Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-04-25
THEGAZETTE.
FRIDAY, APRIL Is, 1852.
Who is Responsible 2

Who is Responsible7
AS the facts of the recent battle of Pitts
burg Landing appear, it becomes more ant
more evident that there was lack Of gener
ship displayed in allowing our forces to b.
surprised as they were, which is nothing les.
than criminal. There was total disregard
of that usual caution necessary to the safety
of an army when in the face of powerful
enemy for which there is no excuse. Oul
Generals knew thata foe our superior in nu.
merical strength was but a few miles distant
and yet not a picket was thrown out to guard
against surprise. By the memory of those
brave men who were so needlessly slaughter.
ed on that fatal Sunday, the country demands
why was it so? II would seem as though a
commanding officer possessed Of even less
than mcdiocral ability would have had fore
sight enough to have adopted those common
place precautions which are scarcely, if ever
neglected be the danger Imminent or not. -
The only wonder is that we were not CON-
pletely routed and annihilated before Buell.
came up. At seven o'clock in the morning
our forces were attacked while eating their
breakfast, and not till ten clock did the COM
handing general appear on the field. Prob
ably the only thing that saved us from an
other Bull Run affair was the fact that the
Tennessee river was in our rear, over which
the disordered troops had no means Of pass
ing. If anything is lacking to prove the val
or of Western troops, the circumstances I'M
der which they fought, and the circumstances
under which they held the enemy in check
until reinforcements arrived at Pittsburg
Landing, will demonstrate the fact beyond a
doubt The criminality of this affair must
come out, rest on whom it will. The country
gives her best and bravest sons freely to crush
the rebellion, but not to be butchered like
sheep in the shamblcs, by their own friends.
The Occupation of Fredericksburg.
A most important move was the occupation
of Fredericksburg Va, by Gen. Mcdowell,
on the 10Th inst, yet such was the secrecy
and dispatch with which it was accomplished
that no one seems to accord to it more than
passing notice. The design Of advancing
upon the place was not known to more than
half dozen persons in Washington, and
they kept the secret. The first knowledge
the people of the town had of the arrival of
our troops was when they occupied the sub
urbs. Our advance was disputed by rebel
regiment of infantry, one Of cavalry, and a
battery of artillery. They made two distinct
stands, but were driven across the Kappa.
hammock. We lost five killed and sixteen
wounded; all cavalry. The rebels burned
the bridge over the river at fredericksburg.
So rapid and unexpected was our advance
that the rebels had no time to prepare for
successful resistance. Fredericksburg is a
very important point. 1t is only fifty miles
north of Richmond, and is on the railroad
running from the latter place to the Potomac.
The possession Of this road will be Of great
advantage to the Union forces. McDowell's
command is rapidly getting in between Rich
mond and Yorktown, and the rebel capital
will soon echo to the tramp of Northern
vandals." So the good work goes bravcly
on; no hating or faltering now. The coils
of the anaconda are slowly but surely con-
stric.ing around his miserable victim, and
even now, amid the tightening folds, the ill.,
starred Confederacy is gasping its villainous
life away.