The rumored raid yesterday
In another column will be found some account of a rumored Yankee raid on Richmond, and a statement of the facts concerning it. The account also shows that our militia force here is a strong, and, if properly organized, will be an important, addition to the forces already around the city, should its aid ever be wanted.It is, indeed, high time that every man in the community who is capable of military duty should be prepared for service. The force which now threatens the city is not able to fight its way to it through the troops that can be opposed to it. But we know not how soon, or to what extent they may be reinforced, or how soon the reinforcements may arrive. It is, therefore, of the last importance that we should be in a condition to send every regular soldier now in the city forthwith to the field, retaining not even one man for the purposes of a guard. That duty, at least, should be performed by citizens, who are as competent to discharge it as the best disciplined veterans in the world. Nor need they stop at this. They may be placed in the batteries, which, with the natural aptitude of their race for fire arms of every description, they can manage as well as the most experienced artillerists in the French army, which we take to be the finest of which there is any account.--Is a very short time they will become practiced soldiers in all the arms of the service — infantry, artillery, and cavalry. Their example should be sedulously inculcated upon the surrounding districts, which, upon an emergency, and with a few days' notice, could send as an army of fifty thousand men, admirable horsemen, first rate shots, every way fitted to annoy, harass, and break the spirit of an advancing foe before he comes in contact with the regular force. Such a body of troops would prove invaluable auxiliaries, like the Prussian Landwehr, the Russian Cossacks, and the French levee en masse, and we hope this proclamation of the Governor's will lay the foundation of a general organization.
Indeed, this is not the time to trifle. Our people have become so accustomed to alarms, and even to actual danger, that they have grown callous, and refuse to be roused by the most startling intelligence. We are happy to see that they manifested yesterday a disposition to shake off this lethargy, but they still require all the stimulant that can be furnished by precept and example. They had as well know now as hereafter, when it is too late, that not a man will be withdrawn from Gen. Lee's army to reinforce the troops before this city. That army has its allotted task, and nothing that the Yankees can do will divert it from its line of operations. We are amply able, with the assistance of the troops around the city, to repel, and punish severely, any force that is likely to appear in our front within any short space of time. In the meantime, it is hardly probable that any serious attempt will be made with a force of less than 50,000 men. Before the Yankees can collect such a force we shall have one quite equal to it, and without robbing Gen. Lee of a man.
Let us conclude this article by entreating our citizens not to wait until the enemy are upon us; but to organize at once, and our authorities to compel an organization, if they have the power and the citizens prove refractory.
