The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-12-15

proved such at Gaines Hill) with Burnside
whipped and driven back on the left, no won
der Mcclellan granted truce; and no won
der if he felt relived when the morning dis
covered Lee on the other side of the Potomac.
People may sneer at this fight and blame
the federal commander for not gaining more
substantial victory; but history must tell that
with hastily organized army-organized out
of the beaten columns Of Pope, and the dis
couraged fragments ofhis own peninsula ar
my-he made long and, say what you WILL
hurried march through Maryland, dispersed
the enemy at Sonth Mountain, and met the
combined Southern army at Antietam, includ-
ing Jackson with his 10000 victorious and,
se!f-betieciag, invncibe men, flushed with
their success at Harper's Ferry and the ease
with which they had beaten greater army
few weeks before on the plains of Manassas,
and defeated them. and drove them from the
loyal State of Maryland. Mcclellan might
have done more; aye, and he might have done
less by attempting more, which is considera-
tion never entering into criticisms of his cam
paign by the gambling war critics. But Nc
Clellan is not a gambler, nor fatalst. Dash
is good thing in its place; but, in the end, it
is no match for Prudence. Napoleon believed
in dash; the only man who could, and did,
beat him, was noted for his caution and pru-
dence. However, do not propose a defence
of Gen. Mcclellan personally. / believe his
style of conducting campaign the only one
certain to be successful. A hap-hazard con-
duct of affairs might do il up for us; but there
cgain is chance-and chance is as likely TO IA
vor sinner as saint. 1t is safe to say that nine
tenths of the army had faith in Mcclellan, and
regarded his removal with sorrow, not only
because it savored of injustice, but because
rhey thought it would interfere with the cam
paign just commenced But now that it is
done, having confidence in the powers that b.
no one thinks of mnrmuiing. Gen. Burnside
is a universal favorite, skilfull and cautious
general, and possesses the confidence Of the
army in degree second to none save our for
mer chief The army has all confidence in
him, and he will bring out its fighting qualities
when the time comes, to its utmost extent
With such commander, If allowed his own
time, we must succeed, and that, too, ere long.
If mistake not, this army will not winter on
the Rappahannock.
Our boys have been busy at work for the
past week, in fitting up tents, fire-fioors, ETC.,
but they have their labor for their pains, for
orders have just come in to have three days
rations issued, and be ready to march at six
o'clock, A. NJ. This looks like work, and /
must needs hang up my pen, no doubt to your
great relief. Now for Richmond. or -!
But, softly, this may be only ga change of base"
As Artemas Ward would say: things is onsar
tain on the military checkerboard-and Fred
ericksburg is not ours, albeit it is thought that
the women and children have evacuated the
limits thereof But is Sumner really "bull
in china shop" as brave Phil. Kearney once
styled him? Or is he bull that cant get into
Fredericksburg We shall see. ELLERY.