Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-19
The Fight ut Fredericksburg. lawful
Responsibility f the War Depart.
ment.

ment.
The news which we published yesterday and
publish to-day from the Rappshanock s highly
creditablc to aDle generals and gallant troops.
but far from honorable 10 the War Department,
or hopeful Tor the country. With brilliant deeds
OF arms and with the most terrific lighting. the
enemy is stiIi in possession of his stronaholds
and We have failed To disodge him Burnside
has done all that skillful commander could do.
the subordinate officers have acquitted themselves
like heroes, and the rank and hle OF our army
have fought with an obs;inacy and a determine.
ton almost without a parallel in the history OF
war Yet, from the advantage, po>sesse cd by the
enemy, the ass ,ult upon his works has been I'M
successful. and thousand OF braves have fall en-
IN vaIn. The truth my well be told--the
finest army that ever trud the earth. possessing
superior arms, large and small, and with all the
appliances and resources OF war 1t command, has
suffered decided repuse NJ the hands of "A half
naked, half starved. halt armed toe.
The easy crossing the river OF Thursday was
suspicious circumstance. which the subsequent
events have only too we'll explained The rebel
General IN Chief saw the advantage Of the rosi
tiOh which the authorities at Washington threw
into his hands, and he made good use of the op
pOrtunity. This route 70 Richmond was the very
one which the Irsurgent chiefs desired our Gov
eminent to select. IL abouuds with natural diiIi
cultes. and the War Department has permitted
the enemy tn acid 80 many artificial distinctions
that the campaign IN Virginia this winter is likely
20 prove a failure.
The story of this campaign is the story of the
Chickahominy Harrl>ons Landing and Ante
tam repeated Relniorcements were deliberately
ami pertnacIOuSly withheld from McCelan pre-
vious to the seven days battles before Richmond.
which reiniorcements would have placed him in
possession OF that city i'm q lew DAYS and saved
thousands OF lives The same l. true of the sit
uaton ~ Harrson's Landing. After the terrible
battle uf Antietam, which won by his skill.
saved Washington and causel the enemv to re-
treat the Potomac. neediul supplies were
withheld from him, which prevented the rapid
pursuit OF Lee; and when he was at length in
close proximity TO the foe. and would have com
PEELED him to light or abandon Richmond. he was
suddenly removed from the command OF the
army.
The strong probability is chat had Mcclellan
been permitted 10 continue his own course, he
would have been in possession of the rebel cap
ital within a week. But he was stripped of his
command TOR political reasons, by the imbeciles
az Washington, and the base of operations was
changed 10 Aqua Creek course belraying the
same vacillation aud blind cropping in the dark
which had been previously exhibited in the case
of McDowell's army Mcclellan was ordered
to advance bs the Valley Of Virginia toward
GOrionsviile. The plan i Abandoned. anu an
other u substituted which is still worse and
Which, no military man OF ability would have
recommended, McCie.lam's own plan was the
route tie James river plan which will prob
abby YET have 90 be adopted Il Richmond Is ever
Ia be taken
Burnside was appointed Mcclellan successor
and Was directed To proceed - Falmouth. appo
site Fredericksburg The bridge had been
burned down lnslead oi having the maerials
for the repair of the railroad from Aquia Creek
To fredericksburg ready. IN order tor the speedy
transportation OF supplies. nothing had been done
when General Burnside arrived. and worse stilF
the pon'oous tor crossing the were not there
his rel tape neglect MAS - Hagrsnt it caused
General Burnside himself o. repair TO Washing
ton 10 demonstrate with ''the powers that be-"
For ten DAYS their ARRIVAL was delayed. which
gave the enems ample time concentrate his
forces and 70 erect strong notifications on the
hills behind Frederick 50 ugg
Had the pOni0Ons been N hand when Burnside
reached Falmouth. he would have captured Fred
eTcksburg without a struggle. occupied the IN -hrs
beyond without any difficulty. anu probably wo1iti
have been in Richmond before now had sup
porting movement 81 the >sioe time been made
OF the james river Tie ground behind Frel
esackShury then unfortifei. and the city was
held only by handful OF rebels be delay
fatal: and Lee could ask 20 greater advantage
than the CROSSING Of our army in the face of his
worss-An army with a river close at rs back 10
cut off it, retreat IN the event OF 4 disastrous de
feat. and enemy before il which could either
give battle or safely retreat. According 10 circum
stances The result u renuise. great loss al hie
and probably greater loss ia the future The War
Department Is accountable. The c0untr, is thor
oushly aroused. snd. in view OF the direct and
ie irfui responsibilities ct the Government the
people. We trust Mr.. Lincoln will lose 40 Lme in
putting eud 10 a career OF imbeciIity which j.
ru..ias. the i@lion and bT.ae.ns, IL into coa,ienlsi
With the civilized world IN Y. Herald f' ~