Year: 1862

The Situation at Richmond


"The darkest hour comes before the dawn -
With this dear old saw we comforted our anxious
hearts during the critical month of July, when the
rebellion presented its most formidable front, and
even earnest patriots were somewhat oppressed
with gloom. We had counted so confidently up
on the swift and sweeping triumph of Mcclellan
and the Army of the Potomac that doubtful
and bloody conflict, and protracted delay of Of
fensive operations induced many to expect the
worst. Oh, ye of little faith The evacuation of
the rebel capital is demonstrable necessity
Whether the movement has been accomplished,
or is postpoDed-whether a retreat without an
other desperate fight, or last great effort to
break the constructing folds of the anaconda, has
been decided upon, it has been evident for several
days that the occupation of Richmond by the Ma
tional forces could only be considered as a ques-
tion of time. The seven days battle was an at
tempt to crush Mcclellan before Richmond as the
battle of Shiloh was an attempt 20 crush Grant in
front of Corinth. Both efforts failed, despite all
the labors of the rebel Generals to gloss over the
defeats The game OF Beauregard at Corinth has
been repeated by Lee at Richmond Claiming
the results of the great fights to be in their favor
they both kept up parade of reinforcements re-
ceived and offensive movements contemplated
while fully aware that, whenever their antagonists
were prepared for grand result, they, the brag-
garts, must seek safety in fight. Rebe policy
has been quite uniform. By rapid concentra-
ton of forces and sudden furious onslaughts they
have endeavored to destroy the inferior forces of
the Union. Where these efforts have been de-
feated, and the Government and its Generals
aroused to the peril of the points assailed, have
concentrated armies equal, or superior, in num-
berS to those of the enemy, the latter have merely
maintained threatening front for the purpose of
securing an unmolested retreat.


We have no means of arriving at the exact
number of troops operating against Richmond
under Mcclellan and Pope, but there is strong
reason to believe that the combined forces exceed
those of the enemy in effective strength, besides
having vast superiority in the artillery arm
The rebels have seldom shown any inclination to
make a desperate stand under such circum stan
ces. Now here was city-described as "one
vast hospital F" even after the battle of Fair Oaks
(what must it have been after the awful slaughter
and mutilation Of the seven days) threatened by
two large armies, which were about to cut off the
lines of communication by which supplies were
obained, and by fleet, including iron-clad yes
sells and mortar boats, armed with appliances for
reducing the fort that commanded the river ap-
proaches, or blowing up the distractions to the
navigation of that stream. Every day brought
fresh strength to the Federal army and navy. A
tremendous struggle to shake off the fatal clutch
of Mcclellan had only resulted in enormous loss
to the assaants, and in giving the Union General
a surer hold. The issue was getting narrowed
down to the question of yielding Richmond with
out the rebel army or yielding both army and
city. To surrender the capital was to give up
Virginia, but to remain and lose the army that
embodied the military strength of the rebellion
was to sacrifice the Confederacy itself By max
ing successful retreat into the Carolinas the war
might be protracted until the patience and re-
sources of the North were exhausted or foreign
powers could interfere. Besides, guerrilla bands
might render Federal possessions of the Old Do
mnon as insecure as they are supposed to have
rendered our hold of Kentucky, Tennessee and
Missouri. These considerations, we opne, have
had their weight in the councils of Davis


Concluding, as we do, that if Richmond has not
been evacuated already that strategic move
ment" will soon be forced upon the ensmy, what
will be the new attitude of the rebeionp Of
course the rebels of the cotton States and their
tory allies in England will Immediately announce
that the rebel army has made mastery move
ment and that the Union forces have only begun
to try to perform an impossible task. They will
console themselves in this way until the last rebel
has been hung or driven from the country and
then strive to make capital out of his ghost But
the power that has restored its supremacy in the
great States of Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri
will still go marching on" with increasing ranks
and invincbe enthusiasm The work of reorgan-
zation will proceed in these States simultaneous
ly with the hunting down of guerrillas-the rob-
Der remnants of the mighty hosts that once mer-
aced the existence of the Republic Grand ope-
rations, as the military text books call them, will
be transferred to the cotton States And there
the Federal forces already hold the seaboard-
McClellan's immediate duty will be to pursue and
destroy the retreating army Of Lee, without giving
the enemy time TO take up rev positions and for
tify them with Ella borate care. Land and naval
forces can then be spared to capture Charleston,
Savannah and Mobile. Gunboats will ascend the
rivers that lead into the heart of the Cotton States
The more important railroad functions will be
seized and held. Under the new ard vigorous
policy ofthe Government the war will become in
tolerable to the people of the far South. They
will hear of the Presidents amnesty before the
expiration of the sixty days, and if they can rid
themselves of the shadow of terror under which
they have been living, will hasten to secure their
lives and property while the opportunity is afford
ed. We may be too sanguine but if the success
at Richmond be vigorously followed up, we be-
ieve the great rebellion will be represented only
by marauding guerrillas at the close of 1862.