The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-09-29
UAHIy's DrrFAr- nan MASAarNrNr or ArPAtRs
IN THE VALLEY.

EARIys DrrFAr- nan MANAorNmNror ArPAtRs
IN THE VALLEY.
Prom no, Rirbaord Enquirer, Sep eD6sr %.
General Early has been forced b tck from Fish
er's I'LL, with the loss OF twelve pieces Of arsil-
lcry. The enemy are following up their successes
80 the valley with great vigor Sherid i'd de,er-
mined not TO permit bis opportunity TO slip by
without making the most otit.
There seems TO have been bad management in
these affairs in the valley. The duty OF asccr-
thn ng his, and taking steps to retrieve our for
tunes, is with General Lee As IL could not he
entrusted to ablcr and better hands, IL is not
necessary for the people 10 be over anxious or
very unhappy. For three years our forum
have rested upon his bro ID shoulders, and nn i,r
Providence he has brought us through. He has
been heavily reinforced by the report for duty Of
Licntenan'.Geneml Long,treet, that "o.d war
horse who ELECTED the embrace of General Lee
on the field Of Shorpsburg.
Longstrset comes back most oppOrtunely 10
reCtify affairs In the valley Want Of co-Opora-
ton, more than the prepOndcrating numbers of
the enemy, he's caused the late disasters In the
valley. The presence Of two lieutenant generals,
the one not suhOrdiuatetO the other, out intended
10 co. operate, has prevented, when there should
have been concentration. The presence OF Long
street in the valley would restore unity of COM
mand and check the advance of the enemy.
Notwithstanding the los es sustained in the late
disasters, If some OF the worth ess.horsemen that
have been routed by the enemy could be brought
TO the trenches at Petersburg, aud their places
H
repaired, and the valley preserved, ii not re-
claimed, to the banks of the Potomac.
From the first year OF the war the valley Of
Virginia has been the scene of lust such even
as are irlnspirng there at present. General
Jackson mached down the valley and was driven
back, and again advanced and retrelled. Gene
raj SIgel marched up aud was whipped bl ,k.
Hunter, after complete victory over Jones,
penetrated TO the detenses of Lynchburg, aud
was hurled back, broken, routed, and ruined.
Sheridan has now begun the same pcrous role,
and the same fate VIII befal him.
Neither party can permanently hold the valley.
It's lower end is so near to the encmy's country
that rciniOrccments can more readily reach their
army than can he sent 20 ours while its upper end
enables us to concentrate more rapidly upon
them. Thus we are driven up the valley to turn
and drive them down. Thus the events Of the
valley are mere episodes in the war; they have
their effects upon both parties they elate aud
deprcss, but they do not permanently injurc or
destroy.
Our people become elafed by success and they
sink down To the deepest depression upon the
first disaster. Has not three years of war taught
tbemthe lesson that the "MOrning cometh, out
the night cometh also, that victory is not always
10 be had, nor Is defeat unbrOken The forces
Of the enemy have been greatly magniied and
exaggerated. They did not number thirty thou
sand all told-iniantry, cavalry, and artillery.
The infantry OF the enemy is worth very little;
but when permitted 10 be thrown in overwhelm-
log numbers upon first one division and then
upon second, and then upon third whom the
cavalry OF the enemy, picked and selected, are
opposed by the disOrgan6ed and demorAiled
hntsemen who remain behind the stragglers and
horse details, it Is not surprising that disaster
should result A thorough, radical change ot
commanders, aud, 70 great extent, of troops, Is
now required in the valby.
complete reform OF the army is being demon
struted as indispensable, and preparing the cOun-
Try and army for the proper measure, of retOrml.
ton. We need a regular army, with les real and
compact organization, and its firm and unyieldiug
discipline. The provisional organ HatOn has lived
its allotted time. When cOnscripton supplantcd
volunteering, and made every mau a soldier, 10y
reason of his age, the regular army rose upon the
debris OF the proyisi nal. Congress should rCcor-
nile this fact, and perfect the Organization.