Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-25
%. From he,rArny 90 ths Petssaac.
Special Correspondence Of the N. Y. Tribune.
HRkpouAnTERs RIaHr GRAND DIVISION,

N.
a ts'. December 20, 1902. E''l.I
Tho roads having again become hard and
smooth, u Ii quite possible that tho Army of
the Potomac will resume the march 'before
many days have passed. Soi'31rT't F. ihil "a
The soldiers. so long a. they have nothing
warmer than shelter-tents to sleep under, would
prefer 10 keep in notion. have heard many
Of them express the wish that we eould keep on
marching and marching until We had thorough
ly whipped the rebels or heen beaten TO Jelly
ourselves. These cold nights stimulate all the
active powers. Men cannot sleep, but stand
around the camp.ares In groups, and discuss
the deep problems Of the day, or curse the inef-
1cleney Of many Of the officers under whom
they arc compelled to serve. 4.I ,.'a!H hsa n
believe the rank and file are as willing 10
march and fight now as they were dhrihg the
pleasant days Of autumn. Tho only soldiers
and officers ! have heard denounce the idea of
a winter campaign, are those whose loyalty has
always been suspected, whb are strongly pro-
slavery In all their views, who had rather sec
this Union broken up than one poor negro
cmancipated, and who are constantly denounc-
ing the very men to whom they are indebted
for their rapid promotion 70 inportant positions
In the army.
I called upon Brigadicr General, command
Ing division, this morning. who Is daily ex.
pecting a commission as Major General and
promotion to the command Of corps, who In
all his conversation denounced every member
of the Administration, In the most violent
terms, from the Chief Executive to his hum
blest secretary. In his tent found tho World,
the Journal Of Commerce, and the Herald, This
general was strongly suspected Of disloyalty
last winter, and his name, think, was before
the Committee on the Conduct Of the War, Int
more influential generals Of higher rank, but
Of no sounder principles. managed TO get his
appointment confirmed and confidence In him
restored. DO y 81 ...a W -gt'-n.
or one thing am satisfied, from q very In
tlmaic acquaintance with many generals, that
the Army of the Potomac win never take Rich
mond or win a victory until a thorough over
| hauling Of all the officers Is made. II must be
cleared of all the disloyal generals. and there
are many Of them, before we can ever begin to
hope for success.
Mistakes may be made in planning cam
galgps, but ths grsaiesi mistake Of all Is, in
Keeping at the head Of dlyiBions and corps gen.
erals who are constantly denounclng the Ad-
ministration In the most violent terms before
! their officers and In the presence of their sol
diers, and encourage the circulation among the
troops ofthose traitorous sheets the World and
the Herald One paper like the World, sown
broadcast through the army as Il has been for
the past two weeks, TO the exclusion Of papers
of undoubted loyalty will, In q short time,
create almost a muiinons spirit among the
| common rnldlers. .
The army of the Potomac, commanded by
| the friends Of this administration, may take
Richmond. The army OF the Potomac, COM
manded by its enemies, viii never again see
Its spires or hear the sound Of Its church bells,
4 OF the truth of this, am as firmly convinced
as am of my own existence. have no hope
of ever seeing Richmond until at least one.
third Of the generals now commanding dlyis-
I Ions are relieved of their commands, and off
I GERS of undonbted loyalty appointed in their
placea. If all were like summer and Hooker,
and Reynolds and Wadsworth, victory, Ihave
not the least doubt. would soon perch upon our
banners. .f-....,s a. ...r-....-. .,. -.
1t seems TO he quite generally believed that a
large portion OF Gen. Lees army has been sent
to the vicinity Of Richmond. Desert0rs aud nc
groes, almost daily arriving, tell us that Gen.
1.ongsireet has been in motion for several days,
and that his possible destination is North Car
olina. no.. . %: I'D fl9. rs. .d ~ h.hi.
II Is found, from official reports, now all In,
that our losses in the battles Of Thursday and
Saturday will not, In killed and wounded, much
exceed 10000. The missing would carry II be
yond II 600, but as they are coming In daily
they should hardly he taken into tho estimate.
The wounded still remaining here arc cared
for In most excellent tents, warmed by cast
iron stoves, and furnished with cots by the San
tary Committee. Deaths occur frequently, but
generally from amputation, and not directly
from wounds received ON the battlefield.
In anticipation Of the holidays, the soldiers
are decorating their camps with evergeens, and
making extensive preparations for the festiyi
ties. Many of the camps are already beginning
TO look very picturesque and beautiful, ant
wond repay one well 70 visit. rrf p.