Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-09-29

consumed. The facts that Sherman has
vociferously announced very different
project; that he tells the population whom
Ihe expels from Atlanta not to go to Macon,
or to Augusta, or to MilledgeVille, because
he is coming by separate columns to all of
these places-does not initiate against the
theory that his chief force is now to ope-
rate in Virginia. 1t is not likely he would
make the announcements referred to-, if
they were really his military projects. He
gains much, if they are falsehoods which
the Oonfederates shall believe; for they
serve to prevent counter RECOMMENDATION.
Meantime the stakes of Virginia are great.
They are soon to be decided. Here, in the
Valley of Virginia, on the plain of Pied
mont, and on the banks of the James, the
next blows of the war. will be struck. Here,
and not elsewhere. Here, not in Georgia.
From the Richmond Whig, Sept. a..
Early's defeat at Winchester is explained
by facts generally understood in this city,
but which it is not expedient at present to
give .grester publicity to-! Suffice it to
say that it in no wise reflects upon the
Commander, officers or men. All thatVal-
or and skill could do was done in the late
fight. ~ e
HAMPTON AND HIS RAID.
From the h1c1mOnQ O1DpAtCuS b6pLs Ale
Gen. Hampton's late foray upon the lar
der of Grant was very useful, as we'll as
q very brilliant, affair. 1t furnishes our
army with about one million of pounds of
the. best beef which the Yankee markets
affords, and will feed them full for some
time yet to come. Grant has proved near
ly as serviceable to Lee in his quality of
commissary and quartermaster as Banks
did to Jackson in times goe by.
As Hampton is now understood to be
General Lees Master of Horse, it can hard
ly be improper to give the public of Vir-
ginia, who know him only from his exploits,
and who are deeply interested in matters of
which he will have the principal charge,
some idea of what sort of man he is. We
speak, ourselves, only from hearsay, for we
do not recollect that we ever saw him in
our lives. he is said to bel then, in the
prime of life, of q strong natural under
standing, considerably cultivated, of I'm
meuse physical strength and activity, of
wonderful endurance, and of inexhaustible
energy. He has been all his life passion
asely addicted to field sports and wood craft,
in both of which he is said to excel most
men of his day. One faculty, of the last
importance to an officer holding such
command as his, he is said to possess in
very remarkable degree-that, namely, of
becoming acquainted instantly, and almost
instincti7ely, with all the features of what
ever locality he may happen to pass over.
To such an extent is this faculty developed,
that we have heard it said, if he were blind
folded and carried thirty miles into. forest
in which he had never been before, he
would find out where he was in FIVE min
utes after the removal of the bandage.-
He never camps a day in a neigh
borhood without making himself suf-
fciently acquainted with all the roads,
bye roads and hog paths, to act as guide.
His courage is of that calm, deliberate, i'm
purturable character, which Napoleon des-
cribed as the 1.-TWO o'clock in the morning"
courage, and which consists of never be-
ing thrown off the proper balance by any
surprise, no matter how sudden, or any
danger, no matter how little foreseen. Yet
no man is more impetuous in the charge,
or more rapid in the pursuit. Gen. Hamp-
ton possesses another qualification very
important in cavalry officer, and yet not
always possessed by good cavalry officers.
He is passionately fond of horses, and an
uncommonly fine judge of them; takes
pleasure In studying their nature and wants
and thus affords the best guarantee that
he will make his men attend to them
When we add that he is splendid rider, a
practical swordsman, and excellent shot;
but above all, that he is what Carlyle calls
ian SaTnest man" withno frivolty or child
ishness about him, but devoted with all
the deep enthusiasm of his nature in the
cause in which he is engaged, we have
said enough, we think to show that the
cavalry of Gen, Lees army is in very good
hands.