The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-11-20

81 Us SAAA HUM g-.sss.sssHhS SOCaNeS
.1----z---.-.---s. -
MILITARY SAGACITY-The Louisville
Journal of Tuesday, in an article meant
az a puff to the military ability of Gen.
Buell., gives an exhibition of the grave
blunders sensible men will sometimes
make in an attempting to defend an in
defensable position.
Reviewing the first campaign of the
Army of the Ohio, which resulted in the
waste of a whole season idly watching
the enemy across the Tennessee river,
and finally making a trial of speed and
bottom in a race to Louisville, the Jour
nal attributes the evacuation of Bowling
Green solely to the movements Of Gen.
Buell. The Journal, in its history of the
campaign, says:
Much time and labor had been ex-
pended upon the defensive works at Bow
ling Green, but it is said that Beauregard
on his arrival at once pronounced them
untenable, and advised their abandon
ment. Be this as it may, every prepare
tion had been made for a vigorous de-
fence and the evacuation can safely be
attributed to the combinations in its front
which would ultimately have led to it's
reduction, and possibly the capture of its
garrison.
Now, every body has been led to be-
heve that certain movements made by
Gen. Grants army, had much to do with
the evacuation of Bowling Green and
the subsequent capture of Nashville
On the 18th of February Fort Donel-
son was invested, and surrendered ON
the morning of the 10th.
The rebels had already drawn largely
on Bowling Green for forces to defend TT.
Donelson, and the result of the fight on
Thursday and Friday made it manifest
that the fort must fall Bowling Green
was in direct communication with Fort
DOnelson and the rebel Generals well
knew that the fall of Donelson placed
the army of General Grant between Bow
ling Green and Nashville Bowling
Green was evacuated on Saturday, the
18th, at daylight, and in the afternoon OF
the same day General Mitchers Brigade
reached the banks of Barren river, and
commenced Smelling the town, driving
out the rear guard and few loiterers of
the rebel army.
We do not pretend to say that the
" combinations in front had nothing to
do with the evacuation of Bowling Green,
but all candid minds will at once con-
cede that the combinations in the rear
had a much more powerful influence on
the rebel Generals
The fall Of Fort Henry was the first
act in the drama. The storming of For
Donelson. followed, as the second, one
scene of which was the evacuation o
Bowling Green, caused more by the per
suasive eloquence Of Commodore Foote'
big guns in the rear, than by the mena
ces of Gen. BuelTs combinations il
front" who only left Louisville on thu
10Th, four days after the evacuation.
The evacuation of GAINESVILLE FOLLOWED
the fall of Donelson as matter of course
and the want of transportation alone
prevented Gen. Grant first reaching
Nashville. The subsequent movement
of Gen. Buell. show that he was always
day too late Gen Nelson reached Nasl
vile one day in advance of Buell., havin
gone up the Cumberland river, and Bue
arrived at Pittsburg Landing one da
after Beauregard. 1t is true he bes
Bragg to Louisville but it was at the sa'
rifce of the gallant Wilder and his heroi
brigade, but Bragg beat him at least tw
days to Cumberland Ford, having inAicte
fully as much loss on Buell. as he SUI
tanned himself, except the mere NORTH
cation of failure to hold the country.
We deeply regret the failure of Bue
rs military leader, but his FRIEND
should not attempt to hide his failure
with laurels plucked from the brow
others.