Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-04-10
A Grunlble.

A Grumble.
 We have not, since the war began, shown a grumbling or fault finding disposition On the contrary, we have inculcated confidence in our military leaders and have insisted that many of our backward movements were necessary and the losses sustained thereby were unavoida- bte. But. of late, our confidence has been shaken and our faith made to waver in certain small leaders. We are prepared to bear losses with philosophical spirit and yield resignedly to necessity. But we do protest against the enormous losses of artillery and ammunition within the past two months. At Forts Henry and Donelson, the loss was, perhaps, unavoida- ble, but the guns might have been saved and the battle won by timely endorsements. At New Madrid, we are told that we left 20 large guns; the enemy say they took 100. Tents were left standing! the baggage of the troops, even the cooked supperS of the men, with am munition, which might have been thrown into the river, were left to fall into the hands of the federals. And the worst of all this is, that sub. sequents events show that this precipitate re- treat and general abandonment were unnecessa- ry, and that the greater part might have been saved At Newborn and other points on the coast, more guns were abandoned, some of them thiriy-two and sixty-four. .pounders. In Florida, St. Mary's and Fernandana were shamefuly abandoned. These places were detensibe but were surrendered without struggle. Roanoke was fought for and Port Royal defended, where resistance was almost hopeless, but points that might be defended successfully are let go.
 The following extract from the report of the federal commodore, Dupont, is enough to flush the cheek of any southerner who reads 1t: | The whole number of guns discovered up to this l time is thirteen, embracing heavy g poundcrs, s
 ncb guns, and one 80 and one l20 pounder rifed l gun
 The towns of St. Mary's and Fernandna are un- 1 injured I visited the town, Fort Cinch, and the earthworks on the sea face of the Island. It is i'm possible to look at these preparations for vigo- | rous defense, without being surprised that they ! should have been voluntarily deserted. The bat teries on the north and northeast shores are as com l plete as art can make them Six are well conceal l ed and protected by ridges of sand hills in front 1 ofthem, and contain perfect shelter for the men, and are so small and thoroughly covered by the nat l ural growth and the varied contours of the land | that to strike them from the water would be the l mere result of chance.
 4 battery of six guns, though larger and afford ing, therefore, better mark, s equally well shel- l tered and masked. These batteries and the heavy guns mounted, Ft. Clinch commandS all the turnings of the main ship channel and rake an approaching 1 enemy Beside them there another battery Of ] tour guns on the south end of Cumberland Island 1 the fire of which would cross the channel inside of the bar The difficulties arising from the indi- ! sectness of the channel and from the shoancss O. the bar would have added to the dcfenses by keep ing the approaching vessels a long time exposed 1 to the fire under great disadvantage.
 And when the ships of an enemy has passed all these defenses. they would have had to encounter a well constructed and naturally masked battery at l the town, which commands the access to the inner anchorage We are told that Gen. Lee pronounced the place perfectly deiensiblc. We captured Port 1 Royal, but Fernandina and Fort Cliach have been 1 given to us
 A foreigner, reading of the surrender of so many pieces of artillery; of ammunition, camp equippage and baggage, would suppose that we | had Boundaries and armories, magazines and ! factories. While Gen. Beaureasrd is calling for bells to be made into cannon, our political 0rigadier generals are cooly presenting the ene- l my with the few we have.
 Wewould not utter 3 word ilthese things were necessary, but in half the instances the cxer- else ofa little judgment and modicum ofcour- | age would have saved them. Our government must make an example ofsome ofthese politico- military chehans. The shooting oftwo or three ofthem might open the eyes of those who seek tor position without the brains or heart to know how, or dare to fight
 We have not named persons because VIZ do not care to censure until we know at whose door l the fault lies. Our army needs renoyating and the truth impressed upon the minds of those in authority that because 8 man is good stump speaker and political trimmer it by no means ! qualities him for military commander.