The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-06-10

koe pt3co VIII De paid ~ TUT ~ TsSlT1y1N
kinds Of CLEAN LINEN s.n ~
RAGS, 10 large or email qusuIn.Na--..--E
tsIoAs MORNING.. ..... :. ---~.
rne sotA II Jane.
TIL. Sav u the Third anniversary 81 the
hattie IL Bethci, fought In 1861. We were. ;
:, that time, new to the trade Of war, and
,oarcd of It only from tho battles fought in
Mexico. which Scott, with HE accastomed
pomposity, magniaed into mighty kfairs,
though In point OF fact they wereii,tie moro
than the sklrmlshes among kites and Crows,
20 which Milton compares the renconires Of
ina Auglc-Saxons. For this reason our VIC
tory on that day caused more txultaticn
throughout the Confederacy than has ever
bsaa fc.t since, even upon tho most extraor-
binary OCCASIONS 1t vas our arst victory
and the nrst victory 10 pcor.e for tho n'st
tine ct war, Il Ike The fnt love, the first
horse. the nyst dog, the flret pair OF boots,
20 the individual. In the ptcgress Of the
letter through life he meets with
many women more beautiful, aud more
attractive than she who 1rst "caught his
youthful fApcy"-hs becomes the owner Of
horses to which his arst nag was but as q
cart horse to an Arab steed-he meets with
dogs aseter Of foot, keener Of scent, QUICKER
OF eye, more thoroughly broken into their bu-
siness, better bred, better taught, aud better
behaved, than the pointer or setter upon
which his early affections we're expended
his every day wear 10 boot which puts to
shame the fire-buckets Ia which he creased
his youthful underpinnings-bnt. towards
woman, horse, dog, AM. DO OTIS, he can never
feel again ~ he felt towards that first wo-
man, that lrst horse, that FIRST dog, that first
pair Of boots. The wine may retain its body
aud its favor, but the aroma is gone q sooR
e. tho bottle u uncorked. The first sfIec-
lions Of youth are as sweet, a. delicate, and
most delicate wine. Their fragrance is but
the snowfall on the river" white for a
moment, then gone forever. Even so arc
the emotions of . people upon the announce.
ment Of their arst victory. Even 30 1t was
with the people of the Confederacy when 1t
was known that their troops had beaten q
greatly superior force Of 1ankees at Bethel
It was hailed - haIbinger Of success
throughout The war. 1t begat confidence
which did not leave Us until repeated re-
verses had taught us the true nature of the
difficulties with which we had to contend.
In comparison with the gigantic battles
that have siLce been fought, the battle Of
Bethel was Q mere skirmish. Yet when
Judged by its effects, 1t was one of the most
important battles OF the whole war; II
drst taught the North the true character of
the people with whom they had to deal, and
Afforded the drst glimpse Of the gigantic oh
stacles that lay In the way of their success
They had previously been made to believe
that the South was inhabited by an effete
and edsminate race, who might perhaps
swagRer and threaten as long % there was
anything to be gained by big words and bold
assumption, but who would give wsy upon
the first application Of force The prevs-
lence of this belief Is apparent In ali the
speeches of their leading meR--ia all the
leaders of their newspapers-in the proceed
ings of all their military conventions-ib
the habitu1 couvarsation Of their guard |
rooms, as recorded by their rress-iR the |
lie meetings, and Ia the correspondence of
hi their diplomatic corps. Ninety days Vas
the extreme limit which tie most moderate
among them assigned TO the rebellion" rs
the assertion of their rights by an indie
pendent people was facetiously termed
When Butler sent his SIX regiments from
Old Point Comfort and Ns~port's News, to
sweep Nagr1dey out OF his Path, he no
doubt believed that the operation was easy
Of Performance, that 1t would open the way
Sc- him to Richmond, and that be would
meet old Scott there at lesst As early as the
Ath Of July, or pesGacs anticipate his ar
rival, and take all tbs glory for hls own Pc
culiar share. Ths idea Of repulse. far less
Of o disastrous defeat, probably never en-
tered hia mind. Magruaer had with him
but ll60 men all told-infautsy, artillery,
and cavalry. How could such force stand
aafore SIX regiments Of Yankee blue coats
New York fsemen snd reg legged Zouaves9
Tha ahock which he must have received
from the Intelligence that his forces had
been not only repulsed, but routed like
6ock Of sheep; that they had not attempted
I'd orderly retreat, bat had fed through the
woods and over the fields. throwing aside
their guns and knapsacks. and even their
shoes, must have operated powerfully on his
excited fears. He saw that he had under
valued his adversary, and he resolved never
to be guilty of the tame folly again.
The lesson there taught sunk deep In the
mind of the Yankee soldier, and he has not
yet forgotten 1t. It has had its influence
upon all the battles fought since that day.
TIE Confederate soldier, knowing that he
u superior to the Yankee, does not hesitate
to alta L him whenever ordered to do 90,
lot his superiority In numbers and position
be what they may, and he is always success
full, when the proportion IL not more
than three to one. On the other hand, the
Yankee, from that day until the day Of Gen.
Grant, has always had wholesome dread
Of his enemy, and, unless with q vast supe
yior;ty In point Of nu mbers, cannot be In
dhcsd TO come up to the scratch. Grant
has, however, inaagursted new system,
and, thus fax, has had NO reason to exult In
his success.
~ MASONIC Notics.-Tte msubers Of L 20
~ Ffsncaise, No 30, are requested 70 attend .
stated meeting OF their Lodge, ~ their Lodge room,
on Msfshau Istusen 9th and 7th streets, shis (Frt
dsy1 evening, at clock. Members Of city Lodges