New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-11-07
GETTING TIRED OF TT.


ticed by the Yankees in their reports Of battles
The Post gives expression to It's disgust in the fol-
lowing trenchant article. We hope this case may
be d sign Of 8 healthy reaction among the Yankees
in that respect The lies they have told since the
war commenced have been so monstrous and nu-
rerous, it is no wonder the Post rebukes the Gus
tom, seeing that the truth is bound to be known
sooner or later, and nothing can be gained by mis-
representation at first: zzs.Q sNa
4 We have never known any man, Government or
nation TO proht IN the long run by falsehood. A
temporary advantage may sometimes be gained
by artfully shaping the reports of an important
occurrence according to our wishes, but no real
and permanent good. Governments, it is true,
both IL diplomacy and war, are often under the ne
cassty Ct keeping proceedings secret for . time,
lest premature disclosure Of them should pre-
pare the enemy to counterfeit them. or otherwise
interfere with their proper execution. In the case
of the naval expedition, for instance, which We all
knew to have been fitted out at several Northern
ports for hostile operations on the rebel coast it is
perfectly right and proper that the amount of the
force and IFS destination should not be revealed.
No one eensures, therefore, but rather applands
the reticenoe of the authorities in regard to the
nature, objects and means of this enterprise.
But to hide your purpose until such a time as 1t
shall be judieious to make them known, is diner
ent thing from wilful misrepr sentation OF them
The one is an act Of prudence, but the other {.
his plans Of campaigns, or the details Of his N
tended movements, he was perfectly justhable,
not only by the laws of war; but moral law: but
when he caused bulletins to be published claiming
successes that he never won, for the sake Of their
effect on the opinions Of Paris he simply lied IN
the former case he did what all skillful Generals
are accustomed, and in fact, compelled to do hut
In the latter case he dsgraced himself by deceit
which may have procured him transient success,
but must in the end have destroyed confidence in
his word. For, when a deception is once exposed,
we forever afterwards disrast the author Of it, SO
that he is not believed when it is highly important
that he should be believed.
We are led to the statement of these. obvious
principles because we fear lest the agents OF our
own Government, which have assumed something
Of a supervisorship Of the press would fall into
Europe. Take the late battle Of Leesburg for an
example. It was given out at first as slight skir
mish,S in which we had suffered brief repuse,
which was afterwards retrieved by gaining very
decided advantage Of position. Col. Baker, how
ever, one Of our NEST gallant officers admitted
to be killed, and the rebels were not said to have
retired, yet the details of the engagement were not
published. Orr special correspondent at Washing
ton telegraphed that he was not allowed to send
the particulars, which were reserved for the As
sociated Press Agent When the dispatch Of the
latter came we were merely informed that the en-
counter had been ''serious - that our right wing
was repu1sed with considerable loss,'' but that
Gen. Stone held the position, would soon be rein
*
ours. This was cheering in spite Of the sacrifices
by which the position was won.
This morning we have another story; the jour
mails are filed not only with the reports of the as
ISOLATED press, supervised by the Government, but
with multitude OF special reports. What do they
concur in showing? Why, that this boosted battle
at Edwards Ferry was only repetition on larger
scale Of the battle Of Great Bethel In other words
there has been another stupendGus biunder. We
have always been taught that the last trap in which
an experienced military man would allow himself
TO be caught was an impossible river in the rear
and superior enemy in front. Any intelligent
tyre, who has read the history of a campaign,
would know better than that, and yeti was pre-
cisely such Az error which our officers on the upper
Potomac have committed. !" One thousand miss
ing Il IS the heartrending result made more sens
bic and dscouragng BY the loss Of one Of the best
and brayest souls in the army. Our actual loss III
men, il is likely, will prove much less, but our
actual loss in character will be much greater than
IS repre- ented BY the numerical report.
some time since, when fears were entertained
that the rebels would cross the Potomac at point
where it was left weakly guarded they were
quickly dispeled by the somewhat indignant reply
that Gen. Mcclellan desired nothing SO much and
that he arranged his plans especially with view
TO such an imprudent step. Now, his own officers
nave committed that blunder in more aggravated
form, because the river was then fordabIe, while
it is now fifteen feet deep. II the rebel General
had written request to our officers in the follow.
ing shape, how would it have been answered?
q To NE Federal Commanders The Potomac at
edwards, Ferry is now fifteen feet deep. Will you
be 80 obGging as to send over three or four thou
sand OF your best troops, with one smooth bore
gun, SO as to put the river in your rear?
e ?. S.-We know that although you have forests
growing all around you, you havesnet constructed
my boats or RATS and that you have no means of
but tive or three mud scows We
viii not, however, interfere with your passage
Until 1t is entirely effected. ~ i5sr Ell
Our officers might have seen through such dis.
suise, and perhaps taken the hint to provide RATS
nat would bear the weight of a cannon, and suf-
Ice TO convey either way more than fifty men in
70 hour. But, not having special monitor, they
lid not foresee the result, and rushed blfndfold
INTO the calamity. sE'
Having met a defeat, il was the duty Of the Gov
.rnment to acknowledge it in all its fuilness.
Panic rumors it was bound to suppress, but the |
ruth We have right to know. All officers |
whether civil or military, are the servants of the
people, and tho people require complete knowl- |
edge of their doing in order to judge how they
nave discharged their trusts. The people are the |
masters Of their own affairs and demand the facts
Il these are disastrous, it is an insult to them to
assume that they are not strong enough to look |
heir actual condition in the face. They have
made up their minds to 60 through with this war |
cost what it may, and no events, adverse or pro.
oitious, will change their determination.
As 1t is, in the way the reports of this affair
nave been managed, the public are disposed to
magnify the disaster. What needs coneealment,
wen. the incidental or prospective advantages we
nay have gained, because the authorities have set
hem The example Of distrust and fear.
s7*S w a.----- ,@
siily Wilson'S Report OF the santa Rosa
sEss4 $3.50. lst.s Ssis as5 ~.
Col. Billy Wilson, of the Zouaves has written
he following letters 70 his wife: a't t5ss ~ ~
5f Sixth Regimen n. 4. u, OCT, ii, 1851
am In q bY,rc bEl