Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-10-07
TIE SITUATION.

The Charlottesville "Chroniols," eminent.
ing on tbs situation, gays:
Five months have passed, bat the Campaign
has not yet ended. Again the armies are 10
motion N Arkansas. in Alabama. in Georgia,
OIL tia Southwestern Iortion Of Virginia, in
the Valley, around Richmond. Pries and
Shelby meuacs Missouri, Forrest is sweeping
like an avalanche upon the rear Of Shern AZ,
Burbridgo is marching upon the Washington
County Salt Worke, Sheridan is passing at
IIsr1isonburg, Hood is reported to have tatown
himself on the flank Of Sherman. Grant is
massing troops, and las begun bis attack upon
Richmond. The very continent shakes under
~ from the Arkansas and the 81. Francis to
tie Tennessee and the Chattahoochee, from the
Tennsssoe ard the Chattshooohee to the IlUl-
atom, fl on Tho Holston to the streams Of the
Middle Valley, of Virginia. ~ 4 frnnr thS ai"foo
of ,hs Hiua Ridge to the James AID tho Apo.
mattox. The heroic confederation of the
South is ags:n strained Ike some firmly knit
chip, that breasts anew the visitation of the
win 10. Once moro the temTet rises, and
p!cugts the face of the billowy isep.
The bolt will fall hs8vie,t on the CJnfede
rate capital. All that art, all thst military
rcs0oroes, all that numbers can do, viii be
exerted to batter in the chief fortress and oits.
del Of the Confederate fortunes.
The moment is charged with painful anxiety
to those who have staked all upon the result of
this cor hios. The spectacle ia sublime, for the
power that iu put forth by both of the Gem
batsuts, for the magnitude of the oonseq uenoes
which ars iavclsed, for the very terror them
selves thct accompany the transactions. II is
no. mean contsst the combat has been pro-
tracisd, and has aTered in it's fortunes trough
long and anxious periods; the psrti.s have
both displayed skill, vslur and endurace; the
conditions ars mortal; tia asssilan: has the
proportions the brutal courage, the feroalty OF
Front ds.Eeu!; Tho It Ter knight bears upon
his shield the device vi tho young oak torn up
ty its roots, and tie motto desdichado;" and
interesta even those who were unooncerned By
bis gallantry, his address, snd the apparently
ur equal contest in which he is engaged. But
it il no romance; it is that drama stranger
than the creations Of fsnoy-s tragedy not of
a few chosen actors in como partial sconc, but
fraught with the lives Of thousands OF devoted,
living aai actual men. the palpitating hopes
Of mothers, wives and sisters. the great destiny
Of whole people awaiting the decision Of tri-
umph or degradation.
Apal, from its weiehtier aspscts, there 10 some
thing very engaging 10 tina imagination in Sc
l.c ing single fgrre fer contemplation in Il Is
animated and e1c;t ng picture. TheIs is not 10
any ptrt Of bisttry, or among tho biographies Of
eminent Oh racters, suy iner e1hib tion than
ths csrear Ct Gan. Lee limclaon, Pelopiias.
Phiin amsn, Al rsd, Gus.svus, Adolehus, Hump
den, W..hiuet1n-aIe none mora bssutiful in
Their vss or sr.sier in their achievements.
AIT n one hrs followed him in the wonderful
campaigns OF the pat three years, AMI msde the
acquairtaGcvship, of that gentle sod noble nature
with ich the putlic I'll, low fsni ar-tis
want of succ So in the end wouli ave on the
mind that painful disappointment which is e1-
peris I'd wien the hsro of some romance !, NO.
Time lg hi lei or fail to reach that haven which
il Supposed TO be the r,wsrd Of Vi tuous altions.
He s!a. ds out among the development, of this
war 3, Ii 4ry and alone, aud is without question
the MT st nohl, Of al great pub i; charsc:era with
this exception of W&saingt n, OF whom be IL tho
20 r. ne life lie a, graceful and beautiful a.
poem, snd the great reverence he enforces leads
those who Colt NIL "a him 10 recognizes an iso-
lstion such as We sss 1ciat, with OILY Socrates,
Plato, Michael Ans>lo, Shakespeare, Million and