Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-01-30

| began to i'll with the aylny ana tIe QeQu. 1 But still the crossing went on, his seven thonsand five hundred men, according to Stone, were thrown over But of these not more than eighteen hundred ever saw the field. They had to climb the mud of the l bluff, dragging their dismounted arms after them, before they could reach the field, which they could not but suppose would open to them fair fight, if not a scene of victory But this difficult ascent led them to no field of fair or equal war, but slaugh- ter pen-to mere trap, to a horrible Col gotha. The position of the enemy was screened from view or aim by thick growth of timber, and to this burial ground, as the boats one by one, brought them over, went up the devoted and doomed, treading those tracks to the lions den, all pointing in one direction and showing no returning foot prints. Behind them rolled the river deep and broad and which they were never to | repaSs. Before them, and surrounding them on every side, glared their skulking and sheltered foe. Into the deadly trap | thev went, too few to remain and too many to come back If there had been more of them they might have held their position, and dispensed with means for crossing the river. If fewer they might have escaped in their boats; but there being but seven teen hundred there was nothing for them but to stay and perish. Nobly did they full fill their destiny. Their desperate stub
 bornness, their calm front, their heroic courage, served only to gid, with tints of glory, the bloody picture of their murder. 1 Their movements had been stealthily watch ed from the first The feast of death had been prepared for them, and the number de- sired to be present and partake oft had been calculated. When the efoomed number had been drifted over the bloody revelry began. In an hour, of less than an hour, the deadly fire of unseen foes hedged them in on every side, and they melted away beforei it. The fight was lost before 1t began. It was a mere sacrifice of brave men From the first there was not the slightest hope of escape or promise of victory. It was only a won der that any escaped The charge and dar ing of the light brigade described by the poet is alone applicable to the devoted he- roism of these men on the fatal field of Balls Bluff. There was
 Cannon to the right of them,
 Cannon to the left of them,
 Cannon to the front of them,
 Into the Jaws of hell rushed the six hundred.
 Those who did not die on the field were forced down the steep bank of the river, and here to save their arms from falling ln- to the hands of the enemy threw them into the stream: and many, alas, sought and found watery grave. The last act of this tradcgy and gross blunder, if not the sad dest, was the most sickening and appalling of them all The miserable fatboat, on re- turning to the island, was laden with the mangled the wearied and the dying. The quick and the dead were huddled together in one struggling, mangled mass, and all went down into that dOlcful river, never again to rise. Leesburg was illuminated ' that nigh illuminated by paracides and rebels, and another foul laurel was added to those of Bull Run, Big Bethel, the block adc of the Potomac, and the tame surrender of our navy yards and magazines. Such was the battle of Balls bluff Such 1t stands to-day on the page ofshistory. The States whose soldiers most severely suffered in 1t must be named-New York, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania In the name of the brave and lamented men who fell that day, out of regard for the living and the dead, out of regard for the great interests to be affected by an investigation, l think all the circumstances connected with the planning and execution of the battle ought to be brought to light. I hope they will be. l hope the committee appointed to investi- gate into the conduct of the war will not overlook the battle. l hope no apologies and no private interests will dissuade from an investigation into 1t, by any statements that the revelations of the whole truth will be detrimental to the public service, come from what quarter that statement may. l do not think that, after the publication of the report of ad lutant-general, i'll reference to the division of Gen. Fremont, the pub lication of any thing can be injurious to any body. In any court ofthe justice, at least ac- cording to the we'll settled principles ofequi ty and justice the military authorities who | oppose this investigation and the publication of the facts, wonld be stopped from settl ting their votes against 1t. At all events, the House will be safe in ventillating the au- thors, and holding up to public view, too, the authors of the greatest national calam
 ity and disgrace which has yet been talked of in Gath and published in the streets of Askalon I want it to be distinctly un- derstood that push this matter on the at tention of the House and the country on several points, each of which call loudly for explanation, if an explanation be offered. In the first place, the division of Gen. Me Call was on the same side of the river with Leesbnrg, within few hours march, and yet was not employed in the attack, but another division was selected lying on the opposite side of the Potomac. Secondly, the crossing place selected was one of the worst and most dangerous that could have been formed Third, there was want of transportation, insomuch that means of crossing, absolutely indispensable, were wholly unprovided, although they might have been easily procured. Fourth, the number of troops sent over to Balls Bluff was wholly insufficient, and this though more than the needed number were close at hand. Fifth, no achievements reached Col. Baker, although, aside from the com mand of Gen. Mccall, there were troops and artillery on both sides of the river with in four miles of the field of battle. All these grounds of sensure may be explainable; if so 1t is but just to the living and the deud ! that an opportunity should b, If r lef If