Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-12
GODS PROVIDENCE IN THE WAR. q.

Il will not be forgotten that when Mr.. Stanton
assumed the post of War Minister, ne enunciated
his abiding trust 10 the PROV i.a:e of God as tho
great stay and help Of cola:ry in her stupen- .
dous perils; aud this spirit governed all his subse
ouept actions. In the New York Coming Post Of
recent date the same idea is striIagy illustrated.
We take the following passage from the article oil
The Post On this holy day, which Is also a day OIL
rejoicing, we could preseot no better reading 70
the public:
CHAD II not been for The re'osutton taken by
those who dii ected the affairs OF the Rebel olatesI
to plant instead OF cotton 70 so" arss ,racts
with wheat and to rear large stocks OF cattle for
The subsistence of their armies, Sherman could
never have made his triumphant march through
Georgia aud South Carolina" This was remark
made the other day by an officer who had accom- -
named General Sherman in his agreeable jour
ney" through Georgia, and Afterwards traVerseo
with him and his victorious host the state OF ooutn
Carolina.
This is one of those Giro instances which so re-
markaby characterize the present civil war, ala
conspring to the great end Of crushing the rebellion
and slavery together. The planters of the rebel
State, knew not for whom they planted their fields
and sowed them with grain, nor for'whom they rat
tened their beeves and stocked their poultry YARDS
The army of Sherman marched through their re-
gion and found abundant granares and numerous
herds awaiting their arrival, aut then It was seen
for whom This ample provision had beel made Had
the nal quantity OF cotton been planted the jour-
new through that country would by 40 means nave
been found so agreeable In fact, il is not too much
TO say that not being able to slbsIst on the resour
ces of the country this march, so important to the
success OF our arms could not have peen made
Ii was because the leading c1nsirators so earnest
IL exhorted their followers to confne their tliage
10 grains and roots, and their husbandry to the
rearing of domestic animals, that Savannah has al
ready fallen into our hands, THAI we have taken pos
session of Charleston that Wilmington IS ours, that
we have occupied most of the principal towns OF
North Carolina, and that Richmond, The capital OF
the rebellion, has so soon fallen. wise Provi-
depce nut il in the hearts ef the Shareholders to
make unwittngly this conri button to our victories.
Our readers will remember that az an earlier pc
Rod Of this war it was generally said that the pos
session of laves gave the conspiratprs against the
Union a great advantage in military point of view.
II created a military claS3-the masters, accus-
! toned 20 the use of arms as daily amusement,
and devoted solely to the Irt OF War-while another
class the bOndmen and bondwomen, doc.le, quiet
and obedicnt TILED the fields aud supplied the army
with the means of subsistence. Against the mill
tarv class of the South we hal only to oppose our
artisans our farmers, our recruits drawn from va
| rious sedentary pursuits-msl who, whatever ght
| ue the spirit and resolution with which they came
! to the rescue of their country. we're Of unwarlike
habits, and multitudes Of wlom would find it neces-
1
! of service should be ended.
Such was a just representation Of the state Of
things at that time but 10 this very organization Of
! South .rn society, wnica the Shareholders
| plumed themselves so proudly, !uvked disadYan
! tace and danger 70 the rebel which became
apparent soon after the President issued the pro.
clamation of freedom to the slaves in the reVolted
States The masters then iound that they had
been rearing class Of scouts and guides for the
| loyal army-a class who sheltered aud helped on
their way the fugitive from rebel persecution and
! the escaped Union soldier class from whom the
! Union army, when the Federal Government had
crown little wiser. recruited its soldiers class
who furnished the Federal army with the heroes OF
some OF its most fercclY contested fields. This
clas has shared in some of the most glorious tri
umphs Of the war; il has entered one captured
city after another as conquerorS and but the other
day was the first to take military occupation Of
Richmond.
Confession. rebel private, who deserted at South