Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-03

! Somebody writing from Kentucky to New F.
York paper cndeavors to make good repu-
tation for Gen. Buell. Such persons might
save themselves considerable useless trouble
by remembering that the reputation of mil
itary leader will inevitably be determined by
what he does or fails to do, and not by what is
said of him by letter writer's But tins cor
respondent fal>ifies extravagantly in order to
make out his case. He says =
"Ever since his opening campaign in Ken
lucky, nothing but success has attended his
arms. The boldnesS and celebrity Of his move
mentS, it is well known, saved the day at Shi-
| loh, and prevented perhaps, the humiliation
of Grants army. He drove the vast rebel
| armies before him through Kentucky and
| Tennessee like chaif before the wind Better
| discipline prevails in his command than any
in the service. He has never lost an engage
ment; he has never invested place he failed
to take; nor has he been toiled by his adyer-
saries or found off his guard. He has been
more in open service, has marched more
miles, and penetrated further into the interior
| Of the enemys country than any other gen.
| erai has done. His campaign has been one
| OF complete success, and developed series
OF the most wonderful strategic movements"
There have been some very remarkable
romancers connected with the letter-writing
corps in Kentucky and Tennessee, but not
one who can perform more notably than this
writer. The ''boldness and celebrity" of Gen.
Buell. have never before been heard of; but
the whole country has heard that his lack of
''celerity" very nearly oecasioned terrible
disaster at Pittsburg Landing; and it is very
well known that instead of driving the ''rebel
armies through Kentucky and Tennessee like
chaff before the wind" he allowed them to
leave Kentucky in their own way, carrying
all their stuff with them. 1t was because he
restrained the activity Of Gen. Mitchell that
the rebels at Bowling Green got away without
loss; and as for his driving them through
| Tennessee, that statement in view of the
facts, is too ludicrous for serious criticism;
and so on through the rest of this eulogy to-
the great gush of enthusiasm over the ''won-
derful strategetic movements"
There is something nearly as bad as treason
IN such attempts to make heroes of military
commanders who do little or nothing to harm
the enemy, while they do great deal to waste
| our means, and hinder an efficient use of our
armies. They deserve the severest reproba-
ton. Already has the country suffered I'M
| speakable harm from this source. Let every
man have the reputation he fairly earns but
treat those as enemies to the public well
fare Who would manufacture garlands
for the incompetent and misbehaving.
1t will suit the rebels to keep in
capable and worthless Generals at the head of
our armies, but it should not be satisfactory
to loyal men. Gen. Buell. may be better than
he seems. He may redeem himself from the
censures bestowed upon him; but we cannot
afford to wait for him much longer. 1t is
said that he is moving towards East Tennes-
see, where he ought to have been long since.
| We hope he will succeed and do his work so
well, us to deserve reputation. 1t would,
| however. be great relief to the country to
have Gen Mitchell in his place.