Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-09-27
Patience In the Peeple-Rirmness as Well
az Enterprise I'm the Generals
Rroa The diamond Ruquirer

In military operations there is, under the mos
favorable circumstances, a. great demand upon the
| patience. Among the causes which produce TIL;
| are the development Of events whieh it was iupOs
sible for those who have the conduct of affairs to
foresee and the happening Of some of the thousand
accidents" Of war, against which it is impossible
perfsetyto provide, and which often defeat schemes
| otherwise certain Of success. The beseigers OF
| Rome, for example, were bafled Of their prey BY
| the caekling Of some geese. But, besides these
causes of disappointment an additional appeal to
the popular patience exists in the fact thaL many
Of the difficulties which attend military operations
are unknown except to those in charge, and must
necessarily remain 50. To diVulge them is to in.
crease them. and 70 render them, perhaps, insur.
mountable or unavoidable. The pl of csmpaiga
or the conduct Of battle is often determined BY
these circumstances unknown to the public at large
and for that reason the movements often appear
inexplicable. Thus it often happens that policy
which would appear obviously wise, by full eis
closure Of the conditions which determine it, Is
judged worthy Of strong Reproduction By those who
are not fully informed but are yet willing to hazard
an opinion.
The prospsrous management Of military Affairs
requires as an essential condition large degree Of
confidence in the leaders TO whom it Is entrusted.
The leader is much entitled to It, is the physi-
clan to whom patient has been cODfded. Whatever
Weakens that confidence, Weakels the efficiency,
and tonds, indeed, to insure hisfaiure. When con-
6dence cannot be extended, the management should
pass into other hands.
Confidence shoud indeed, not be bIind; but yet IL
should be generous. Criticism should indeed, not
be chained but yet il should not be hasty ami rash
and swift to pronounce an ignorant judgment
Thus believing, this journal has not thought it
either modest or polite to constitute itself Coun-
Gil of War or Court Martial 20 Cet9rmene policies
or denounee Judgments without Knowing facts or
hearing evidence Prefsrring to place trust in
thoee who stand adjudged SIS worthy OF it, and 50
long az they thus stand, We encourage the people
and the soldiers to q like eOnadeGce-End we pre-
tend to no peculiar knowledge OF tie views and Jh3
plans of these officials We have limitations te
make that we are gifted wiki a miraculous pene-
tration the repository Of great secrets which
we could tell if we liked. A secret thus h=Faded
would indeed be half exposed. But we have reason
to be assured that the councils Of our camp are
conducted with 30 wise secrecy, that even Brjga-
diers often know not an hour before the move
ments they are to mako.
But while guided by the views which we hsv2
indicated none attend with more anxious sUici-
tude the operations Of cur military none feel an
intenser interest than II TIE adoption and Vig0r
Gus prosecution Of wise policy. We concur with
several Of our eOteupOraFles, IN earnestly desiring
that our army shall If it be possible, once drive
the tide Of war beyond cur bsFieFs and give 70
down-trodden Nary land a chance to rise, by cross
ing the Potomac We would press the subject en-
the attention Of our councils; but we dare 30 no
further. They must decide whether it be prudent
to attempt this movement with our present equip
ment Theirs is the responsibility of decidizg and
zoe hold them 10 Il. If through timidity they abstain
or through temerity they undertake. in either case
they are guilty. We would encourage them to be
swayed in their decision by no mans fears and by
no mans clamors. Gen. Scott has said, ard the
North has joiued ia general confession that
the "Grand Army " was sacrificed to the factions
cry of On to Richmond" Let Us not suffer
disaster from the similar cry Of "On to Philade-
phial" Our Generals are under the icuble obIiga
ton of making good use of our brave soldiers and
taking good care of them. Let them not be subine
IL or timidly held bach from any field OF fame or
advantage which lies within our ability but neither
let them, under any pressure of iTrespoDsible and
uninformed spinioB, be sacrificed in premature eI
terprises or adventures for which We are net PIC
pared. To such camer Gen. Sect said he yielded
and pushed mea into q fight for which he had not
prepared them; and, with the case 50 stated he
pronounced upon himself the ft sentence of being
the greatest coward in America Oar gen
erals must be vigilant, active, anl enterpris
ing, wise in conception, and dilgsnt to PIE
paratou; they must be bold sad valiant, a
BELTS the brave army they command; but let them
not be rash, or be precipitsted int adventures
without adequate preparation. There wise
middle course into which true courage will guide
them, while the eewardiee which betrayed Hull and
the cowardice which betrayed Scott, beckon them
astray to the right hand and 70 the left We believe
that they will act as 20 justify the trust and
fdenee reposed in them, and that the intelligent
citizens OF the confederate States will await their
action with due patience, and suHtain them in what
ever course true wisdom demands. If they fail Of
their duty, the prompt remedy is in the hands Of
President Davis, the credit of whose administra-
ton, and whose personal fsne are identified with
the success Of our arms, by whomsOeyer COM
manded.