A foreign view of the Campaign.
[From the Nassau (N. P.) Guardian, May 30] Whatever may be the event of the present conflict — whether the Confederates are beaten or made to debase themselves at the feet of, their victors, or whether they succeed in establishing an independent Southern republic, recognized by European nations, of one thing we feel satisfied and confident, and that is that the South are in earnest in this war; that their leaders are confident of ultimate victory, and that there is very little diversity of sentiment existing among the people. These are acts requiring but little argument to sustain them, and, in fact, have been proved to the satisfaction of the world, always excepting the North, soon after the commencement of the war. Mr. Russell has proved them; the Southern press has proved them; the rush of the whole Southern people to arms has proved them; the lack of Union sentiment in the cities that have fallen into the hands of the Federals has proved them. But the proposition which we wish to argue is, that the Southern leaders have all along and are now acting up to a fixed plan of action, which was resolved on at the commencement, and has never been lost sight of, and now still being acted upon.No one denies the extent and importance of the achievements of the Federal arms of late, the military acquirements of their Generals, or the prowess, bravery, or splendid personal qualities of their soldiers. No one doubts it; for they are Anglo-Saxons, and have all the pluck, energy and determination of the British blood. One cannot read the accounts of the gallant manner in which the fields are contested on both sides without feeling a glow of pride and admiration.
* * * In our opinion the South will never yield — never — never — never! The North may seize her seaboard cities; but that is of but little consequence, as their commerce is already annihilated, and if the ports were opened at once it would be practically of little value, as her exports, which from her foreign trade, are already destroyed, and it would take a year before her commerce could revive. The South, then, in abandoning her cities, loses little thereby in the shape of a military advantage, and even, perhaps, less in a commercial point of view.
The Generals in command at the South are following out a grand military scheme which was organized at the first, and only held in abeyance on account of the sudden and unexpected successes which happened to their arms at the commencement of the war. The plan is to evacuate the seaboard and river towns and cities whenever the enemy advances in sufficient force to render their capture probable, and retire to places marked out in the original plan for that purpose. The immense extent of the Southern coast renders defence at every point absurd and simply impossible. As the North captures city after city, she must detail a large force to hold each one for the Union, and at the same time to keep a hostile population in check. The capture of these places, which requires a large force to maintain them, in the same manner liberates as large a force of the Confederates, who are thus left at liberty to act in other places where their presence is required, and has the effect of weakening the Federal army, while it greatly strengthens the Confederates, who will then be enabled to mass together on every great occasion overwhelming numbers against the Northern army.
Another great military reason for the evacuation of these cities, and which will be continued even in the case of Richmond, if necessary, is, that the advance of the Northern army into the heart of the country, far from its supplies and with the most imperfect means of transport, will be attended with the most lamentable results to that army. The suffering will be nearer akin to that of the grand army of France in its invasion of Russia than any other calamity known in history. Gen. McClellan may successfully advance, he may capture Richmond, he may chase the enemy beyond the city and into the woods, but that enemy, always retreating and desolating the country as he proceeds, will leave little sustenance behind him for an invading army. They advance in a country thoroughly hostile to them, the railroads and bridges destroyed, the country roads impassable to an army accompanied by artillery. * * * * *
The friends of the South, therefore, need not doubt the ultimate success of the cause, or of the abilities of her chosen Generals, who have foreseen and are prepared for all eventualities.
