Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-12-28
Another Famous Retreat.

There has been no such war as the present for
determined and desperate retreats on the part Of the
party of the first part"
Big Bethel, Vienna, Bull Run, Springfield, Lees
burg, the Passes Of the Mississippi, Belmont and
Wild Cat all attest an undoubted procliyity, on the
part of our " ferOoious !" foe, to "prOgress back,
wards whenever there is found to be special peril
in 'front.' These retreats or routs have hitherto
been conducted in manner highly .creditabIe to
their reputation for faetness and endurance,
when pressed by either a real or ina
ginsry foe. The graphic account given
by the correspondent of the London Times and by
their own writer's of the famous rout at Bull Run,
will live in history long that of NAPOLEON from
Moscow, or any other in ancient or modern times,
But teegraphic accounts this morning make mention
of retreat which is destined in some respects, to
be rendered one of the most remarkable of
the war. Lieutenant General WINFIELD SooTr a
few weeks ago retired from the command, in
chief of the army of the United States, in q
most formal manner, and made an "advanee
movement to Europe, intending 70 spend the even
ing of his days and the close of the war in the
otiuDa cum dig'aitas which belongs to famous Gen
eral after the deep misfortune of his first defeat.
u
had time to take s'hasty plate of soup" before
he hurries Immediately back to New York, bearing
upon his shoulders the burden of accumulated
troubles which are concentrating from every quar-
ter to oVerwhelm the guilty Despotism at Washing
ton. Having just finally retired from military service,
deeply chagrined at his defeat and the i>coRceal-
ed seers of those for whom he had sold his honor,
old equity and broken down in fame and physically,
there could be no possible motive for his hssty and
extraordinary retreat from Europe but the deep
and earnest conviction that France and England
are imminently threatening an immediate war up
on the United States and that his residence
there, so far from affording q pleasant
repose to an old man ''wearied with the cares Of
State" was becoming warmer locality to those
who acknowledge allegiance to ABRAHAM LIXcoN
thsn even the vicinity of Bull Run itself. A word
of earnest warning must be spoken in the most i'm.
pressive manner, ard LINCOLN must be invoked
through the most potent fundamentally, not to
defy the English tGovernment, but to yield, even
though it may be gracelessly, to the storm which
he cannot control
Whether he was moved to this act by his consti.
tutional vanity his long cherished aversion to q
fire in the rear" by the counsel of the United
States Minister at St. Cloud It is difficult to decide
But certain it is that it must have been mos
powerful pressure that Influenced go sluggish
mind and one who has habituAlly cherished
so impregnable and lofty notion of tie
perp0tuity of the old Union to under
take 60 rapid and sudden retreat from the plact
lie had CHOSEN rs the future scene of repose to
diseased body. cEsgrined mind smbittered emo
tions and disappointed ambition. he comes t.
counsel, to demonstrate aDd direct the old hull
through the dangerous straits. that run between
Scylla and Chsrybds. In this situation does h
find LINCOLN and his pirate crew. On one side
lies the dangerous Scylla of 8 terrible cOmba
with the two most powerful nationalities of the
world, which is sure to overwhelm the puny Graf
of the Abolition intriguers, and the other lies
the deceitful Charybdis of the f4natIcsl snd feDd
ise Abolition party, which the Gods have made
mad that they may destroy it, ready to swallow up
like the dogs of ActG IN, the power that they hav
raised up, whenever it dares to oppose their bint
and bloody policy. Has Gen Scott ever evincet
State craft enough to pilot the ship of State ove
such peTious rocks as these?