The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-11-08

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"Worse than crime-a blunder." The
American people are getting to be pretty
we'll schooled into the meaning of Talley-
rand's famous paradox. Grimes we know
how to meet. They can come only in Ger.
tain definite shapes. They are limited in
number. You may count the whole list of
all possible crimes in less than sixty seconds,
and there is not one of them you may not
watch for, and guard against. Even if it
comes to the actual grapple, there is solid
stuff to deal with in Christian fashion. But
blunders-their name is legion, and in va.
riety of form they surpass Proteus. They
are generated by chance, and are as infinite
in their possibilities as chance itself. There
is no end to the ways in which they may
turn up; and there is no providing against
them for there is no reasoning about them.
They defy calculation they even battle con.
lecture. You may spot the criminal ,as he
comes, but your blunderer-he trips you
when you least expect it. A German Dbl.
losopher has wisely said, that stupidity is an
Overmatch even for the gods.
Of all the blunders that have visited our
arms thus far, this last is positively the
strongest. Even though we know it actually
happened, it is almost incredible. Any
military primmer will tell you to beware Of
giving battle with an unbridged river in
your rear; and yet this battle of Leesburg
has been fought in that position against
greatly superior numbers, resulting in most
deplOrable disaster. Cne of our finest reg
iments has been almost annihiated. 1t was
a terrible mistake, occasioned by prodigious
misjudgment somewhere. The object in
view-the passage of the river-was Just
and necessary, an indispensable preliminary
to the contemplated advance of the main
army. The blunder was in the execution
The general in charge allowed himself to be
satisfied, on very imperfect reconnaissance,
that the number of rebel troops in the vi
cinity was small. Col. Baker was in charge
of all the troops on the Virginia side, but
when the attack was at its height it was
plain that the enemy Outnumbered him
three to one; be fell pierced with bullets, and
most OF his troops were shot down, taken
prisoners, or driven to watery grave in the
Potomac. 1t is useless to represent, as has
been done, that this occurred because Col.
Baker exceeded his Instructions 1t NAV
be very true that that lamented officer
was previously ordered not to engage
In battle in case the enemy should be
found in force, but it sounds like mock.
cry. Ii the enemy were in superior
force, OF course be would be attacked !;
and with the Potomac behind him, and
with no means of crossing it but with two
or three wretched scows, he had no alterna.
tive but to accept battle, and sell his own
life and the lives of his soldiers as dearly as
possible. Colonel Baker was not in fault.
The blunder was not bis. 1t lies with those
who sent him with an inadequate force, and
unprovided with the means of direct retreat,
If necessary, to the main army of twenty
five thousand men on the other bank. The
people will see to it that this miserable
error which all can understand, attaches to
just where it belongs among living men,
and not to its victim now speeches. in his
coffin. We do not undertake to Judge who
the responsible officer is-it will take time
to clear that up-but there is a stern
reckoning to be had with somebody.
This journal has from the outset depre-
Gated unfriendly criticism of the plans of
our military leaders. We have maintained
shoe WY NS0S huOW WuoG " w, anu uOW
to do it. We have exclaimed too against
the injustice of judging merely by the event.
War, even with the best generalship, is
liable to vicissitudes. The words of Wei,
lington are in our memory: 81 have little
doubt Vi final success, but have fought
sufficient number OF battles to know, that
the result is not certain, even with the best
arrangements" Uniform prosperity in
war is never to be expected-least
of all in contest like ours, with
an enemy OF the same race, and
of equal skill and courage. Our
generals, however unfortunate, until speci.
fic want of generalship can be proved, have
right to be shielded from such criticism.
But they must not calculate too much upon
this generous forbearance. The people
may make no claim to military Judgment,
but they will not forego their common sense.
That faculty will act, and it must be re-
spected. No military man, whatever his
military pretensions, can safely outrage it.
Ii he blunders paipably and grossly, be
must incur its swift and relentless cOndem.
nation. The blood wasted is too precious,
the cause damaged too sacred, tor silence,
in such case, to be possible.