New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-20
MILITARY REsPONsIRILITY.


thorities, in tho matter OF dismissing abruptly
from the National service officers who have
damaged and disgraced that service, have
CROPPED their way upward TO Colonies. VIII
they stop there or shall we be permitted TO
rejoice in the assurance that even Generals can
be sent adrit when they prove glarlngly incom.
petent, cowsrdy or treaclrrous
At the very outset of our gre,t struggle, the
barbor and Navy.Yard at Norfolk vas 'arren-
dcred to Virginia rabble lei by drunkard.
when the whole might have been chased three
miles by one broadslde from tho Mcrrlmnc
alone; aud she was but one Of several splendid
ships of war then and there made over TO the
traitors. The two thousand cannon, the iu-
mense stores Of munitions and all manner Of
materi,i thu. basely betrayed into the eDemy's
hands, were worth Ten Millions OF Dollar.
Yet their loss, heavy as 1t was, would have
been fully countcrbalsnccd by the prompt trial,
conviction, and shooting Of The oowartly or
treacherous commsuder who made the surren.
der. Yet be has not even been cpIs.-msrii.i'd.
but still wears the uniform he has dsgrlcrd
and lives in luxury on thesw Of tho coultry
be has betrayed.
The more conspicuous and iisgracciu di-as-
ter Of BaIl Run ha. never yet been mnde tie
subject Of a vigorous Military SCRUTINY. Neither
Gen. Mcdowell, Gen. Patterson, nor any body
else, was ever brough. TO trial for II, save that
an inquiry into the alleged drunkenness oi
Col. Miles, who commanded the reserve, war
made, and the Court decided, in the face OF
any number Of witnesses who swOre point
blank that they saw Niles drunk and d,grac.
ing the service by buhoonery while the battle
vas going gu ~ bis front, tia, they could nj de-
tcrInine whether be was drunk or not, the evil
dence on this polut beng contradictory So
he escaped without oven . r-primand 10 iuflct
new and greater injury GU tue National cause
The alleged surprise VI our Army Of the
West at Plttsburg Landing or Shiloh, VITA at
least one green regiment IN If front without q
cartridge, tue commander in chief far in the
rear, md with several regiments bayoaeted in
their camps in broad daylight. before they Lad
time 10 form line Of battle, has aeyti been
even inquired into. How much Of the above
is true. We do not pretend to know; but II Is
widely charged that So lost Ten thousand
men that day who might have been Fa'ei, aud
came near losing Gen. Grants .hoe army,
Tor want OF the simplest Military precautions.
Why has not tbs matter been proa,d 20 thc
bottom
On tina 3Olh ult., Gen. Pope vac moo. Va
expcctedy defeated and badly handled pear,y
on tho old Bull Run battlefield. ]. Is cur
renty reported that this disaster occurred
simply because Gems. Franklin, Eitz Johr ror-
ter and Griffin deliberately refused to o5eJ iho
orders Of their superior, keeping out Of the
battle, and thus permitting Gen. Pope's ieii 20
be turned and crushed back upon BIS center
On the other hand, Gen. Pope ia accused nj
displaying signal incspacity On the battlefield
dense stupidity if not outright tseaaon.
Mcdowell alOne IL relieved from service Ia tie
field, while Pope ia assigned Dew command,
aud Franklin, Porter and Griffin are conin.
ued in their respective commands We dol
not decide WAC is right and who wrong IA The
premises we only Isist that som, tall heads
should be brought low, and that with inexOrabr
Two hours inquiry should suffice
10 convince Gen. Halleck on tbs ma n point. |
and the az should fAll within az hour alter
ward.
The recent shameful surrender al Harper
Ferry ia, we trust, our browning Disgrace
Here was an army larger than Burgoyne or
CORVALLIS EVER commanded on this continent,
With infinitely superior arms knd mWltioas,