Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-05
w re S T f r:
FRIDAY, SEPT. ., 1862.
Let it be Done.

A despatch from Washington says I'VE
have high authority for saying that the gov
eminent will Immediately institute an inquiry
into the causes Of certain recent events 1t
is believed that whoever is found to blame, be
lie maior-general or brigadier, will be pun
ished." There is certainly pressing need of
such an investigation; and, after ascertaining
who is responsible for the delay in sending
forward the divisions of Franklin and Sumner
from Alexandria, let there be proper inquiry
into some other matters. There are many
people who desire to have clear account of
the behavior of Gen. Mcdowell during the
battle of Cedar Mountain. He was near the
battlefield yet did nothing to reinforce or aid
Gen. Banks, it is said and believed, but re-
manned inactive and indifferent until Gen.
Pope came along and put his men in motion.
Is this true? and is it true also that he has
acted very badly on some other occasions?
Reports, rumors, and private correspondence
deal sharply with him.
We fear that Gen. Mcdowell and some
other prominent army officers, have but little
claim to the positions they occupy, beyond
their pretensions as ''West Pointers ) and we
are very sure that some of the volunteer off
GERS now or heretofore occupying very subor-
dinate positions, are every way as much supe-
rior to such men as Mcdowell as it is easy to
imagine. We have befooled ourselves and
weakened the force of our military operations,
by the false assumption that regular army
officers are necessarily superior to other men
for military work. When all concerned think
and feel more sensibly, and bring forward the
ablest men without regard to "West Pointism,"
the leaders of the army will become worthy
the men and the cause.
Gen. Mcdowell is vehemently denounced
for his conduct in the battle last Saturday.
The Washington Republican gives the follow
ing as a specimen Of the reports in regard to
his behavior in that battle =
at is said that our army under Mcdowell,
which was the extreme left, occupied an open
field on slightly elevated position, and were
drawn up in line for battle. On the opposite
side of the field, some distance in front, skirt
ed by piece of wood, were posted the rebels
Our front line near the centre was constituted
of the Rhode Island battery and some artil-
lery. These batteries were in position to
play upon the rebels and to hold themin abey-
ance, keeping them in the woods, SO that they
were unable to do us much damage.
cat this juncture Mcdowell is said to have
deployed considerable force of infantry d.
rectly in front of the batteries, which, of
course, had to be silenced or destroy our own
forces. No sooner was this done than the
rebels came out and poured most CALLING
and destructive fire directly upon our brave
men. There were several such maneuvers,
blunders or Mistakes call them what you will,
during the battle, all said to be ordered by
Mcdowell.
"The clamor against Gen. Mcdowell in the
army is said to be universal, some charging
him with mismanagement merely, while 9TH
ers denounce him as a traitor 1t is plain
that, whether the charges against him be true
or false, he can no longer be useful as Il COM
mander. He is distrusted by his troops and
to a degree which will prevent their fighting
successfully under him. If he is unjustly
accused it is a grievous misfortune for him.
He must, in that case, look to the future for
his yindicaton. But in the meantime, there
is clear necessity that he should be with
drawn from any command"