Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-10-06
WILMINGTON, N. G., SEPT. 2s, 1864.

The DRFENCEs OF WuMINGroN.-We have 10 idea
of saying anything under this head that can tend to
give information to the enemy Dur object is simply to
urge upon the attention Of people some eousidera
tions based upon known facts
The Importance of this town and port to the State
and the Confederacy, has, are pleased to see, been
recognized at the South. Perhaps We not quite
well pleased to find that it has also been fully recog
zed at the North and that its capture has been urged
by newspaper editors and newspaper correspondents,
the latter generally belonging to that class who have
lived and prospered among US, and have since, some
more recently and some less recently, gone off to the
enemy some under false pretences and a. Known
enem . The afflir OF the Tallahassee has done much
to change what formerly perhaps only an opinion,
into all the activity Of desire, inspired by hatred and
exasperatn 1t has certainly increased the rigidness
OF the blockade.
The Uonfederacy wants men in the field at the points
Of primary Importance, at what may be called the
imminent deadly breach" Lee wants men, Hood
wants men, Early wants men. While such is the
position of affairs in Virginia and in Georgia. much of
local defence, much of the defence of places of high
though not of prime Importance mist nsturalfy de-
vOlve upon local The enerly concentrates
and outnumbers US at cardinal points. We can hardly
expect thai troops u large numbers or will be sent
rom these points to aid in the defence of m4naced
posts. 1t may be said that all entitled to protec
ton. That is true-to all the protection the CoDfed
crate q overnmeat give But it would be folly
to exp ect more. The people at hore-the States and
The people-must, in emergencies, pat their sbcul
ders directly to the wheel In the case of attack they
must rally promptly to the defence of the attacked
point Previous to attack they be ofganiz2d and
IL. 49, ~,l
obligatory at the required tins, so also is it matter
Of obligation that labor should be supplied to carry
ind strengthen those physical engineering defences
which in the hour CT trial may add to the efficiency of
The forces whose province it may be to hold the ad-
Taneing eneLly in check.
We do not pretend to say what additional regular
force could be supplied for the defence of Wilmington
in the event of attack. We only reason from known
facts, wben we sag that our main dependence
ought to be- and, Think must be- upon the State and
the people of the State for and labor. The skill of
the engineer may be exhausted upon the erection of
orfcations but Notifications avail little witLult the
presence of force to defend and support them. It o
H0t upon tIe works around Petersburg that our reer
ton of that city depends. 1t is upon LEES army. Let
US have force to maintain our communications here
and our works will be aLsuficient Let the authori-
ties and the people of the State stand ready to rally ct
the first bugenote that sound the ALARM and not Cny
the most important port of the State is saved but the
Interior WE'LL escapes dangers humiiiations and SUBJ
jugaons which must follow in the wake of a hostile
success at this point We suppose it natural that We
should feel somewhat special interest in the town
Were we live and where all our little property is loca-
ed but We urge no considerations founded upon mere
regard for the town of Wilmington, apart from its im-
poance to tie State and to the general security of the
people of the State in their persons and property as
We'll as its Importance to the Confederacy.
We know that much has been done in the way of for.
dying the river approach and also that other means
O. Ieence have rot been neglected, and We also know
that is projected bat common sense will enable
any one to that lines extending points thirty miles
Or more, distant-Caswel and Bald Head-can only be
rendered perfectly by the assistance of orce
which can be moNsd to the support of any mensced
point. From what has been said about the position of
things in the field, taking public and wellknown facts
as guide, we may easily understand-not what we
can or will get-but what it is reasonable that we
should expect IN the emergency Of an attack. The
commander here may find it matter Of necessity as
we'll as of duty to call upon, and to depend upon the
ntate aGd upon all classes of her people to come for
Sard Tor the defence OF their soil and their last
H. through any failure or ukewarmnees the pace should
m II would be too late to indulge in grets for they
could avail nothing and it would be worse than fIv
-" "oulo oe meanness-to cast the blame upon the
confederate government for not doing what probably it
-'"1 H0' oO OF upon the commander here for not e-