The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-23
who Are Responsible for the Dcfeats


There can be no longer doubt about the
disastrous nature of the retreat of our army
from Bull S run to Arlington Heights. In killed,
wounded and prisoners the loss amounts proba-
bly, to twenty thousand, including many Of tho
best officers, together with the whole Of the
splendid artillery In fact it was rout rather
than All orderly retreat, and was produced, it ap~
pears, by panic, such as sometimes unaccount-
ably scizes ON the bravest of armies. The RO-
man veterans Of old, who conquered the world,
were sometimes subject to it, and if our raw
troops have been seized by it, it is only whas
has happened in all other nations; and these
panics have often arisen from slighter cause
than the running away Of Il few teamsters
It has been a Waterloo defeat. General Pat
terson is the Grouchy, who neither came him
self nor prevented the junction with Beauregard
of the force Of Johnston, who appears to have
played the part of Butcher on the occasion But
the defeat is in q great measure due to other
than accidental causes. The troops were not
oficered as they oughs to have been. Mere poll
ticians keid important commands, for which
they were no more fit than so many tailors or
bricklayers. This could not prove otherwise
than disastrous to an army fighting against good
troops we'll of1iccred. But the chief cause was
the premature bounding on of General Scott
by the republican press Of this city, and by
the fanatical school of republican politicians.
General Scott was abused through all the moods
and lenses because he was not fast enough, and
because he would not send his army at once
against the rebels before it was properly Off
cered and organized. There was not sufficient
preparation for so great an undertaking; and it
is understood that il was against his Judgment
General Scott permitted the army to advance,
and only when he was actually ordered to do
so by the government
"On to Rchmond!' was the continual cry;
and il was insisted on by the leading republican
journals here that it must be captured before
the 10th Of July, in order to prevent the
meeting Of the rebel Congress, without taking
into account whether such an achievement could
be accomplished in so brief space of time.
The season is unfit for the operations Of North
ern troops in the South, and il would have been
far better to have postponed the advance till
the fall The government could afford the de-
lay They had ample resources at their COM
mand; but every hours delay TO fighting only
tended to dsorganize and dcmoraize the South
ern army. There was no necessity, therefore,
for such evident haste and those who urged it
are responsible for the result. Bonnpartc used
to say that Providence was always on the side
Of the heaviest artillery, and we believe that has
been the case at Bull run.
The Cabinet have yielded to the elamors Oh
the press and the politicians, and our army mas
been sacrificed, TO say nothing Of the disgrace
of defeat. They ought to be all Immediately
dismissed and an administration ought to be sub
st;tuted who know something Of war, and who
will, throw overheard all politicians, in order to
retrieve the cause. A younger general, too,
than Scott seems needed. 1t is impossible for
any general to direct the movements Of an army
unless he is on the spot. Mcclellan appears I"
bc The man for the time, and he has the pres
,jcc Of victory. All is not yet lost. The Penn
nan, Of the army is now in its ntreneliments
before WASHINGTON, and is being rapidly re
inicvccd The disaster, though great. Will turn
out not to be so overwhelming az was reported
at 6rst, ana as was SO generally believed