The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-01-23

Ai..e number of the London Under has a
. review of a book written by an cticer oil TIE
british army, who, not long ago, made >
,nnr through the Confederaey, from Texas
10 Richmond, and who is described as
gentleman of remarkable intelligence, and a
wr;ter of no ordinary ability. Though IN.
thsr ,ncliuing TO the Northern side when he
6rst visited this country, on account OF lis
pre;udices against slavery, personal obseiVa.
tim converted him into warm friend and
adm;rer OF the Confederate people, ana OF
their heroic struggles aud sacrifices In this
var. He speaks with fcrvor Of the unscr
passed courage and devotion oil The priV@.
soldiers. and is cuiogistic OF The Spartan
6rmness Of the women who have given Their
cons and brothers, not only without muir
muir. but with pride and JOY. TO the defence
of their country. This officer visited '-e
camp OF Gen. Joe Johnston at the time
Grant was besieging Vicksburg, and he men
tons one fact which we do not recollect t6
have seen before, and which explains salts
factorilv the inaction of that officer, for
which he received at the time so much dc
nunciation from people who knew positively
nothing of the situation. He says that
while Gen. Grant was besieging Nicksbu ~
with seventy Ave thousand men, Gen. John
ston had under his command not more than
eleven thousand men aud sixteen pieces cf
artillery. To have attacked Grant under
such circumstances would have been 10 sac
rifce his whols force without the possibility
OF saving Vicksburg; whereas, If Nicksburg
had been evseuatsd, rs We understand was
Gen. Johaston's plan, and the army of Penn
berton united with that of Johnston, th.
Yankees would lave only had Vicksburg, a
they have It now, end affairs N the South
west be very different from their presel t
condition.
Such disclosures as this should warn the
people and the press TO be more Tolerant in
their Judgment of matters OF which they
know nothing. They should bear In mind
that our rulers and orr officers have facts il
their possession of which the public II large
know nothing, and which cannot be pub
lished without damage TO the interests Of
the country. We may be sure that they are
quite as patriotic as ours elves, and for their
own sakes, as well as for The sake Of TIE
cause, are going 20 do all that circums :anCcs
permit We observe that the intcliig; a
Richmond correspondent OF the L3aG 80
;foyning Herald expresses the fear tt3j Gt#e
Johuston may be Influenced in his preetrf
position by popular clamor. He may oista.Ss
all such apprehensicns. Gen. Johnston doe
not hold in any degree Of respect unenligbt
cned public opinion. He is goingto do just
what he thinks best, and will stand rs iirIa
as rock upon the basis of his own iudg
men.. And more solid jGdgmcn IN the
art Of war no military mau Of Tho day pos
sesses. We regard him as one Of the most
eonsummate soldiers whom this great strug
yle has produced, and look forward with q
high and hopeful spirit to the future OF his
great army. We have watched him from the
beginning, and our admiration of him is
greater at this hour than when he fell like
n thunJerboit upon the columns OF the enc
my at Manassas. Gen Joe Johnston is 10
ordinary person, either as soldier or q man,
and we have an abiding faith that the
fact will be demonstrated next spring be
yond the cavils Of the most captious. Ia
the meantime let the critics and .croak-
ers cultivate the virtue Of patience and char
ity. Let them try to form some faint con
conception of their own perfect incompe
teney to sit in Judgment upon military mem
and withhold their eensures till they have
facts and results before them