Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-12-12
A Wall from the west-.Grave Char.
ges OF Incompetency..M

n w All from the " 00fss0faVG Enafs
ges OF Incompetency..HIii
management in Kentucky. . -~s-si
The Chicago Tribune is fearfully irate
at the management of Abolition officers
in Kentucky. Its issue of the 4th howls
in the subjoined style. All We have 10
say is: $50 it :" -..-. .f.--'
IF stupidity and incompetency in our
military commanders in kentucky are
not just now bearing an abundant crop
of evils, then must these abuses whose
existence is not to be disputed, be ac-
credited to causes even more dishonorable
to these officers. If the history of this
or any other can produce parallels TO the
damning evidence rolled up against Cen
erals Smith and Thomas, we have yet to
learn of them. It is well enough to
argue, in the abstract as some of our
contemporaries do, that campaigns cannot
be conducted in editorial sanctums
remote from the scene of action, but we
submit that even such remoteness would
form no reasonable excuse for the cruel
worse term, which, emanating from head
quarters in Kentucky, are wearing out
the strength and spirit of our forces, in
ficting upon them every possible evil of
bad generalship, disgusting and dismar-
ing Union men in that section, and max
ing worse than a thoroughly Improbable
job of the entire campaign.
AS to General Thomas, he was with
Patterson, and is Patterson intensified,
for whereas the latter did not act at all,
the wrong headed blundering of Thomas
is worse than any possible effect of in
ertness. The evidence against him comes
from various sources, and already storm
of indignation is raging throug ghout Ohio
at his cruel derelictions, acts of omission
in neglect Of her troops, and of commits
sion in such instances as the recent shame
full retrograde from London. Let US
group together few facts.
Gen. Thomas's army was, week before
last, moving towards Cumberland Gap in
pursuit of Zollicoffer. None were more
iubilant in that force, all of whom were
eager for fight, than the two loyal Ten
nessee regiments who were burning to
avenge the wrongs the rebel hordes had
inflicted on their homes. Inexplicably,
and for no reason that has vet appeared,
the march ended at London, and a retro
grade was ordered. So disgusted and
| outraged were the Tennessee troops, tina,
an open demonstration was only prevent
ed by countermanding the order as re-
| earded them, but this was not till hal
| of them had deserted.
| The sad forced march of these Ohio
| troops of Thomas from London to Crat
Orchard beggars all description, and th'
result of it has been the death of muny
of the men. They dropped all along the
road from sheer exhaustion.
But this is not the worst of it. These
troops worn out, and many of them or
the sick list, received orders for Leba.
| non, which they reached after toilsomt
march of forty miles through mud and
snow, on Sunday, ihe oath inst, only Il
again Be retrooaded to Somerset, ito repel {
| demonstration of Zollicoffer," so thai
| the close of last week saw them agair
within twenty-five miles of London, th'
place of their halt in the movement to
ward Cumberland Gap. Let this state
ment be compared with distances on th'
map, and it will be seen that onr Fedora
troops in General Thomas army, aftel
crossing and re-crossing eight counties
and one hundred and eighty miles OF heavy
winter roads, are now near their ole
place, their intermediate tolls and suffer
ings wholly wasted.
Now, do not these things constitute
evidence enough against Gen. Thomas
| Neglect of the troops and inattention Z
| the wants of the sick has been the rul
in his command, and the most shameful
feature of the Kentucky campaign. a
Crab Orchard, in the hasty winter bivouac
the first order issued was not to proyid
fire. wood, but, that under severe penal
ties no one should touch the fence rails
Loyal Ohio is justly enraged at thi
shameful waste of the vigor and loyalty
of her soldiers. How much longer is IL
TO continue?