Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-09-09
The Camna.gn9 in Vlrginla.

treason in Virginia. there can be no doubt that
the rebels have good reason to boast that thus
far our campaigns on the sacred soil have been
failures, and failure, li-crcdtable to ourselves.
And yet more none, and more lives have
been expended in these lruitess campaigns
than IN ali the rest 81 tine war put together.
The rebellion first mla aggressive dcmonsua
tions in Virginia Che Government waited un-
Ill the iost moment before sending a federal
soldier upon the sol o the State, md almost
BY the stupidity ofte traitors, secured Airing
ton Heights, and tos temporarily rendered
Washington safe From that time forward the
tide Of battle has elpl and flowed over that
State until it is agaa at the doors OF the Capt.
ml the frsy movement on the rebels at Ma
msoa. resulted, TIM 81 the mes, stupid Gene
raI,hip on our part, most disastrous defeat
which So frightened c whole uationtha it did
not dare to strike aro.Ier blow Cor nearly seven
months. lntsc meantime Gen. Mcclellan was
organizing an army mt tine Potomac on grand
or scale timn uiythiH. ever before seen on this
continent. and the Government was preparing
for The great Anacou style OF warfare, which
wa. to surround, pre-. On all sides, and crush.
with It's monster grip every traitor in the land.
The second campaign commenced early last
spring, and while ..ics Of brilliant and sue
ccsslul achievements ID the valley Of Che Mis-
sissippi and along the coast mad inspired every
body with hope that the war would be soon
ended the magnificent army in Virginia
moved from its winter quarter. on tie Poto-
mac 1t was assured by Gen Mcclellan that
it lad been reserved % strike the death blow It
treason and crush ac rebellion forever. !
numbered more than POO 900 men, splcndidly
furnished and equipped, with better material
I Of var than ever before strengthened such a
mighty host, and the nation tondly and confd-
ngly looked to thi, army for its dclNcmnrc
| from treason. But. after "a six months cam
paign, the remnant OF dat army, now counting
in its ranks but little it amy, more than one
half Of the men who defantly set out with it
! last March from the Potomac, mas returned to
the notifications alOu. that river. and is behind
entertainments, recognizing, filing Up its
thiuned ranks, and content, for the present, to
guard once more the apital Of tie Nation.
This retrospect is humiliatng enough and
it is ltJc wonder ty there is great deal
Of grumblmg at the RESULT. or that the people
shoeldbc blaming everybody whom they think
to be tall rcspomiblclor the result. Nor is it
singular that there should not be an entire
agreement respecting the management Of the
disastrous campaigns. We know, however,
that Mcclellan was defeated on the Peninsula
that Banks was driven outol the Shenandoah
Valley. that Fremont suffered check in tie
same Valley, and that Pope has been compelled
to fall back upon Washington, We know, also,
that Mcclellan wa, recalled with his army from
the Peninsula by Gen Hallcck We know all
these results have been brought about because
the rebels chose to fight us, instead of waiting
!or uo 10 FIGHT them. and ,hat. hy the rapidi4
Of their movements, and their ability to CON
ccntotc troops upon our weak positions. they
have completely ioilei every attempt thus fn
to capture Richmond
What lesson, OF wisdom We shall learn from
all this experienced is impossible yet to tell i
. we become more tmid and cautious. waiting
before offering battle until We are SURE Of vie
tory the next year will unqneStionaby be like
the last, and the Coniedcracy, within twelve
months, an established fact II, on the other
/, hand, We allow our enemies t. teach Us in H.,
art of war, concluding, US We must sooner OF
later, that we can neither ,taWc nor fight them
, into submission and boldly and swiftly use oul
strength, striking everywhere and following
blow with blow it is possible for us to retrieve
and that speedily, our disasters for the last tw'
months, and once more get on the high road I,
;. victory.
For the present, however, we have no cxpec
tation of seeing any policy but the defensive
adopted by the government, There will be N,
: fighting in Virginia soon, unless the rebel
force Us to it in defense of Maryland. Military
) activity will confpc itself to the entertainments
: and the dclcncco Of the Upper Potomac. Ne
has been said, "sndcs will be uumpS ioi
some time yet IN the interval We Shall 20 On
: as we have done heretofore, Dragging what W,
are going to do. aud cxcusng delays by that
; pleasant kind Of prophecy Let us all hope
however that the next year will see fewer
; nigh sounding mauilcstocs, fewer beasts about
; Its being reserved to any man, or any army
tostrike the death blow to tie rebellion and pus
,hcrcbels to the wall, fewer addresses like
chose of Gem Pope, co be followed by retreat,
like his, and more military GENTS If wchayc it,
or ii We have not got it, more simple force
by which alone it 1ecus now possible that TIA,
rebellion can be put down.