Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-02-11
owe Awe Going to VIM Then"

This expression is often heard nova days. l. bai
come from the army where it originated, and hsa been
adopted by the psopls who epsas it from day 10 Gay
Nth mere and more emphasis. l. is beginning to be
generally believed, not by the unthnkiDg merely, Tho
catch IN any by-xord aud utter it again at random, but
hv Rejecting men, who ave calculated the chances With
cool head and tranquil heart. There are good rea-
sons for believing that gciag 20 whip them this
soripe ami Sunmer-suoh as the just OF the cause,
the desperation of the game the regular tarn IN The
lids tn, improved condition Of oar armies, and the
greater proportion OF veterans.
All this is very we'll. We hail the changed tone Of
the pubic with great pleasure. 1t marks tie reaction
from the 1T, depression, Wb oh lasted slogsher too
long for the c5mort OF the lover Of bis country and its
cause. The elaion will, in s probability, be in pro-
portion to the des2on iency 10 hs almanac ct popular
emotion We may now lOoS confidently for the customary
italics high tides :" go,d calculator ght fix
the d,y to which the phrase may DO annexed. Aud just
here Is our danger.
Statesmen Generals, the press, the sc'd AID tie
people must alike guud agains. this ca Sc. W. have
riph. to be con6dent but not over dien. lie. US
look back little. A. the beginning OF the war, every
body said I'VE are going to whip them, and Lot
man, woman or chill in the COniederacy doubted it,
But We did not whip th=m easily iauced; for
here we are near The fourth year Of the war with good
deal of territory oyeTru1. When Lee entered Maryland
in 1862 everybody said " We going 10 whip them"
and had the best OF reasons for saying ButSiarpburg
was not profitable day for US, and had 20 quit Ma
ryland sooner tina W, intended. So again, Wien Lee
entered Z, nnsy lvaDia every body sad We are goirg
% IL L.stx
saying 60 than they had before. But the third day at
Gettysburg was bitter Pill to "a, and came back
HON, sadly shOrn Of our strength.
We cite these instances not to renew DEPRESSION but
to temper undue ell oa aud aba.e oyer-confdSnce.-
Next to downhearednes the grCaest danger is rish-
ness II we would via great victories in the coming
campaign esbould avoid emeriy ro;essiha4 timidity
Experiences has proved tia. we may trust our pluck,
but not too far Our soldiers do al that men can
we'll do, but as Lee confessed Gettysburg, they
sometimes calsd upon to do the impossible. Their
strength must not DO wasted in the next fsLt
"Never undnrste your enemy" is coed motto
The Yankees will be cure to give the best fght tina!
is in them in the epsui- clmplgn-:o; their
desperate as cur oWr-lnd or tina, fight We must make
ready. We must give Them as goOi they send, and
better; aud this end preparation and prudence are
all We need We would not say f sht 'em shy for that
is poor sort of fighting bu fight tt en- prudentg and
to the best advantage wasting lives in rash charges
latter the fashion of tto fslt Napoleon, who cared
nothing fer life ami couniing nothing on the cOrsrdce
or weakness Of tie enemy.
Preparation aHd prudence will make our v.c:oiy as
sure as any,hirg human b. Hu.bani the strength
"a bave renose cor 6dsnlly uDOn the tried Vour of
the Southern soldier, but it always to the b;st ad
vantage, and the Issue is not doubtful, We shall thin
whip them this year 30 dead moral certainty"