Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-29

The faitnrc az sred ric \ sburg. 7
The report OF the Congressional Committee
90 the condacf Of the War develops = lack Of
generalshiP and unity Of purpose BY those IN
command Of the Army Of the Potomac. which
account for the disaster 20 our arms tie battle
Of Fredericksburg. We outnumbercd The enemy,
IN the opiaion of BokssrDE Tits evident. from
the failure Of the rebel Generals 70 take advau-
tsge Of their after their victory OF Satur
day. and from the fact that they Immediately
commenced the strengthening OF their works.
that they did not have foil confidence in their
ability 70 MAINTAIN them. An experienced and
sagscious military officer expressed TO Us the
opinion that Burnside should have renewed the
attack an Supdsy morning. as he himself thought
was the true policy. and that il would in all
probability have met with success. We had the
mea and the armament ample to reduce the forti-
hcations Of the enemy. aud in repeated instances
II has been illustrated that such defenses are not
invainerable.
"A great General with an army like that Of the
Potomac. supplied with every appliance Of wssr.
fare necessary 70 success, notwithstanding the
sacrifice in the engagement of Saturday, would
not have thus yielded his position and retired
bevond the reach Of the enemy-demoralizing the
army in this admission Of the entire failure Of the
campaign. Richmond can never be taken with
out terrific struggle aud loss OF life. The de
feat Of the rebel army at fredericksburg would
have demoralized the rebel cause more than any
event Of the A victory there may have cost
the sacrifice Of a large number of men, but would
no, I've loss be economy in the end il such blow
would have FASTENED the termination OF the war;
We cannot expect success without fierce and
bloody contests; and IL our Generals and our
armies are not willing to fight such battles, we
may as well negotiate peace at once.
The reverse ut Fredericksburg has probably de
moralized the army aud the country more than
asy other dis ster Of the ~ JUS
So far as the army is concerned, the following
opinion as TO iss effect was ELECTED q Irng the ex
animation Of General SUMNER:
Quesfion--In regard 10 the condition of the
army since the battle, is il demoralized any more
than by the loss of that number of mem
Answer--I think it is. $500
Question--To whit extent and Nv what way2
Answer-It is difficult To describe it in any other
way than by saying there is great deal too
much croaking; there IS not sufficient confidence
And this feeling is not confined to the army
alone-it pervades the whole country. The peo-
pie have lost confidence in the administration
in its ability TO successfully administer the Gov
ernment. Coun; the cost of the experiment for
the last twenty months. and what fearful reckon.
ing is il. divided country; the sacrifice on our
part OF quarter OF million of men; a public
debt of a thousand millions of dollars, and grind
ing taxation in the present and in the future
briefly tells the story.
During the present dynasty there has been no
exhibition Of craftsmanship. of executive ability.
or of generaIshp and the failure at Fredericks-
burg removes the last vestige of faith and conf
dence in the ability of the Admin'st to
successfully cope with the difficulties of the ma
ton in the future To use cant phrase of the
radicals. the life of the nation" has been well
nigh crushed out by Abolitionism The strength
and resources of the country are rapidly aud use
lessiy fritted away. and to-day the rebellion APP
pears more formidable than il has at any period
since its beginning And the reason is evident.
The destinies Of the nation are controlled by a
party, Administration. incompetent to the
task. and, as the results show, incapable of gov
srning it. How long will the people submit to
such state of affsirs-to policy linked with
disaster. and which promises only the shipwreck
of the nation7