The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-27

obtnined. during the brief period since
tho Provisional Government was it,sti.
tuted, then about seven months, what
could have been moro Idle than to have
asked for seasoned soldiers equal ii,
number TO tho largest and oldest arfAy
wc had unless It would have been tho
large additional transportation and
munitions OF war which It Is stated was
required, II tho reinforcement proposed
should be furnished. TO n long estab-
llished government with n standing
army and arsenals supplied with tho
munitions OF war, such requisition
might have been properly offered. but
Under the well-known condition Of tho
| Confedcracy It could not hhvo been seri
ously made or respectfully received.
Having noticed the improbnbilitics and
Inconsistencies OF the paper, and referred
to tho circumstances under which 1t was
prepared, submit. TO- honorable mon the
| fact OF the concenlinent from mo In which
1T was kept, and leave them to Judge OF
the motive for that ex pnrte statement,
and the chances for such cointelllgence
MS needs must exist between tho execu-
|. tive OF a government and the command
ers Of It's armies to insure attainable
success.
Tho position ut Fairfax. Courthouse.
though 1t would answer very we'll rs u
point from which to advance, was quite
unfavorable' for defense, and when SO
remarked tho opinion seemed to DO that
TO which tho generals had previously
arrived. It therefore only remained to
consider what change OF position should
be made In the event OF the enemy
threatening soon to advance But In
the meantime hoped that something
could be done BY dctachments from the
army to effect objects less dimcult than
an advance against his main force, and
particularly indicated the lower part OF
Maryland, whore q small force was said
to be ravagng the country and opprcss-
Ing our friends. This, thought might
be feasible by the establishment OF a
battery near Acquia creek, where the
channel OF the Potomac was said to be
so narrow that our guns could prevent
the use Of the river by the enemy's
boats; and, by employing steamboat
lying there, troops enough could BIO sent
over some night TO defeat that force, and
return before any large body could be
concentrated against them. The effect
| OF the battery and OF tho expedition, It
was hoped would be important in re-
lieving our friends and securing recruits
from those who wished TO Join us.
Previously General Johnston's atten-
ton had been called to possibilities In
tho Valley OF the Shenandoah, and that
these and other like things were not
done. was surely due to other causes
than "thc policy OF the administration"
as will appear by the letters hereto an
| nexed:
Richmond Va, August /. 1861
Gen. J.. E. Johnston:
General Lee has gone to
Western Virginia. and ! hope may be
ablo to strike a decisive blow in that
quarter or failing In that. will be able
o. a., v,1~
| check the enemy, after which he win
| return to this place.
The movement OF Banks will require
your attention. 1t may be russo. but
II real movement. where your army
has the requisite strength and nobility,
you Will probably find an opportunity,
by rapid movement through the passes,
TO strike him in rear or flank, and thus
add another to your many claims to your
country's gratitude. We must
be prompt to avail ourselves OF the weak
ness resulting from the exchange OF new
and less reliable forces OF the enemy
for those heretofore in service. as we'll
| as OF the moral effect produced by the
late defeat.
II am, as ever. your friend,
"JEFFERsON DAVIS
| From the correspondence which oc-
CURED after the conference at Fairfax
Courthouse. select reply made to
General Smith. who had written to me
IN advocacy OF the views he had then
expressed about large achievements to
the Army OF the Potomac. for an ad-
vance Into Maryland. Nothing is more
common than that general, realizing
the wants OF the army with which he is
| serving. and the ends that might be
| achieved II those wants were supplied.
| should overlook the necessities OF others.
or accept rumors OF large forces which
DO not exist. and assume the absence OF
danger elsewhere than In his own front.
Richmond. Va. October 10, 1861.
Major General G. w. Smith, Army OF
the Potomac.
Your remarks about the moral
erect OF REFRESHING the hope OF the VOL
unteers for an advance are In accordance
win the painful impression made on me
when. In our council 1t was revealed to
me that the Army OF the Potomac had
been reduced to about one-h half the legal
( lied strength, and that the arms to re-
store the numbers were not in depot, AS
! ! tnen suggested. though you may not be
able TO advance into Maryland and expc
the enemy. 1t may be possible to keen IN
the spirits OF your troops by expectation.
such as that particularly spoken OF
against sickler's brigade on the lower
4 Potomac or Banks's above. By DESTROY.
Ing the canal and making other rapid
movements wherever opportunity pre-
sents, to beat detachments or destroy
lines OF communication.
Very truly your friend,
JEFFERSON DAVIS
The Joyous exultation Of the people
over the victory at Manassas, on he
2lst OF July. 1861. was followed by muir
murs OF dissatisfaction at what was
termed failure to reap the fruits Of
victory. and partizan zeal invented the
excuse that the Ganerals were prevented
from pursuing the routed enemy and tri-
umphantly entering his capitol, BY the
unt1mely interference OF the President.
when this baseless fiction had been so
utterly exploded that those who were re-
sponsible should have been ashamed OF
II; IN due time another complaint arose.
that patriotic citizens continued to be
sent forward to re-enforce tho victorious
army and to spend their time In camps
OF lnactlvltD; and this begat as follo-
cious story as the first viz. that 10 :
inaction was due to the ''polcy Of ~