Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-12-12
More Decisive Fighting.

MOIG OeClSlVS ElglLlug.
five are 10 regard the wishes express
ed on both sides, the fighting which is
soon to take place in Virginia will be of
u much more decisive character thaa
any we have hitherto had. The Rich
mond Enquirer is looking for an Aus
terli,z for the rebel cause, which shall
secure Goal peace. 1t says their former
successes amounted TO nothing toward
ending the war, because they were of an
incomplete charac'e err. But now they
are entitled TO expect victory, ii any
at all, which shall be overwhelming in
its moral as well as lis material results.
Ga the other hand, Gen. IIaleck, in his
very interesting report of military opera
tons since be became Genera-in. Chief,
admits that while our soldiers have
generally fought with bravery and gained
many important battles, these victories
have not produced the usual results"
He thinks this is matter which re-
quires "serious and careful considera-
ton " ana immediate improvement, to
which end he submits sundry sugges-
lions.
Gen. Halleck thinks that our main
defect has been in rot following up our
victories with sufficient energy. lie
says n victorious army is supposed 10
be in a condition to pursue its defeated
foe with advantage, and, during such
pursuit, to do him serious, if not fatal
injury" In certain sections of our coun-
try, like the Virginia peninsula and tho
swampy regions of the Southwest, this
cannot be done, as the re;reaiing army
can interposc distractions which it will
take the pursucrs many timoi as long u
re move. But this will excuse Tut
small part of our short comings in this
respect. The real trouble, according TO
tie General-in. Chief, is due to the ex-
cess of our baggage and supply trains,
and to want of training in marches.
The army Of the Potomac has $4,000
aninals attached to il and besides these,
the roads are numbered up with suffers
teams. Great Efforts have lately been
made to reduce the baggage trains, but
they met with serious obstacles in the
a1its Of the soldiers when they lave
once been formed. Absenteeism and
'ragging Lave also much to DO in OBJ
tucting the reform aimed at; and Gen.
IIalleck calls for q revision OF our mil
iilary laws, in order the more eGeetually
to cure these evils.
The complaint which il here made on
both sides, but which, of course, involves
a far greater injury 10 the aggressive
than TO the defensive cause, is not 4 new
one. Marshal Marmont said " Gen.
erals who win victories are less rare than
those who know how to profit by VIC
tory lie lays it down as The fault Of
meliocrity-and probably inexperience
is marked by the same result. But it
is time that change were had. OF
course, we do not wish decided reverses,
or even, it it were possible TO avoid ii,
to run the risk Of them-but we are fast
coming to this alternative, viz : either to
run such risk or sacrifice our cause. 1t
is manifest that q course Of indecisiye
lighting is just the same in result 10 the
Government rs decided defeats. II eli
Their case we fail TO overcome the rebel
lion, and the Southern Confederacy be-
comes recognized fact. But the short
channel to such catastrophe is prefera-
Die in some respects to the longer, mas
much as il involves less loss OF life, less
exhaustion, and PROBABLY, Of there is
any choice between such eviIs,) less dis
credit.
Our armies and armaments, by sea
and land, are Overwhelmingly superior
to those of the foe, ahd all we want now
is q resoluie determination to push the
enemy TO the wall--to strike at the earli-
est possible moment, TO strike our heayi-
est blows, and to keep striking with the
utmost rapidly till the work is finished.
This is the only effective, as it is alto
gether the most humane and expedent
method. Tue people call for it, and the
success of the cause demands it.--Bosion
Journal
e. DR.. HUNTooS will be at North
Troy on Monday afternoon, December
22I at South Troy on Tuesday Sore
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