The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-25

IL any troops to oppose us. Cnarleston was IN
precisely the same predicament; terror and
panic had seized upon all the Inhabitants; the
two cities were ready to fall into our hands;
they were ours, had we only chosen to take
them; but General Sherman did not choose to
do so.
This was great mistake-a lamentable err
ror. Instead Of moving on against the enemy ra-
pidly and boldly, as he ought instantly to have
done, he stopped at Port Royal to fortify the
sandbanks on the coast, to build wharves for
boats and transports, and to prepare . stupid,
silly proclamation, addressed to rampant, raving
rebels, who scorned to read his honeyed words,
and utterly despissd his bland and soothing
syrup. Thus we lost the best chance we have
ever had since the outbreak of the rebellion,
and the General forever lost the best and only
chance he ever had Of establishing an imperish-
able reputation.
There was yet, however, some hope left. 1t
was not quite too late to retrieve the fatal dila-
toriness and disgraceful inaction of General
Sherman. He was recalled and General Hunter
succeeded him. Hope again revived among
the people, but only to be cruelty deferred,
and at length wholly destroyed. What, since
then, have been the results Of an
expedition so happily opened so miserably and
disgracefully concluded: For several months
past every steamer from Port Royal has brought
US accounts of the ''lame and impotent con-
clusion," the abortive and ridiculous result, of
this once great expedition, this quasi grand
armada. Can any one refrain from laugh
ter while contemplating the finale OF this
hopeful affair? Laughter, quotha? We beg
pardon of Lord Brougham, and of all
the coteres of petticoat philanthropists OF
Exeter Hall and the New York tabernacles-
the result of this expedition ia, hianthropically
considered, most glorious. Look at the Sun
lay asd week day schools which this great
armada has been the means Of establishing.
Look at the motley group of motley clad
or naked negroes, taking daily lessons in
A, B, c, and thumbing with their greasy dgits
the precious productions, the pictured primers,
of the American Tract Society and Sunday
School Union. See the hoary wool of the sep
tagenarian negro bending in unison with the
little bald head of the pickaninny over object
lessons" where they learn from the picture of a
coiored COW before them what W spells
Is not this glorious results not this super
latve generalship! Have not all the millions
of money been we'll spent to attain this glorious
contamination: Are not all the lives lost and
the blood shed in this campaign nothing to be
compared with the result gained, with the com
munication of letters to few superannuated and
infantile negroes of South Carolina? We seem
transported back again to the age of Cadmus.
True it is our army has not killed the dragon,
nor even wounded it; but it has taught letters
to big and little negroes.
Seriously, this OF Port Royal is the backest
spot upon our military escutcheon; it is rank;
lit smells to Heaven" We are lost in astonsh-
ment that Commodore Dupont, with all the
honors OF bravery, skill and talent upon his
head, can have tamely submitted so long to an
alliance with such impotency, shame and dis
grace in his co-department.
But now that new era has been inaugurated
in the management of our army, and that bold
and go-ahead policy has been adopted for the
war, that abolitionism has been squelched, that
there is an able and distinguished military man
at Washington holding the Office of General-in-
Chief, who will know when reinforcements are
needed, and will send them when wanted, and
who will know at what points large bodies OF
troops ought to be concentrated; in word,
now that other changes are on the point Of
being effected, and that order will henceforth
reign in the capital of the nation instead of con.
fusion, we may expect to hear very soon Of the
most dazzling achievements of the General Of
the Army of the Potomac-ac achievements which
viii redeem the past disasters, and encircle the
head Of Mcclellan with a halo of undying glory
while weaving for his invincible army wreaths
of laurels which can never fade away.
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS AND CONTRACTORS