Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-09-14

- sAi ssssss tbs aASBtSa RiSss. OaAs seuAs'y ss
oOcquered IN which the little boys and the old men are
better soldiers than the best troOFs you can
send against themi Do little boys and old
men form "RoOd part Of the garrisonS
for thu nir.pcbed res ions" In frOnt Of Petersburg
and RE, s-asdyou, with Jour herdes of veterans,
unabls 10 carry positions 60 uefendsdl We have
robbsd the Grad and the gravs"-hAve vel Do you
object 10 she latter because you think it the great bust
ness of soldier to feed and not rob the gravel II
uh be your theory It must be confessed your conduct
has been in admirable harmony with your opinion. No
nan siace Napoleon has fired such banquet 10 the
grave Your line of march from the Rapidan to the
Weldon Rairosd ID vide and continuous GolgOtbA--
Your campo gns have been carnivAs of death. From
your OK Fort DOuslsOn, where your hecAtombs
Of dead ounumbered the garrison within the fort, to
the last cf your nnumsrsbe defeats in front Of Peters
Surg, you have done nothing but feast the worms
and the vulrures aid the wild dogs that folio" your
rear as young chickens follow the mother that feeds
them "The gravel" How your guilty soul must
have q1aked when you wrote the word.
Bot suppose ous 'ittle boys and old met" we're (as
they may yet bs) IN the service you describe, Wha'
,oud IroVe bu. that you are Warirg not with mill
.ary forces merely but With peOpt' When Napoleon
undertook the conquest Of SPAIN Of his harshals
sid TO him Uisey: "Sre, you will nOs succeed; you
are making against srmes, bat nation. Every
ore Able 10 lift a nuskst vii become soldier. You
eau neVsr1 cotqoeF them" Tue words prophetic.
Zoe result ouly furnished another illustration of the
auth which al history teaches, thai brave, united, pa
en, persistent and determined people, especially If
they have such numbers such resources, and su5h IL
eat of territory as We possess can be subuyated by
uc force that it is prsete8ble 70 against them
Tais fact was sgnsy sttsstsd in the first contest of
,a.her. for freedom Just a. Grant nos writes, the
D tsh commanders wrote and with much better sason
% their Government Plusss, under frederick, with
Is aTs miiIoni OF population, agating against the
4ightlost nAiOus of Europe eCnbinsd, was an
other illustration. Holland in her death struggle
With Pulp, afforded another. History, aresut and
modern, aborn3s siIh similar lSssonr People worthy
Of freedom may lose !, cir liberties from the per
6ly Of rulers or the kHAVsry of politicians,
ous never from tbs ssOFd Of1hs invader. When q
lat on takes for It's WashWOrd "tX srminaon sooner
han sutjlgadOn - when for every soldier who falls
here is = father or brother ready to take bis
dice, end burning 70 ayenke his death when I" the
Gtle boys" made by the bgness Of their souls
and "ihe Old men" are rSjaVeuatsd by b, frs thst
slOEs il their bCsoms; when wemen ready 10
forget :hs veal nsses Of their ssI Aad assume the
tasks and share the hsrdships and peri of the MN
against such people numbers nothing; resources
are OF 10 avail; sutfaug and psri, hunger and cold
are without effect for it ia no: these, even dah
that they dread but the OF their adversary
Wish to them is evil Ap aing tba. anything short
Of il seems blessing.
Shallow ard ignoant-devoid Of heroic sentiment and
,ccap,hie Of approaching the sapsshuDsn aud sublime
tpiri. with which PEOPLE may be inspired by it-Gs
Grant is, he may anJ, In the lelief that cur
old men and boys are 10 the field somethIag to divert
his thoughts from the contemplation OF his own dis
grace as the hugest fslus OF the war but there can
but be nsn the No Ia ia ~hOse sObsrer MODS such
,,t NOud awaken Re cons fAF other than pleasant or
hopeful