Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-03-11

/ from us; and some Of their fortifcations
mount English guns offthe heaviest calibre
and best make. g. ): .,Nt.
Beauregard's call for all the BELL metal
in the South was prompted by this plan of
providing plenty of light guns. Some of
the bells collected for the purpose were cap.
tured at New Orleans but more found
their way to Southern boundaries, where
they were cast into guns, which are now
laundering destruction and death into our
ranks in every battle.
The South is not now deficient in heavy
guns, Notwithstanding her great losses
during the war. All Of her boundaries
have been, and are yet, engaged in casting
them, and all they turn out are immediate
ly placed in position upon fortifcations, the
number and extent of which appear only
limited by the facility Of turning ont guns.
Itis roughly calculated chat not less than
twelve hundred heavy guns are now in
position in the various Notifications in the
South. The Ordnance Bureau of the
Richmond War Department has recently
been engaged in casting and experimenting
with some newly designed pattern of mou-
ster artillery, One of these guns is in
position at Fort Darling, another in Charles
ton harbor, and another at Yicksburg. The
same Bureauis also engaged in experiment
ing with artillery and iron plated targets in
Charleston harbor; and it is reported they
literally "smash things" with theirimproved
cannon. 49,
Besides having an abundance Of good
batteries, the artillery service Of the Con-
federates is rendered most effective by the
best discipline, and particularly by their
admirable system of operating with it in
battle. Acting upon the defensive, and
nearly always having the choice Of battle
fields, their engineer corps survey and re-
survey the ground Of every coming conflict
until they obtain complete map of its to-
biographical features, when the knowledge
is communicated to the officers Of artillery,
who 60 intoaction knowing every hill, knoll,
valley, ravine, stream, forest and house
upon the field, also the distances between
the same, and prepared to throw shot and
she'll With uuerring precision into every
point within range.
THEIR CAvALnY.-The Southern troop.
ers are composed largely of the best blood
in the South, and at the same time have
the best horses in the country. They are
armed with sabres, and short repeating ri
fes or shot guns, and lately Colts revolvers
are being freely supplied them.
inducements are offered to the most da.
| ring spirits in the South to onter this SER
vice, and lately the plan has been adopted
of recruiting the ranks from the bands of
"Partizan Rangers, or guerilas. The
policy Of this is plain; after the guerillas
learn to ride, scout and skirmish, he is then
ready to learn to fight in earnest, and is
taken into the organized cavalry, where his
education is completed by learning to
charge.
THEIR DIsoIPLINE.-The rebel military
leaders have paid great attention. to drilling
and instructing their troops, which is COM
menced in the conscript. and recruiting
camps, and kept up in their armies.
In the inferior camps of Confederate ar
mics, discipline is well preserved but it is
in their exterior aud picket lines where it
is seen in its greatest striotness and eficien-
cy. A surprise disgraces the officers respon-.
sible, and subjects them to severe penalties
which neither rank nor influence can avert.
| THE TRooPs OF THE SEVERAL STATES.
In Lees army, great rivalry exists be-
tween the North Carolina troops and all
others. The latter have an idea that the
old North State has hankering after the
Union, and looking upon her soldiers as
doubtful allies, they disparage their efforts
to aid them, and question their courage
But these troops, of which there arc over
twenty thousand in Virginia, have shown
upon many battle fields that they are in
earnest, and have the courage to back it,
Among those free from prejudice, they are
CO osideted as we'll disciplined, effective and
brave as any rebels in the field.
The Virginia troops are universally ac-
knowledged as the best fighters in the field.
They number eightyfve thousand, and
nearly all are engaged in defending their
own State. There are two or three regi.
ments of Marylanders, and also several
companies Of the same in Virginia regiments
now in the rebel army of Virginia, which
are known among the hardest fighting and
most reliable troops. Besides being largely
represented in the rebel infantry, Maryland
also has many citizens in the cavalry
Ashby's cavalry consisted largely of them,
as also Whites; and several companies
accompany Stuart in all his raids. {
The South Carolina troops are looked up.
on as possessing more dash than endurance,
and altogether they have not sustained the
reputation they once claimed as superior in
valor to any fighting stock of the world
Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi troops
all rank alike among the best for discipline
and c,urage, while the Louisianans are par.
ticulary noted for their dashing and endur-
ing bravery, it baing said Of them they
fight tigers-as they claim to be. Tex.
as troops fighting on this side of the Mis-
sissippi, in Virginia and Tennessee, have