The Chattanooga Daily Rebel. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1862-1864, 1862-12-12
SOME REFLECTIONS on THE CONDUCT
OF THE WAR IN THE WEST.

OF THE WAR IN THE WEST.
The war in the West-by which we mean
the military operations in the country west
Of the Cumberland mountains-has been,
from the beginning, one of extreme toll to
the soldier and hardship to the citizen, and
of Encouragement to both
History, it is true, will cslsbrate cur tri1
umphs at Lexington, Oak Hills, Belmont,
Elkhorn, Shiloh, yieksburg. Iuka and Per-
ryriIle, while it will wreaths chaplet of
uadying laurel for the brows OF the suffer-
ing but patient and heroic soldiery of Fish
ing Greek, Fert Donelson and Corinth
These victories and disasters will alike at
test, tlltpth etnsihg time, the courage,
patriotism, endurance and tplspdid hero
i'm of tie armies OF the West These
ainlie., when unites, were invincible when
separated, they have shown how nobly apd
how Perfectly they euld smtody f,rlorn
hope, and sinl, cveiwhelmed, to the garth
aud to the grave, cbdurtiDg the Roman
sard's-
Dude q dccerartl sst Pre parier R.ori."
The Individual and collective valer dis
played on these occasions has never been
s1celled BY my trtors en- this csntncnt
Whether defeated or victorious, the armies
# The Vert, tcsethcr and separate. have
lsvsr ressitt,d The slightest shadow t.
tl1ud Il sksl.sttF Ct tie Patriot soldier
In IL a. rth, in The cs mp, when disease
,s..td with unresttnined step among them
Wien iesrtily clad aud poorly fed, in tho
lrislt eiisd Of victory, and in the gloomy
hour Of defeat, these soldiers have exhibit.
ed alusys the sane high qualities of mod
srstiep, readfa,tnsss, patience, courage,
perseverance, and virtuous manliness. In
the midst Of al their yicissitudes, and all
the bitter scenes nd events through which
they have passed, such they werc-and such
At this nsment they are, in proportion tc
Numbers, in roint Of discipline, and spirit
and devotion and bravery, constituting
armies equal to the best
Yet, on our part, the war in the " eat hal
been, from the outtst, constant and self
repeating failure. Notwithstanding these
innumerable victories, and countless num-
bers of daring AID brilliant exploits be,
sides, of great value in themselves, we hay,
rerpetually lost ground. We have, tempo
rsrily, to say the least, lost Kentucky, los
Missouri, lost ha lf of Tennessee, lost il
louisiana. in Texas, 10 arkansas, In Mis-
sissippi. Our lead mines, our wheat fields,
eur hog pens, our fatted herds are in the
hands Of the foe TO say nothing Of OH
citizens, our aged fathers, our wives, GU
sisters and little children, subject to plum
der, and outrage and insult, to bendsge, te
exactions of oaths and upon conscience
our csusts suspen ed, our puIpits invaded
and all the other horrors attending such AZ
invasion BY such a foe.
Thus will history reproduce it to GU
shildrsn-and upon such facts viii posterit,
review and pass Judgment
Whist evil genius has presided in on
eeuncils and guided our steps into these ca
lanitops paths II did not appear in tn
shape of an unwilling and cowardly sol
diery. We have seen how truly they hay'
borne themselves. That genius must hav,
consisted in one of three things: I, Al
insufficient force. 2. An indcfensibl
country. Or, 3. In unskillful and incom
potent management. To review these thre
propositions is not our purpose rather I
present them to the consideration Of III
Administration agents in the Vest
1t is granted. the original line Of defenc
was toe long for the means Of holding II
We simply undertook too much When
MA shsrtened, it was changed also in Il
most material pcints. This change va
naas necessary BY the very events vhie
isslosed 10 Us our Ignorance ct eHr abilit