Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-08-29

tive letter from the columns Of Ne,
York cotemporary:
American AFFAIRs IN THE LIGHT O
HIsToRY.-I am man whose life ha
lasted through two generations; and
have lived through many events whicI
the mistakes Of rulers, the disaster
happening to armies, the temporary
triumphs Of wrong, have seemed--bu
only seemed-to affect irretrievably
the destinies Of nations. In some o
these events / see such parallels tc
others happening now, and on this con
tinent, that l think them worth noting
s for the benefit OF younger men.
We have just sustained our first re-
verse, at Bull Run-not serious mat
Ter, and valuable because Of the expe-
rienee we shall gain from it. 1tappears
that General Scott has been overruled
to give battle before be was ready, by
the civil authorities, to whom he is Of
course subject. Here is parallel
case. 49,. ~ -.t,..
When Napoleon invaded Spain, in
1908, a fine British army Of regular
soldiers (not raw volunteers) was sent
thither under the command Of Sir John
Moore. an able and gallant oficer--i
with the express understanding that he
was to take all his orders for the con-
duct Of the campaign from the British
resident minister at Madrid-the civil
authority thus taking precedence of
the military. This was attended with
the following results, namely: A hasty
and disastrous retreat from the heart
Of Spain towards tbe coast at Corunna,
where the British shipping lay, and a
desperate battle at that place prior to
the embarkation of the British troops,
in which they gained splendid but
useless victory. costing the brave COM
mander his Iife--an event commemora-
ted in Wolfe's beautiful and affecting
poem on the death of Sir John Moore.
Twas afPorismouth when the debris
of that army returned. and listened to
many recitals of ils snffsrings from the
lips of surviving officers, whose out
ward appearance bore evidence Of the
hardships they had undergone iu SO
brief campaign.
Here was severe national disaster,
and some people in England, as here.
now at this moment, clamored for peace
on any terms. The opposition mem
bers OF Parliament deprecated further
expenditures Of national blood and
treasure in what they considered a
hopeless struggle against the gigantic
power Of NaRoleon. ,thsrsn. ia zzsIiisi iF--z7z
with all Europe, except little England,
at his feet. Did the nation lay down
and die, or virtually barter its inde-
pendence for foreign domination? By
no means. On the contrary, it nerved
its arm for more vigorous action.
Still, blunders of serious import were
occasionally made, which nevertheless
had no influence on the final triumphant
termination of the war in 1914, by the
army of Wellington. on the soil of
France.
After the retreat Of Sir John Moore's
army another was despatched to the
Peninsula. landing at Lisbon. under
the command Of Sir Arthur Wellesley
afterwards created Duke Of yelling
ton), who rapidly moved against the
French army under Marshal Junot, at
Vimeira, where he gained splendid
victory.
Sir Arthur had acquired all his mill
tary experience in India, where he had
greatly distinguished himself. Never
lheless there we're not wanting men in
the British Parliament who attacked
the Government for sending ga Sepoy
General to cope with Nspoleon's In
vincibIe Marshals. These attacks nat
urally produced distrust in the Cabinet,
and made openings for political aspi
rants to the command of the army.
Thus, shortly after Wellesley had as
sumed command in Portugal. he was
superseded by Sir Harry Burnsrd,
who, few days or hours subsequently,,
was again superseded by Sir Hugh
Dalrymple. All these changes of COM
mand took place either on the field Of
battle at Vimeira or very shortly after
wards.
Wellesley, who had won brilliant
victory, and had the enemy in his pow
er, was thus deprived of all its fruits
BY the Convention Of Cintra. made by
his successor in command, who permit
ted Junot to retain all his plunder, con-
sisling of rich gold and silver plate.
precious stones, and paintings-the
sacking of churches in Spain and Por-
tugal-and TO retire with the whole.
This Convention created the greatest
indignation throughout the British en-
pire, which was thus pithily versi6ed
in the manner of Punch:
For Sir Arthur and Sir Iarry-Sir Harry
and Sir Hugh,
Sing cock-a doodle, coek-a-doodle, eock-a-
doodle-doo;
Sir Arthur was gallant knight, but for the
other two,
Sing eock-a doodle, cock-n-doodle, eock-a-
doodle-doo."
England passed through many periods
of gloom and disaster during the gigan-
tic wars in which she engaged to put
down the military despotism of Napo'
leon. One Of these was the famous
Walcheren expedition. which l saw
embarked. The ships composing il
anchored in "The Downs thousand
sail Of yessels--to return only wreck
Yet her people never lost heart or des-