Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-09-11
General Sigel in Fridays and Sat.
urday's Battles.

r.
den bloom. At the beginning of our strug.
gle he was already veteran, fully expe
rienced in the arts of active warfare. We
are not surprised, therefore, at the prom,-
nent position which he assumed in the crit.
lcal battles OF last Friday and Saturday. Ii
was no slight token Of confidence in bis
leadership that at such time he should
have been entrusted with such responsible.
ties. lnthe entire conduct Of the actions
OF those two days General Sigel appears To
have been the master mind, originating the
plans and controlling the movements 70
which whatever success we had is to be at
tributed.
General SigePs tactics on this occasion
we're so admirable that they make the bat
ties in which he engaged intensely interest
ing, even apart from those other conditions
which gave them such momentous signif-
canoe. 1t will be remembered by our read
ers that he had just come up from the Rap
pahannock, where he had for four days
held the advance under heavy fire, and
where, too, he had displayed marked traits
OF generalship, such as have rarely been
shown this war For two days he bad been
upon the march; and then, after rest Of
only four hours, he again took the advance
IN the most momentous struggle which our
arms have waged with rebellion.
No precaution was overlooked BY him
which might guard against defeat or insure
success. The General was not miles in the
rear ready TO come up only after tho en-
gagement was over, to congratulate his
troops on their success and to pen bril-
liant dispatch; he was on the field, acquaint-
ing, himself with every important position;
and long before the light could reveal his
operation to willy foe, every battery was
stationed under his own eye, and by his own
direction. The enemy received no warning
save that given by the roar of Sical's artil.
lery. The advance was not made at ran
dom; scouts were sent out in every direc.
tion, and all day long they went forth and
returned to their General, who found time
Tor caution even in the utmost fury of tho
contest. His march was rapid, but at ev-
cry step his troops were under cover of their
artillery. When the enemy was engaged.
his battalions were brought up in perfect
order, and precisely at the time and place
they were most needed. Under such lead
ership there was no faltering. BY skillful
management one brigade relieved another,
and nothing was lost by delay. At night,
although the enemy had fought under cover
OF the woods, we had gained upon his posi-
tion and held the advantage.
Nor was SigeIs management on Satur-
day any less creditable than on the previous
day, although the enemy had been heavily
re,onforced, Unfortunately, through mis-
taken or willful disregard Of General Sigel' =
instructions, General Mcdowell advanced
improperly upon the enemy, and was com.
PEELED to suffer terrible repulse. SigeIs
orders were that our forces should main
tain their. position and await the attack; but
Mcdowell, it is said, did not heed these in.
structions,. and thus the repulse of q whole
division, tho slaughter of Slocum' brigade,
the necessary reinforcement of Mcdowell
from Porter's division, tended to weaken
and disarrange our admirable position at the
beginning. Yet the result of the days bat
tie was far more satisfactory than was at arst
believed; and only slight advantage over
US was gained by the enemy. Now that we
have been 80 strongly re-enforoed, even this
advantage is wholly lost to them. For the
delay which cur retreat upon Centeryille
occasioped. while il was fruitful Of. benefits
to ourselves. was ruinous to the rebel for
ces, hemmed in as they are between our ar
my and the mountains, and at o distance
from their source Of supplies. IrI
Our German adopted citizens may well
be proud oftheir Representative; nor will
the fact that he is a foreigner by birth either
lessen or chill the native admiration of his
qualities and services. Even il Sigel were
At the head of our armies, the amour propre
OF Americans would not be much disturbed.
The military hero of France was a Corsi
can, The man who meets most adeauate
y the crisis Of our country in such an
hour as this will have noed Of no special
baptism 70 be forever recognized as our own.