New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-27

them sent forward, he, Halleck, had nothing moro
to do wi the matter. But think he will never
regain Ithe sobriquet .of cold Brains" which the
soldiers used to apply to him in the West.
Gen. Halleck il O student OF military history and
writer on military science. Did ne ever hear OF a
competent General.in-Chief, from Hannibal TO Ma
poleon, who contented himself with merely giving
an important ORDER vital to the Of his army
Does he deem it the index Of a great Captain, to
merely issue such ORDER and then eschew all fur
Their responsibility, giving himself 10 trouble to ascer'
tain whether il is executed or not
Burnside had duties Of the mos. pressing impor-
lance Immediately aboat him. He was moving a
great army from base to another in the face OF
vgilant powerful enemy. The pontoons were to
come from Washington. Even il it was his duty to
have them forwarded, when he saw Gen. Meigs
write the dispatch ordering them, and Gen. Halleck
sign it, had be not a righs to understand hat they
assumed i'll
During the late battle, Gen. Sumner, IN pursu-
ance of an imperative order from Gen. Burnside,
remained on this side of the river. That order 1T
least saved us one Major-General. There is usually
a good deal kof euphemsm about General I" lead
I'M" bis troops In military language he .s leading
them when he occupies his appointed place, far III
their rear.
But such 10 not Summers mode. Forty years Of
fighting Indians, Mexicans, and Rebels, have no,
toned down his boyish enthusiasm. lie goes into
battle con aD.ore, poor Kearney did. There Is a
touch OF the od-time chvalry, in the wayi this
veteran of nearly seventy-erect and agile Jas a
youth Of twenty-dashes into battle, with his white
hair and beard streaming in the wnd--rides up and
down lis front line, wherever the bullets fly thick
est, cheering ralying and literally Leading bis men,
He really seems bullet proof.
He IL usually scratched; often hes his bat, coat,
or boots torn, and men killed oil around him, but
escapes without harm. Once, In Mexico, q bullet
ruck him square in the forehead. The soldiers in
sist that It dropped to the ground fatened as the
ball drops from tho forehead Of the buffalo. Whether
this be true or rot Sumner certainly lived TO hght
many other days.
Had lie been permitted at Fredericksburg, he
would doubtless have led the van but by all human
probabilities he must have shared tie fate OF Bay
ard Death permitted no liberties there. No man
on horseback who went out on that fiery front, re-
turned 10 tell what he saw. Gen. Burnside order
saved us the life of an honored veteran. IL wss
tine, too requiring no impetuoslty, but the hIghest
caution and discrmination-when such Generals as
Couch Hancock and Howard were compelled to
exercise their utmost circumspec.ion.
Gen. Sumner ranks both the other Grand Division
Commanders, and, ia the absence of Gen. Burnside
ia at the head Of the Army. lie is honored by ali
for bis most phatc loyalty bis galantry, and HE
many eeteemable qualities But his special aptitude
that department of the service TO which he belongs
Ia the Regular Army--the cavalry. How grandly
he would lead any body Of horse from squadron 10
corps How he would head one of those charges
which shine down through history which end IL
sweeping victory or fiery death!
The most OF the wounded able 10 move have been
sent 10 Washington and Alexandra. They have
been better cared tor, on the whole than the sui
ferers after ary previous battle. Tie New-Nork
Soldiers Relief Association, through It's agent MIR.
s. V. Boyd, the United States Sanitary Commission,
and the agents OF nearly all the States ana local AS
sociations have contributed TO the good work.