Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-10
NORTHUMBERLAND RIGhTs.
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RICHMOND WHIG.
THURSDAY moRNINC. MARCH 10, 1854.
On 70 Richmond.

"On 10 Richmond" has becoms Aby word with about
a. much sgui6cAno. as GOA to Iebec' VII IN our Co
onia wars with the French provinces and Indians and
our subsequent wars with EogAnd. From the campaign
conducted BY Samuel Argal who sailed from Virginia
n 1918 70 that under General Wilkinson two bundled
vars later soma Thirty expeditions set cut wholly or in
mart from the old Uated States sganst that devoted
CITY. Yet, as signal failure attended every one Of
these campligna except that Of 1859, when MOntcam
rashly advanced beyond his Notifications to meet Wolfe,
as the nearly a. numerous movements Of the present
war against Richmond. The object in every instance
was the capture Of the caLial which accomplishment
va, held up as the decisive blow Of the war; Quebec
fell in 1859; Montreal in 1850. Blu. it was other cir
cumsances than these captures that led to the eesson
of Canada to England by the treaty Of Paris in 1853
The capture of the enemys capital has often P ced
it in the hands of the vctOs to dictate terms Of peace
The capture OF Genoa Turin, Alexandra and hlAr,
from their political and military impoT anee, had de-
cided II iercs in NApoeOns early campaigns, upon
the wars in those several States So Also the eaptu es
of Venice, K me, Naples, Of Berlin, and Of Vienna,
humbled their respective countries, while the fall OF
Paris il 1914, and Ag,n 10 1915, resulted in the over
throw Of Napoleons rule. But the fall OF Berlin, in
the Seven Years War, Of Philadelphia in our Revolu-
tionary war and Of Washington, in the var Of 1872,
we're without material effect Upon these respective war;
except temporarily upon the reputation abroad OF the
countries Of which they the capitals, requiring
and at the same time stimulating TO- many brilliant Sue
cssses to wash out the blot Of such disasters. Such
would doubtless be the escs upon US should the Yam
KEGS ever succeed in capturing Richmond.
"Ou to Richmond" has been so far the most Promi-
neut feature in the Yankee military programme Of the
var They have abored under the dsusve idea that the
capture of Richmond would terminate "the rebellion
So highly they estimate both its military importance
Strategic point and lis political influence as our
temporary seat of government that they calculate that
It's capture would be decisive of the Scott Nc
DoWell, Mcclellan Pope, Burnside, Hooker and Mefde
have been successfully appointed to, and failed in
this achievement BY regular military movements, with
he largest and best equipped armies marshaed on
this continent. The latter has for months stood mo-
siOnless beyond the Rap dan, appalled, by the fate
Of bis unfortunate predecessors In this undertaking
Though lives have been sacrificed by the hundred thou
sands and treasures by the hundred miIonF in vain
attempts At this performances, yet our people have been
more startled our city endangered people more
shocked, our enemies more encouraged, aud success
accomplished two occasions by . small body
Of daring freebooters under Fitzpatrick than from all
their hosts brought against US.
In the many expeditions agAins. Quebec, the line of
operations and the fields Of strife in fifteen of them
neAryidentieay the same. So with the various On-o
Richmond" movements is illustrated what military his
tory teaches from the campaigns Of Megiddo Arms-
geddOn to that Of Waterloo that the lines of hostile
operations, IS well as the principal bAte6eds between
cOntendng nations, have been nearly the same however
remote the periods Of comparison. These points and
lines resulting from the natural features of the ground
often settled upon in peaceful times the channels and
the centres Of trade little liable to change as
the very aspect of the earth itself To the military
mind il must then that the safeguards Of defence
should be placed to embarrass reard and frus-
trAse advance upon these well marked lines of inva.
sion. No plea of surprise of preparation should
be accepted.