Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-03-21
GEN. MocLE1LAN's STRAWBERRIES.

vent our anger. The events that are trans
piring are enough to arouse the enthusiasm
Of any man who is not given over to the last
stages of despond, and the malovolenoe with
which some of the chief actors in these events
are being bounded by men who know com
paratively nothing Of military matters, is
enough to excite the disgust and anger of ev-
cry man who has the good Of the country at
heart.
1t is but few short months since General
Fremont was the subject Of these base attacks
for his management Of the department Of the
West. jealousy and hatred did their worst,
and just as he was on the eve Of reaping the
fruits Of his labors, his traducers were victo-
rious, and he was recalled from his command
at the head Of the army in the field, even
while victory was within his grasp. With
his recall came the retreat Of the federal army
from its advance into Southern Missouri, and
that State was again overrun by the rebel
hordes Of Price, and after long delays the
work Of driving them back had to be done
over again by Gen. Halleck with reorgan-
ICED army. The maligners Of Fremont, hay-
ing accomplished their purpose either subsidized
or turned their batteries upon other Generals +;
OF a new set of men was found TO take up the
chase, with all the vigor Of a fresh pack of
Hounds, and pursue to the death ether and
brave Generals who we're straiding their last
nerve to put down this unrighteous rebellion.
These selfappointed military chieftains, who
fight battles only on paper, had driven ono
brave General from the field, and forced him
from his command others. equally chival-
rous, saw in this sure success for their schemes
against others, none the less worthy and none
the less efficient. Their pet schemes would
be thwarted-so they thought--unless others
too could be forced from their Command
Hence the cutlery against this, that and the
other General. But time has INDICATED Gen.
Fremonts course and his traducers are to-
day driven to the wall 10 shame by his reap
pointment to a command in the mountain re-
gions of Western Virginia and Kentucky
The gigantic preparations which he made in
Missouri not the precise plan Of the cam
pagn--are being used by his successor in the
complete routing OF the rebels The gum
boats which Fremont ordered built for ser
vice on the Mississippi river, and which were
so much despised by his enemies, are now the
instruments in the hands of Commodore
Foote for important and successful achieve
ments, aud the wisdom and foresight Of the
man who ordered them to be built is fully
vindioated. But these things are past, and
the mistake Of Fremont's removal is virtually
acknowledged by the President in his ap-
pointment to another command.
But the lessons of Fremonts removal have
no effect upon the constitutional grumblers,
and they are now in full feather in hot pursuit
Of Gen. Mcclellan. He had allowed the reb-
els to evacuate Mana. sas, when his traducers
would have had pitched battle, the result of
whichever though victory, as it probably
would have been-would have had no decisive
results upon the rebellion itself If the oc-
cupatiou Of Manassas was Of any strategetic
Importance that importance is gained without
the loss OF life that must have attended a
pitched battle, and the decentralization of the
rebels incident to retreat from a position
which they have held so long, and on the pos
session OF which they counted so much, is
more than could have resulted from defeat.
The war is carried farther into the heart OF
the rebellion, where it must have gone even
though the rebels had been defeated at Ma
nasas, and our army are fresh and vigorous to
follow up the retreatug rebels, without the
loss Of any part Of it in battle which would
have been barren in results only so far as the
The object Of the war is to suppress the re-
bellion, and that General who accomplishes
this with the least loss of the lives of the
bra men under him, will in the end be a
warded the praise due to a successful com
mander. Columbus, the rebel stronghold oil
the West was left to its fate until its evacua-
ton was necessity and the conquest Of the
rebel armies is easier and surer on their re-
treat than had they been attacked in theil
chosen stronghold. They are demoralized
and disheartened and everywhere flee before
the vigorous and enthusiastic forces that are
in pursuit
Gen. Buell's army rested for long time il
front of Bowling Green, as did Gen. Halleck''
la front of Columbus. Newspapers and
prominent men began their attacks upon Gen
Buell., and criticised his military skill anC
maligned him in no measured terms. Blu
the flank of both Bowling Green and Column
bus was turned. and their evacuation was
necessity and as result Gen. Buell. to-da!
has possession Of the heart of Tennessee, anC
is pushing the retreating rebels into the Gul
States where he is prepared to strike thu
blow that shall finally squelch them forever
The passage of the Mississippi river to New
Orleans is an easier task for Com. Foote thai
had he first been compelled to an attack OIL
Columbus. The events of the past few week
have proved the wisdom of delaying attack
upon Bowling Green and Columbus, unit
their evacuation has proved more dsastrou
TO the rebels than would have been defea
l., s,t