Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-02-12
Letters From the War.
By GEORGE WILKES.

/ Letters From the War.
By GEORGE WILKES.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.
DEAR SPIRIT:-It would be difficult to
describe to you the abounding and over.
whelming satisfaction which the news oi
| the great victory, at Mill Spring, in Ken.
lucky, has occasioned here; and though
the event is now six days old, the appre-
ciation of it seems rather to increase than
to decline. Every fresh instalment of de
tails reveals new merits in the action, and
the result grows in importance every time
We balance it against the general situa-
ton. The fame of General Buell., who,
! by this mastery stroke of combination,
has broken the rebel barrier which John
son had drawn up against Eastern Tenn
essee, is elevated to the highest pitch
while 9 e+cii crSI iihomas, VINO was the sword
arm of the expedition, is frankly recog-
nized as one of the most able and gallant
commanders in the federal service. On
all sides, the battle of Mill Spring is re-
garded as the most important action of
the war, and we may be helped somewhat
in our estimation of its value, by the fact,
that the rebel newspapers, which for a
while affected to disbelieve it altogether,
now reluctantly admit that it was "a Sc
rious disaster" They recognize it as a
bitter sequence in a line of signal chas-
tisements inflicted upon them since the
opening of the winter; and must accept
it, as a warning, that Northern valor, true
to its prestige in all ages, has now fairly
30, sf.,s e.. -
remainder of this struggle.
The capture of the entire rebel force at
Milford, Missouri, to the number of near
ly 1000, by Gen. Pope; the defeat of Ter
~ and his Texan cavalry at Mumfordyille,
KY, by the Indianians and 0hioans; the
heating administered at Drainsville by
four Pennsylvanian regiments, to the Ala
bamians, South Carolinians, Georgians,
Kentuckians and Virginians under Gen.
Stewart; the ignOminious rOut of Hum
phrey Marshall's braves by Col. Garfield's
forces, in the vicinity of PrestOnburg: and
the recent humiliation of Zolicoffer's
boastful division at Mill Spring, all of
which exploits have been performed by
the Union forces since the 18th Decem-
Der, should, while it teaches the rebels
they are dealing with their masters, re-as-
sure the North with confidence that it IS
fully equal to the task it has in hand. 1t
should satisfy US also, that the Union ar
my is not amenable to the pert reproach
of lying idle, for here is a series of sue
cesses, following each other rapidly with
in the short circuit of a month, which
have not only fully restored the soldierly
self-reliance of our troops, but so demOr-
allied rebellion and wrested it of its adj
yantages, that the campaign for the season
may already be regarded as half won. All
this, under the strange discouragements
of weather and the special difficulties of
transportation, should be regarded as a
signal proof of energy and vigor; and in
ure. in credit, to the COmmander-in-Chief,
against the blind complaints of those who
have been fretting at his presumed mac
ton. Let us but hear from Burnside, be-
hold the Cairo feet slip from its moorings
down the Mississippi, and then be favored
by few days frost upon the Virginia
roads, and we shall doubtless be rewarded
with as much victory and sensation, as
the most enthusiastic lover of the Union
could desire. Rebellion will, of course,
stubbornly resist, but we must, as tiercely
and angrily pursue; and all thoughts and
calculations, except such as pertain to
yqr. nlt::sst be sternly laid aside.
TIL. only drawback which the Union
suffers in its nlan, is the foolish disposi-
ton which has bee, shown by politicians
and chicken-hearted pati:ots, TO speak OF
the rebels with temporizing te1derneSsj
and to affect TO be agitated by consluU"a-
tion for the ultimate protection of their
everything shall come
right again" These slayish and short
sighted creatures are incapable of apprecia-
ting the value of an honest and direct re-
sentiment. They still speak of the high
who hold their weapons to our
throats and who have plundered the coun-
try of its peace. as ''our Southern brethren; :"
and instead of clearing their hearts with a
good sound curse at treason, palter, con-
with the issue, by railing
against the abolitionists. Insidious ennis
saries perform helping part, and the
greatest pains have been taken to pervert
the intelligence of the troops, into an apti-
tude for discussion ON this subject.
This is the greatest danger which the
country now endures, for, though 1t will
not breed the disaffection or insubordina-
ton that is hoped for, it will enfeebie the |
Government of that iron vein OF resolu-
ton, which is necessary to the proper
of this war. 1t is IA deception !
and cheat to assume, that there is any
for the Union existing in the |
rebellious States: and it is fact, that
these States are the common property of
the Union, and must be wrested back
This can only be done by sharp, bitter, ex-
treme war, and every man who is honest |
to the country should cheerfully concede |
TO any measures that may be necessary
for its preservation. Especially should |
who after having been used by |
the South for thirty years, were infamous
" betrayed, in order that, through the |
election of Lincoln there might be sur
face pretext for rebellion-especiaily |
should they feel bitter and relentless TO |
those double traitors. But strange TO say, |
ioubly and particularly wronged as they |
have been by treason, the lingering spell
Of Southern domination still rests upon
their minds. They seem to be afflicted |
with the dream that this whole war, Is, |
after all, mere political campaign, and
that in due time, these fearful Southern
ers will come frowning back to their old
seats in the Senate and the House, and
that then, those of us who have been tenn
perate and who have spoken constantly /
with bated breath of 'our Southern breth- |
rem" may retain their fierce favor, and be 1
allowed to whiffie themselves into some
secondary places when all is over. This
temper of the party hacks has
unstrung much of the resolution of the
people, and that is the reason why gener-
al anger at the crime which contemplated |
the destruction of the country has not
been commensurate with its monstrosity |
mot commensurate, either, with the |
Kind of spirit which should put il doKn. !