The New York
Herald, of the 26th inst, has been received in this city, and from it we learn that our advance was, at the latest dates, six miles beyond
Carlisle, in the direction of
Harrisburg.
Now as
Carlisle is eighteen miles from
Harrisburg, our forces must be within twelve miles of that city, We may well imagine the terror of the
Yankees, when we recollect how horror-stricken they The panic, indeed, so far from subsiding appears to be gathering strength with every day that our troops remain on the soil.
Gen Lee has issued strict orders to "respect private property." We were greatly disappointed at this in the first instance, for we had hoped that the
Yankees would be made to feel a portion, at least of the injuries they have wantonly inflicted on us. Nevertheless, we can imagine a very good apology for such an order.
It is no doubt the object of the
General to make war support war — that is to support his army in the enemy's country.--Should he allow his soldiers to pillage and burn indiscriminately, he would defeat the end in view, for the
Yankees finding there was no hope for them would retire, and burn the country as they went before them — besides nothing is so fatal to the discipline of an army as a habit of plundering.
They soon to think of nothing else, become demoralized, and fall an easy prey to their enemies Doubtless
Gen Lee had this fact, attested by all history, in view when he issued the order in question.
He cannot afford to let the discipline of his army be relaxed, especially at this time, when he has a powerful army of the enemy to fight and that too in that enemy's own country.
As for
Gen Lee's intended movements, we are an unable to conjecture what they are as the New York
Herald itself or even the
Times, or in fact any other Northern journal that has tried its hand at prophesying.
Some suppose that he means to attack
Washington and
Baltimore, some that his object is
Philadelphia come that he merely means to make a raid into
Pennsylvania, and return, and some again that be intends to carry on the war on the enemy's soil, and make it support itself.
Where so many doctors disagree it were lolly in us to pretend to decide.
We only know that he means to do something, but what it is nobody seems to know except himself.
