Washington telegraph., 1862-04-09

whole burden of the matter on the qallant
| Tennesseeans, and ventilated their contempt
| for the citizens of Nashville. Others were
| furious against Johnston as 81 blunderar On
imposter- coward, and much else. Others,
mllder and more temporate, have since written
long detenses and apologies for Johnston, Ia
boring with much false logic and misstatement
OF fact, to show that his falling from Bowling
Green to North Alabama, was military ne
cesslty, forced upon him by cireumsta ces
surrounding his command: attributing the
movement to his own sagscity and military
foresight, and disconnectng it wholly from
anciilary and systematic movements in NIL
parts of the Confederacy.
All are equally wrong. Developments prove
that TennesSeeans are heroic in their loyalty.
4 halt-dozan Union men cannot be named and
designated in a city of forty thousand soul $
Can Richmond, Memphis, New Orleans. or
! Mobile, guarantee clean IA record if all the
| latent Union sentiment should be placed under
the safe protection Of Federal bayonetse We
| nope they might exhibit it. In our irmost
heart would we rejoice at it But until the
| occasion displays some more intense Southern
sentiment in some other city, we must be al
| lowed to plume ourselves upon the patriotism
OF Nashville, and rejoice in the spirit of her
citizens. Traitors lurk everywhere. 1U the
Southern States fu!l of them in the old
revolution They may be found now any
! place-a few of them. Tebbets hoisted a
Union flag at Fayetteville. If Memphis, or
New Orleans be taken, they will hoist them
| there. These things are nothing. The great
heart of the South, is loyal to the Southern
Confederacy. Spots upon the sun do not mar
its briiiancy
That Johnston was a blunderer. or q coward,
or influenced by panic fear is already absurd
10 any one who has observed the course of
events, and who will carefully consider what
we have to add.
The movement from Bowling Green to North
Alabama, was suddenly, rapidly, and orderly
conducted. 1t was executed in manner cred
table to the military character of Gen'l John
ston. Nashville was passed with the wise ad-
vice, to offer resistance, but make for
NAL surrender. The whole country was ira
versed without violence to the inhabitants, or
| even exciting their alarm. Almost like magic
region of country, two hundred miles in
extent, was transferred to the possession of
the eneIny, and that so quietly and judiciously,
that no plough was stopped in its furrow
along the whole length and breadth Of the
land. For so much let Genl Johnston have
his full need of praise.
Tint lie was forced to this movement by any
immediate military necessity pressing upon his
| command. anil affording peculiar reasons for
| the movement of his army cannot be shown.
| Iti indeed untrue. When the movement was
| determined upon, he was i'll no manner of
| defy the advance Of Buell.. as he had done
during the summer. The battle of Fish ng
Ford, afforded no uneasiness to his command.
Genl Thomas had ether objects than to faux
us at Bowling Green, and could not have done
so in that manner if he wished We do not
reflect when we talk so hippautly of being
''dauked' that Somerset ami Bowling Green
are over q hundred miles apart; nth rough
country intervening, and no roads adequate to
| rapid transportation. Gen'l Thomas sole aim
was TO get East Tennessee and the Virginia
railroad. The danger of that caused hut-
ter at Bowling Green. Nothing else had oc-
| Cured affecting that station. When it was
Determined TO drop from Bowling Green, sur
render Nashville, and fall into Alabama, the
| battle of Fort Donelsou had not been fought.
l. 6,-f
Gen. J ohnston's command. 1t was confidently
hoped it would be able to resist all attacks.
but in any event, the city of Nashville was to be
passed and position taken further South.
That is plain from the fact that Gen. Crit
tenden's army, in the eastern part of the State,
had orders to join Gen Johnston at Murfrees-
boro'. These must havs been communicate d
some time before and preparations made by
Gen. Crittenden, or he could not have Joined
him simultaneously with hig arrival at Muir
, freesboro'. General Johnson could not have
heard of The fall of Fort Donelson, uutil far
on his way to Nashville. Perhaps if Fort
Donelson had been maintained the position al
Murfreesboro' would have been. kept. But
that is mere speculation. Certain it is that
the defence of Nashville was never contempla
ted.
Recent developments have disclosed the
whole matter, aud made plain all that was
dark One of the most magnificent military
maneuvers in the history of the world, extend
ing over thousands of miles of territory, in
volving vast results, and now, as the mists
clear away. insuring our success. has been
suddenly and silently executed in the face OF
the enemy. They had no premonition of it
nor we. save in the enigmatcal sentence in the
message of the President, that we had ''under-
| a ken too much"
1t seems to have been a deeply matured plan
to effect all ever the country a concentration
of our forces, heretofore scattered over the
vast frontier To unite and conquer In the
execution of this plan, Gen. Johnston was an
efficient agent and coadjutor. lie did his duty
well. But his action part only of grand
military policy, divised, no doubt, in full coun-
ell ana on maturest deliberation
All at once, at stroke, we seem falling to
pieces. The enemy think SO, too. and are ju-
| bilant with victory. We stand arhast and