would be, so sud
a denly into the feld-might be a prot
a lem to any other nation than our.
i Probably it would be to us operating a
Of any other point than the Peninsula
4 But with the immense transportation a
rs the command of The Government, tn
# vast stores of supplies scattered over tn
re- country within its easy reach and tn
r splendid rivers of James and York: upo
E which to operate, the supply question
If would present no insurmountable objet
n ton to our suggestion.
d Let the President, then, issue his ca
20 for 100000 men to. capture Richmond
s. Let him promise them they shall not b
ut directed to any other object until thei
as task is completed, and we have no hes
ID tation in saying, Richmond viii be our
h within very few months. The cry o
IL the whole country would be "On t
d Richmond, and lis echoes would max
in the knees of the Confederate Presiden
r and his Cabinet smite together, Wors
. than the knees of Belshazzar and hi
IS courtiers, when they saw the mysteriou
N finger writing on the wall