Year: 1861




We are on the threshold Of important, probably
Of decisive events The armies Of the two sections
are in immediate contact with each other in full
force. The enemy are pushing their 1nss into our
territory, ard cur own men are eager for combat.
The next week OF 1orsrght 77if witness series Of
engagements which vii 90 far to indicate thelssue
Of the war The e1em5 may outnumber Us largely
and the problem TO be solved is whether the South
will make up IN proves what It lacks in numbers.


So far the enemy has hsd every ADVANTAGE over
Us his facilities for collecting armies He was
much nearer the present sestof war. Bis large cities
enabled him to recruit troops more rapidly and his
railroads and extensive shipping to Concentrate
them more rezdiiy m their present encampments.
He had the military ofgs1izat;on OF the United
States all ready to his hands; be bad an army and
navy complete at all points. He had sn old estab-
lished government machinery IN fun operation, and
vast resources at command, marinme, financial, pO-
Gtieal and military


The South, on the contrary, had everything to
organize from revolution. she hsd ne" govern
ment to erect and to furnish and equip IN rs mum
erous departments and thousand psrPlexng details.
She had no navy. She had no army. she had 70
set diligently 70 work IN preparing her defence pc
fore vet her civil orgsIizaton, Bhach was 20 cal
armies into the field and to direct their CpeTacaSs
was itself completed and IN actiou She had to col
leet armies to establish an ordnance bureau, To
organize a commissaria and tl create an entire
staff She had to collect large forces from an ex-
tensive and sparsely populated territory. She had
to transport them vast distances 70 such pOlhs As
the enemy himself threatened, and not such as she
should select as the battle ground In fact she bad
to meet the enemy more than hall way. hhEe
she -vas engaged ia the important work Of organ
ization the enemy was deyOtlDg his whole attention
to the creation and transportation Of srmlel. Ihe
enemy thus gained tune upon her-t'ne Which'
it must be confessed, lEe has very poorly I'M
proved


For "a vet he has, with all his advantages, accom-
plshed nothing Except in remote portions Of our
territory. like Northwestern Virginia, ne has
nowhere penetratedinto the interior Of our country.
He hangs timidIy and doubtfully upon our borders.
He has been there many weeks idl9 and inert,
while we have been bringing forward from great
distances our troops. His reconnaissance have been
disastrous They have been more; they have been
disgrsceful. At Fairfax court house and Great
Bethel at the EightTnile Bridge, on the Hampshire
road. he has been whipped beyond the power Of his
meudatious writers to conceal This is the proml-
nent fact of his invasion 80 far that he has
marched forth from his lines with bold step and
offered Us battle upon equal terms.


m or-- siIa we have never failed to encounter
him On almost any terms he would offer or TO whip
him when If has come to a fight. We have, so far,
not provoked important engagements, prelerrlnS 70
await the collection of larger forces ana soueltous
tios We have preferred, in the face of large odes
and for the sake OF discipline and endorsements
to stand on the defensive.


But we are now just beginning to be ready, and
the impetuOsity of our men can no longer De re-
strained with prudence. The North ls marching
down upon our lines with great force, relying upon
Huubers aud hoping thus to win ground BY striking
US with dismay 1t IS now 10 be seen what reception
be will meet with in attempting this sort Of tactics
upon our brave troops. We Of the south have no
doubt We are as impatient OF the tdlngs OF battle
as we are confident Of the issue


The movement. however IS a very serious one.
A great deal hangs upon the event Of few days
It Is to be decided whether the Southern or the Nor
thern soldier Is the beaver and better warrior II u
to be decided whether the prestige Of the Union ana
the stars and stripes is 3 stronger inspiration than
the love of liberty ani our invaded country. Eu-
rope is to know whether the South can maintain her
character as belligerent power, and whether her
Independence is a probable event. The North is to
know whether the South is the feeble aad helpless
country it has been brought to think The question
of conquest IS not involved; no power on earth can
subdue the South. The question IS Of our equality
as political power and as martial eomhalant-