The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-04-30

UCf4uN Anp hawsN hAats ~ mFss " e''
nAiAs anA Lseat Dsfsacss
The invader b aware Of his great danger
from the warfare called guerrilla" in the
sense q sstittas war" There Is another
sense q the term which applies to his raid
iux expeditions, such - those conducted by
tho notorious Avcrill, viz: A predatory ex
pedition, plundsring and practising rap'ne
bat Ne enemy, with his usual art and inse-
nsity, attempts to evads the tcrrors OF g"es-
illA strategy by denoancing 1t as osroMos. ,
and ahrcAaentug to hang all men 'c.na
armed, alpgay or in small bodies nahs'.,
about and harassiDg their MARCH,
made It point whenever he enteFe" . naA'
let or passed s'cross road 70 pus Wy !"
handful proclaimiug the most summary =.
ecufion Of All pusrillas taken along MS route
Ho urred al citizens when he came aooa'
20 yn IA their homes and there quietly TO re-
main. a the best and safest course for them
"a nur.ue. His trick eucceeded admirably
well. He frightened of many who could
have annoyed him terribly. and he took the
ci,isens In detail. His robbers Visited the
houses In succession, and ID pattered mol
whether their occupants were sitting quiet
II and ueacashiv aAs.> not, they were all
robbed Of everything deeirable or portable,
and In many cases what could not be con-
vcyed away WAS destroyed.
This device of the Yankee guerilla is a
part Of the plan pursued by the Yankee
Government of persistenoy enforcing the
Idea that they are engaged in maintaining the
laws and VIC in violating them-tha. they
srs loyal and lawful people, come to estab-
ish order in their o,ca country. and we rebels
casting them, and that we are ever incur
ing the penalty OF felons, FORGETTING both
life and property.
There is no reason why "little war" is less
,,wfnl than "big war;" and since the former
j. so much dreaded by the enemy, we should
kaow how to profit by it at least by this
tine. Averill il already ON one of his raids,
"a it il reported, and he should, as should
All the other leaders of predatory bands OF
invaders, be met by q vigorous system of
annoyance and harassment from every eli
gibls position along his route. That is ex-
actly what he most breads. He knows how
e demoralizes his soldiers and how it i'm
perils his march.
The reserves of the Valley and Western
counties may, by an efficient organization on
the guerilla plan, strike more terror to the
hearts of the Yankees than many times their
numbers consolidated and awaiting the enc
my at some point along his route, hoping
o draw him into pitched battle. They
,,ould dispense In bands of ten, twenty, fifty
,r hundred, under commissioned officers,
: ID seeking the heights along the enemy's
route assail him when he least expects it,
7yith well aimed shots from activities he
himself cannot reach, and hurl down upon
lin stones that may wound his men and
block his way. Such an attack from small
body of men, firing with such deadly aim es
our mountaineen know how to take, would
have terrific effect upon him. It was chief
~ by this kind of warfare that the French
were driven from Spain. There are instan-
ces of large armies being thrown into the
Rrz atest confusion by the assaults Of email
bc1ies OF intrepid men Occupying aavanta-
geous positions, and lighting in defence Of
their country.
This sort of defence of the western passes
would stop ralding in Western Virginia.
The people there have found the folly Ct
being intimidated by the threats Of the enc
my, and Of running to their homes under the
hope that they might in that way be spared.
They were robbed as all others were, aud no
doubt now see that they can only obtain
personal and individual defence and protec-
ton by combining with their neighbors for
the common defence Of all
There could be nothing better than such
. plan of defence as we speak of. The enc
my in his raids is generally mounted, and
moving with celebrity turns the position of
any large body met to intercept him. The
whole mountain region is intersected by To-
cal routes, many Of them mere horse paths,
oas such a. would afford escape to an enemy
mounted. And though 1t be possible to
catch such body Of men in trap. it has
been strikingiy illustrated by the history Of
AveriIl's raids how difficult that is.
The s.little war" should at least become
sort Of auxiliary to large defensive force.
There need be no fear of the enemy. He
dare not put to death soldier of the Con-
federacy, acting under orders or not under
orders, who with his few comrades had am
pushed the foe and poured deadly fire into
ais rankA No wonder that he breads such
N assault, and esesys to evade 1t by his idle
areats. That should only make us the more
aager to resort to it. We hope to see the
rsaesves Organised with the view of carry
cg ont this plan. The men of the West
COW their mountains and the passes in
.iiem. which give the power to few gal
..nE spirits to repulse force very many
.saes their number. The proper men, pro-
ssesIy Awaiting themselves of these advan.
tsGes, may clear the Yankees out of the
FOUNTAINS and deter them from renewal
II their predatory incursions.
Tia Rcd River Campaign.
he later news from the North makes the
r.,er defeat and driving back of Banks's
army the more clear and undoubted. He
-nust have received disastrous defeat from
the brave C0nfederates under Kirby Smith,
vbo were, We may suppose, inferior nu-
saeEically 70 the invading force. We expect
- hear sone very cheering news from the
snns-Missisaippi - soon - we can derive
96lcial intelligence from that quarter. The
Yankees have not s1told the half" They