The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-23
The Fight Near Lees Mills.

Ghe moro we learn of the engagement near
L:e's Mills, the 10th inst, in which the YER
mont troops participated, the more it becomes
apparent that, through the official blunder of
somebody, there was q most wanton, unneces
aary ard useless waste of the lives of brave
men. All reports agree that the soldiers, and
faAe officers Immediately in command of them,
behaved with signal intrepidity, and undaunted-
&ly faced the death that SO mercilesslS hurtled
through their ranks in the desperate attempt to
'islslodge an immensely superior force from his
entrenched positions. Instances of personal
bravery, and heroic daring, ia the assault, in
she retreat, and in tho rescue Of wounded COM
rades from peril have been recorded almost TO-
mantle in their details. The Green Mountain
Boys fought noby, died nobly in worthy cause.
But it is impossible to resist the conviction that
most terrible burden OF blame rests upon the
shoulders OF those who ordered the movement.
In brief, the whole affair is this: After Skin
mishing nearly all day, with infantry and artil
lery, across Creek twelve rods wide, withou,
%2RoWing the force of the enemy or the depth
Of the water, three or four companies consist
ing 81 not over 300 men, were ordered to Gro $
Che Greek, and take the enemy entertainments
They found when they got there as many thou
sands as they were hundreds, and though rein
forced by part of two regiments, were yet obliged
Il retreat. They suffered terrible loss, and
have only as satisfaction that they inflicted
corresponding loss upon the enemy
we see nothing but criminal neficiency in
''5hue sacrificing the lives of brave men. And
the ignorance of the strength of the rebel posi-
.ion, and the number of troops that held it.,
ought not to be regarded in any milder light
We are not surprised to learn from private sour.
ces, that the generalship which led to this sec.
ond edition of Balls Bluff, is the subject of SO
we're comment in the Vermont brigade, and that
Gen. Smith has been arrested, and is to be court
martialed in consequence of it. This last rumor
the arrest of Gen. Smith-may not turn out
to be true, yet it reaches US with such apparent
correctness, that we at present give it credence
But whether true or not, it shows conclusively
that the troops on the spot were excited about
the useless slaughter, and were freely canvassing
the merits of the generalshlp that had rendered
Unnecessary. Westill hope, however, that what
is now incomprehensible, except upon the sup
position of the utter stupidity, or criminal care.
iessness in the commanding officer, may be yet
cleared up, and that it may appear that those
who died near Lees Mills mado but necessary
sacrifice in advancing tie great work of sup.
pressing rebellion.
And we are glad to seq that one of our rep
representatives in Congress, is disposed to agi-
tate the generalshp a little, as appears by the
following extract from the report of the House
proceedings of Tuesday:
On motion of Mr.. Morrill, of Vermont, it was
resolved that the President be requested to strike
from the rolls the name Of any officer known to
be habitualiy intoxicated while in service He
said he had been assured that tho Commanding
General, who failed to reinforce the Vermont
companies vino suffered so severely at Yorktown,
was drunk, aud had fallen off his horse into the
mud.
lie was asked, but declined to give the name
yf the General.