Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-29
WEEKLY SENTINEL.


Tine Failure at fredericksburg.
The report Of the Congressional Committee
on the Conduct of the War develops a lack o
generalship and unity of purpose BY those in
command Of the Army Of the Potomac, which
account for the disaster TO our arms at the battle
Of Fredericksburg. We outnumbercd the enemy,
In the opinion Of BURNSIDE. 1t is evident. from
the failure Of the rebel Generals to take advan-
tage of their success after their victory of Satur
DAY, aud from the fact that they Immediately
commenced the strengthening of their works,
that they did not have full confidence in their
ability to rsaintain them. An experienced and
sagacions military officer expressed to Us the
opinion that Burnside should have renewed the
attack on Sunday morning. as he himself thought
was the true policy. and that il would in all
probability have met with success We had the
men and the armament ample to reduce the forti-
fcations OF the enemy, and in repeated instances
il has been illustrated that such defenses not
invulnerabIe.
A great General with an army like that OF the
Potomac. supplied with every appliance of war
fare necessary TO success, notwithstanding the
sacrifice in the engagement of Saturday, would
not have thus yielded his position and retired
beyond the reach of the enemy-demoralizing the
army in this admission Of the entire failure Of the
campaign. Richmond never be taken with
out terrific struggle and loss of life. The de
feat of the rebel army at Fredericksburg would
have demoraIized the rebel cause more than any
event of the war A victory there may have cost
the sacrifice of large number of men, but would
not the loss be economy in the end II such blow
would have FASTENED the termination of the war?
We cannot expect success without fierce and
bloody contests; and if Generals and our
armies are not willing to fight such battles, We
MY as well negotiate peace at once.
The reverse at Fredericksburg has probably de-
moraiized the army and the country more than
any other disaster of the war.
So far as the army is concerned. the following
opinion as to is effect ELECTED during the
animation of General SUMNER:
Ouestion-In regard to the condition of the
army since the battle, is il demoralzed any more
than by the loss Of that number OF menI
Answer think it is.
QuestiOn--To what extent and in what way7
Answer-It is difficult to describe itin any other
way than by saying there is great deal too
much croaking; there isnOt sufficient confidence
And this feeling is not confined to the army
alone-it pervades the whole country. The peo-
pie have lost confidence in the administration
in its ability to successfully administer the Gov
eminent Count the cost of the experiment for
the last twenty months. and what fearful reckon
ing is il. A divided country; the sacrifice on our
past of quarter of million of men; public
debt of a thousand millions of dollars, and grind
ing taxation in the present and in the future,
briefly tells the story.
During the present dynasty there has been no
exhibition Of craftsmanship, Of executive ability,
or of generalshiD. and the failure at Fredericks-
burg removes the last ve=tge of faith and conf
dence in the ability of the Administration to
successfully cope with the difficulties of the ma
ton in the future. To use cant phrase of the
radicals, the life Of the nation" has been well
BistI s.sas~I ~ AI4eis.s~-;s-. The STRENGTH
and resources Of the country are rapidly and use
lessly fritted away, and to-day the rebellion APP
pears more formidable than it has at any period
since its beginning. And the reason is evident.
The destinies of the nation are controlled by a.
party, an Administration, incompetent to the
task. and. as the results show, incapable of gov
erning it. How long will the people submit to
such a state Of alfairs-to a policy linked with
disaster, and which promises only the shipwreek
Cf the nation?