Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-12-24

army. This is a matter which requires
serious and careful consideration A VIC
torious army is supposed to be in a con
dition to pursue its defeated foe with adj
vantage, and, during such pursuit, to do
him serious, if not fatal injury This re-
suit has usually been attained in other
countries. Is there any reason why it
should not be expected In this 1t is
easily understood that in a country like
that between orktown and Richmond,
or tie thekly wooded swamps of Miss
issippi and Louisiana, that retreating
force by the telling Of trees across the
roads and destroying thnbridges over
deep and marshy streams, h effectuaily
prevent anv rapid pursuit The one in a
few minutes, blocks up or destroys roads,
which the other cannot clear or repair for
hours or even days. The pursuer has
very little hope of 0Sertking his flying
foe But this reasoh4hg is not applicable.
to Maryland and the greater part Of Nic
ginia, Kentucky and middle Tennessee.
1t must be admitted that in these theatres
of war the rebel ara hs have exhibited
much more mobility and activitv than our
own. Not only do they out-narch US
both IN advance and retreaH but on two
memorable occasions their cavairT have
made with impunity the entile circuit Of
the army of the Potomac II it be trae
that the success Of an army depends up
on its farms and its loss, ours has shown
itself deficient in the latter of these essen
tial requisites
This defect has been attributed TO our
enormous baggage and supply trains. and
want of training IN marches. There
is nc doubt that tho baggage trains of our
=
cry possible effort has been made within
the last few weeks to REFUGE them. But
this is no e1sy task One accustomed 70
certain amount of transportation, ON
army is unwilling TO do without the lux
.:ries which is supplies ia the field. BY
the recent increase of the army ration,
which was previously larger than in any
other country, a considerable amount OF
transportation is employed in moving pro-
visions and supplies which are nos nee
essary for the assistance Of the soldiers
An examination OF the returns of the
Quartermaster General, a few DAYS since,
developed the fact that the army of the
Potomac, including the troops around
Washington, most of which are without
field trains, had ii 900 animals and that
5000 of these were employed in trans
porting ambulance and hospital stores.
In addition to all this the roads. streets
and wharves are incumbered with private
vehicles used for the transportation OF sut-
tiers stores. No matter how large the
main body OF an army NAV be, it can
never move rapidly with such a mass of
impediments, and yet speculative projects
are almost daily urged on the War De
partment to increase the immobility OF
our armies in the field
Again, our troops, especially those in
the East, have been very little accustom-
ed to march al least to that kind Of march
ing usually required by active operations
in the field Absenteeism is one Of the
most serious evils in our armies Hun
dreds of officers aud thousands of men
are almost continually away from their
commands. Many OF these are really
straggleas and deserters. la regard to
officers, the evil is being abated by SUM
mary dismissals, and il the law could be
stringently enforced against the men it
would soon put an end 10 desertions Bat
struggling on the march and in battle can
be prevented only by severe and summary
punishment inflicted on the spot In this
and many other important particulars our
military laws require revision and am
endment. They were mostly enacted
for small army end for times of peace
and are unsuited to the government OF the
army we now have, aud the war in
which we are now engaged
Nety Respectfully, your obedient serv t.
H. w. HALLECk, GeneralinChief