The New York herald., 1862-10-23
Rebel summing Up or Bragg's CsmpAsgn
in Kentucky.
From the Richmond Whg, Oct 2Ol


THE KENTUCKY ARsy.
our news from kentucky no! by any means, j,fa-
THY the expectations which had been founded ON the
Geographic intelligence Of the previous few days By
tho tenor of the eiegrams received from the wcst
had bet led to believe that General Bragg had gained
thoroughly beaten, il no. completely denorazed We
can scarcely conceive how such reports got into
tion. Battles here battles there battles every where
described all Of them being Confederate victories
and resulting In the capture Of multudinous prisoners
and infinite artillery To he sure II was rather difficult
to comprehend the strategy Of these complicated move
ments ana tho tactics OF these numerous ied3 but,
nevertheless, the reports came from many sources
inclined to credit them with at least basis Of truth
Yet turns out that after the battle Of Perryvle
6th inst no general action fought. Kirby Smith en
coun;ered Critendcns forces near Frankfort. and de-
featcd them, and this s the last hear Of any fighting
For some days nothing s known of the movements OF
army We had imagined it advancing on LOuisviiI or
perhaps, crossing the Kentucky river and threatening
Cncinnai we had cherished the deuson that 1t was az
less holding commanding position in the midst Of the
!ertile and tsemng region OF central Kentucky But all
this time. II was rereatingfaling back tho polite
term-from the neighborhood OF Louisville to the ex.
southwestern corner OF the State from the pro.
ductive blue grass country to the mountain counties
whore life is burthen TO q grasshopper.
Our last advices render certain that Bragg army Is
abandoning Kentucky and that 10 in position
the neighborhood Of Cumberland Gap We do not know
and do nos pretend to divine tho of this retroade
movement. We do know that 1t has profoundly dissp
pointed and mortified people, und dashed tho
hopes thcyad formed OF lbarating Kentucky and Ten
nessse. We had expected, and reasonably expected
FROM Genera, Bragg's magnificent army something
more than a moro incurslon to the neighbOrh0od
OF tie thl0 river-soinethng than fr,,tess
ma ones and barren battles We had anticipated from
General bragg something than boastfu orders
troops and sounding procanatons 10 the people beyond
the Ohio We had formed exalted hopes o! thsgreat ex
pedton which he led tho tennessee river, and
nearly up 10 the suburhs Of Louisvie His long delay
1upclo his hesancy Mt Chattanooga his tardy advance
into Kentucky had shaken public confidence butfcw
willing to condemn so long opportunity yet remained
for contamination of the grand objects OF the campaign
Il all over now The Kentucky movement IN the hands
Of General Bragg has turned out to be simply ze No
other word appropriately describe it, II hss been
from beginning to end 4 brilliant blunder and 4 mag
ncent failure Without losing BATTLE General RragX
bias suffered all the consequences OF doteai after march
ing hundreds Of miles pursuit of flying enemy after
capturing towns and cities, menacing Cincinnati and
Threatening Louisville fighting and winning battles aud
taking Thousands of prisoners he turns his back hs
conquess and leaves TO the beaten and wondering
my all the advantages OF victory wc told that
army gained glorious triumph at Perryvlle and
that KIRBY Smith defeated Crttenden Frankfort.
We kuow tina, whipped Nielsen nj Richmond, and that
Morgan performed the most gallant exploits at many
ins that took town after town. and captured vast
numbers OF prisoners All these achievements which
win sd"rn history but will thoy compensate fOF the
disappointment Of hopes and the failure Of grand
schemes for the liberation " Kentucky and the reemp
oa Of Tennessee The fact romans that after ali
glorous msrches. battles and victories,
our army is Cumberland Gap and the enemy pos
session again OF all Kentucky The campaign isover and
General bragg has dons-just nothing al. alt.