The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-09
General Pope.

Gen. Pope has, ut bis own request, been re-
lievcd from command in Virginia, ana assigned
to Western Department. His campaign in
virginia has been short. anu active and par
TALLY successful one. He vas, however, defeated
in the last battles, as he was fighting his way
back 10 Washington, and has been most saw
agely assalied for ncompetency, and nearly
every weakness that makes IL poor General. His
removal FROM his Department was doubtless oc
casioned by the double Reason, that the army of
The Potomac refused to fight under him, and
that Mcclellan had su perscded him. And Gen
Pope s action in asking to be relieved and the
action of the Government in asserting to his
request Will lo approved every where, though
Tor reasons widely different in different persons.
We have never been partisans of Gen. Pore.
we saw no goou reason for putting him in COM
mand IN Virginia at the outset. Gen. Fremont,
senior officer, was substantially compelled to
make way for Pope at flsl and it is noticeable
shat the papers that most loudly applauded
Popes appointment, are those that now most
loudly denounce him for his failures But the
Government, at somebody's instance, Jaw tit to
snub Fremont, and put Pope forward. Every
thing went smoothly wit. him until he issued
Ills address to his soldiers, which was, to say the
IsasE, in bad taste, and anquestionably intended
as "a slur on some VI his predecessors in Virginia.
From that moment the admirers of strategy be-
5aa to assail him openly or covertly, and he has
hardly had justice done him since, except by |
hose who thought Fremont was lll-used, aud
good purpose served 10y Popes appointment at
outset. And the heaviest charge against
IN is, il the story be true, that a Colonel, dy-
8 CT wounds received in the recent battles,
rote on d blood-stained piece of paper, " am
bout quitting the world u victim tc Gen.
Now what is the occasion for all this indig-
alton against Gen. Pope, 50 strong, army cor
spondents say, that the troops, and especially
lie army Of the Potomac, said they would not
yht any longer under him? We confess that
have seen in no account of the battles any
lns to warrant any such outburst of indigna I
on. Ii Is true enough that the Union forces
Saturday were compelled TO leave their po-
ZION, Won by the hard fighting of Friday, and
vi back on Cenlreville. 1t is also true that
icy left the killed and wounded in the hands l
the enemy. Bat 1t is not true that The I'M
IN loss Wa, 50 severe rs ut first reported, later ,
ccountS ali concur. ing in estimating it at about
600 killed and wounded, and 1000 taken pris- /
ncrs, in all the lighting. In what respect was
|his lighting more disastrous for us, than that
p from. OF Richmond? Wherein is the gener b
|lship poorer than it was then Gen. McClel. v
en army certainly lost three times as many =
pen IN those battles as were lost in che recent
|ghVng near Manassas. Our dead and wounded 4
nd sick. there fell !nto the hands of the enemy g
2nr army there relocated II miles to the James
@vc., an al ldsy we're said to be safe Yet the =
httles On the Peninsula were called miracles of "
enerashlp, hy the same papers that now I'M d
crcifuly abuse Gen. Pope and McCleans n .
finy was driven from entrenchuents, while i
Poe had no such aid to his strategy Fl
We ilAe 20 see even handed justice exhibited IL
CRITICISMS upon tn: conduct of the war If d
nerGIs are incompetent, we have no desire Fl
et their lncompetency should be shielded.
are no champions of Gen. Pope, or of any "
er General in the army or out of it. but are u u
|ins that every officer should have his due G.
ed o. praise. But to DOR Comprehension il
not scota exactly right to see the same pa
IN the same paragraph, uasparingly con-
hing Gen. Pope because he was beaten, and
iating Mcclellan in the most culogis.ie [
Is. If Pope IL 70 be condvnn.d because he
= succeed, the Same Judgment would not
extensively praisA the officer now IN com
OF the army Of Virginia II
pd it is but justice 90 add here IN Popes u
that he has demanded a court OF INQUIRY
che Causes Of his failure to hold the rebels
eek, and made charges against Gems Por- c
franklin, and Griffin, for disobe ing MS b
This inquiry. after being instituted,
cen contaminated by the President, and I,
thu9 ;c!u9ed any opportunity OF showing
she blaAc rests i0t recent rebel successes.
hilc .ewspa per9 persist N pralsing other