and Davis-whom is ahead?
The foreign journals are struck with the folly of
Lincoln, in calling out no more than seventy five thousand men for putting down the
Southern insurrection.
Indeed,
General Scott and
Lincoln are new struck with their own folly in making so small a requisition.
But the blunder does not end with the meagre force called out in the beginning.
The chief mischief has resulted from the short period fixed for the service of the new levies.
To expect to subdue the
South with seventy-five thousand raw militia, and to accomplish the work in less than three months, was certainly a blunder for which
General Scott may blush.
The restless temper of
Maryland was another circumstance left out of consideration in the first call for troops.
It is found that with all the aid of
Hicks' treachery, and of a large submission party in that State, it requires half the seventy-five thousand men first demanded to hold
Washington in security, and to overawe
Maryland.
Add to this fact the embarrassment which the three months term of service stipulated for in the beginning has occasioned, and it may very safely be surmised why
Gen. Scott has not yet invaded
Virginia.
Gen. Scott is not ready.
The illustrious old peacock boasted a few weeks ago, that he was ‘"ten days ahead of
Davis, and meant to keep ten days ahead throughout the war." ’ Probably the old man is beginning to change that opinion.
It will require ninety thousand men to invade
Virginia.
Scott is too much of a General to attempt anything but feints with a smaller force.
There are not more than half that number in
Washington and
Maryland as yet; and many of the troops now there are three months men. He will need to have full ninety thousand men for invasion, and at least thirty-five thousand others for occupation, before he can attempt any serious movement towards
Richmond or any other Southern point of attack; and this force must all be pledged to three years or for the war.
Scott is beginning to realize this fact.
He is not quite sure now, we dare say, of being ‘"ten days ahead"’ of
Davis.
We shrewdly suspect the boot is on the other leg. The probabilities are that
Davis is ahead of
Scott. He will have a hundred thousand men in
Virginia, engaged for the war, well armed and right well drilled, before the first of June; and he will have reserves in the
South from which in thirty days he can swell his force to any number likely to be required.
It is not possible for
Scott to collect a hundred and twenty-five thousand men by the first of June.
The major portion of the men which he may collect will be untrained, and unfit at once for the field.
We doubt if the meeting of Congress will find the requisite force assembled and ready for the field.
But the meeting of Congress will be in July-- a very hot month; and a march southward, from a hot city, in a hot month like July, will not be very refreshing, or very judicious, in the opinion of Northern troops.
We doubt if they will be anxious or willing to come.
Northern soldiers never yet made a campaign on Southern ground.
We doubt it they will prefer the months of July, August and September, for their first military excursion through our sunny region.
On the contrary,
General Davis's troops can have no objection to exchanging, during the summer, the torrid atmosphere of the
Gulf States for the milder sun of
Virginia.
In fact, it is beginning to be pretty well demonstrated that
Davis is ahead of
Scott, probably as much as three months.
Festina lente is a very good maxim in war. It is certainly the maxim upon which
Davis has acted, and upon which
Scott and
Lincoln have not acted.
The response of the
North to the proclamation has been very liberal, but it has been rather
too prompt.
Troops have been hustled away from home and rushed and tumbled into
Washington at a rapid rate; but the greater haste has made less speed, and the invasion is not yet commenced.
The
North has taken too hasty a plate of soup.
Marshal Tureen has blistered his tongue by omitting to blow a cool breath upon his hasty broth.
Davis is clearly ahead.
With a hundred thousand men on either side of the
Potomac in June, the question will be whether in such hot weather the true movement should not be in the direction of the North Pole, rather than of the
Southern.
The question will be two-sided.
It will not be alone whether
Virginia shall be subjugated; but, also, whether
Maryland shall be liberated?
That alternative will depend upon the question whether
Scott is ahead, or
Davis, in their military preparations.
We are willing to trust that question to time and events.
