The Goodhue volunteer. [volume] (Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn.) 1861-1864, 1862-03-05

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OFFICIAL PAPER OF TIE COUNTY.
!. y. PARKER as: Editor. :.
Ned Wing, March, s. 1863.
- $3.50 Progress Of the War. s.
One year ago Abraham Lincoln was in-
augarated4 President Of these States, the
union Of which was then q, question of Sc,
rious doubt. Six States had x that time
openly bid defiance to the authority of the
Government, and Others remained only to
render assistance to those already seeded,
BY distract;ng, the councils Of the Govern.
'nent, until such times as they too might 60
One BY one they declared themselves out 0 :.
the Unien, and took measures 10 make their
declarations successful and efficient, until
elspeaof them stood in opeu defiance: with
three others alternating between Union and
Recession. HT'IftH - az 9t.f ~ 4
Secession had been theme Of Southern
study, and an object of Southern ambition
for series OF, yesrs, that IS to say, it had
been such to Southern politicians and spec
ulators. During the four years from 1856
to 1860 they had had exclusive control 81
the Government, and how we'll they i'm
proved their opportunity, let the deserted
army and navy, the ungarrisoned Southern
forts, the Northern arsenals stripped Of arms
and the official pilioring of Floyd speak and
tell. f.. g., a.l. : -, .
This rebellion found US entirely unpre.
pared because, although persistently threat
ened, it was not expected. We had not an
army Of fifteen thousand men, and what we
had were scattered from the extreme north.
ern portion Of Maine to the extreme south
ern portion Of Texas on the Atlantic and
Gulf and from the northern coast Of Oregon
to the southern coast Of California On the
Pacific In the interior they were scattered
in fifties and in hundreds, from the north
ernmost point Of Minnesota to the extreme
Of Utah and New Mexico: thus rendering
the regular army Of no avail whatever, for
immediate use. In addition to our other
misfortunes We had not enough arms 10
equip ten thousand men.
On the other hand the blow was not
struck by the Sccessionists until they were
prepared 10 strike. Their men were all
we'll drilled under State militia system
which had become obsolete with US. Every
man knew his post, and was prepared tc
fill it.
To meet this rebellion and conquer it was
no mean and Insignificant undertaking, no,
was it one that could be accomplished in q
day. To raise sufficient number of men te
whip the traitors, although Herculean
task, was easy in comparison to The task o.
drilling them, clothing them, feeding them
arming them, transporting them from place
to place, IS circumstances might, require
and furnishing the money to pay all the ex
penses Of such 40 army. 1t was something
tho nation had never before been called upon
to do, and 1t is not surprising that, in add
ton to the time required to regulate the
whole thing. many experiments should turn
out to.Ds failures. All this vast machinery
put in motion without moments warning
could not be- reasonably expected, in all its
parts, at all times, to run with the regularity
q of clock work. sl., w., e.. e.
'' An army ofover coo. 900 men, 1t the call
Of tho President, took the field those men
have bsen thoroughly drilled, we'll fed, we'll
clothed and efficiently armed in the short time
that has elapsed since the first call for troops.
Never before, since tho world began, has
thsrs been such energy displayed as has
l'ssn manifestsd by this Government in the
prosecution ofthis war notwithstanding the
'Aics county military editor to the contrary.
Country editors whose communication and
seassqpsntly whose influence extended to
their three or four hundred subscribers and
- further, who know about a. much about
war asa't~o year old calf does abcu. astron.
ony, but who think they ought TO say some
Mir, and having said it work themselves
" &c ihs belief that they have SAID some:
thing smart, have bssn grumbling and erowl-
Ing and snarling at the President, Genera
Scott and denstan Mcclellan an summer
because they wsredoing nothing taking il.
for granted that becau.s tlsir'a warfish minds
could not comprehend the magnitude Of the
work to 30 done, and could not SO the pro.
grrs that Vas being. made, nothing w.s,be.
ing dens. They learned nothing =, Bull
kaa, hut have ever sincs been urging An
Soaward 70 Hich,nond" move, openly de-,
elasiag that defeat ~as better than insc.ioa.
But vs ought to b thankful 70 the Almigh,
y That such sst Of whining ours have had
no influence on tho action Of the Commander.
ia-Chisf Hs cours. his policy has no.
bssn changed. With unasviating step he
Aas pursoed the even tenor st his ways,
until now even those habi.ual eru,., blers a.
he inaet'on. begin to comprehend hin mas
tssiy plan of operation. Four months ..n
~ bod not foothold son,h sc Fortress /