The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-11-28
Gen. Summers Delay.

Gen. Sumner was sent by Burnside to take
Frederick sburgh, which was to form the base
of supplies of our army. The good, patient
old General leisurely trots down there, and,
instead of opening his guns, as the urgency
of the case demanded, opens correspond
ence with the rebel mayor. Sundly white
rags are passed back and forth and after
about tao days wasted in useless delay by
our troops, and improved by the rebels to
bring up more men and guns, it is concluded
that the city cannot be surrendered but must
be fought for and yet little favor would be
acceptable-a few days more or less, to ena-
bic Gen. Lee to prepare for defence, though
asked on behalf of women and children-aud
then Gen. Sumner might try and see if he
could march forward or not.
We think that the truth about Gen. Sum-
ner's march upon Fredericksburgh when
stripped of all the gloss which false human
ity gives it, amounts 70 nothing but an I'M
parconable, criminal and unsoldierly delay.
This country has long suffered the horrors
of desolating war; the hundreds of thous.
ands in the field and the millions at home
are sutferirg all the wrongs that wicked
and unnatural rebellion can bring. With a
large and we'll provided army and an able
commander our Government makes the third
attempt to capture Richmond. Once more
the nation breathes free, and "thank God the
army moves, again - goes up to heaven as
a national prayer. But Notwithstanding the
imperative necessity Of despatch, Grandmarm
Sumner sits down to his desk and opens
lengthy correspondence with the rebels, and
the whole country reads from the daily paper
and tie bulletin board in staring capitals,
The surrender of Frederick burgh is de-
handed"
The loss of time occasioned by Summers
sooleries will cost the country more lives
than all the inhabitants of Fredericksburgh
in its palmiest days. 1t will. make more
widows and orphans than the whole cam.
p;ign On the Peninsula. 1t was just what
the rebels wanted. If they Gould have or
dered all things for themselves this was just
what they would have required. 1t gives
them time to prepare long line of defences
of which Fredericksburgh is the outward
redoubt, so to speak.
Some may think humanity demanded this
long delay to enable the women and children
TO be taken from the city. Bah! Women
and children indeed. The city could be va
Gated in three hours of all its inhabitants. But
even if they. could not, our troops should
have advanced and if the enemy fred they
would have been the ones responsible. This
was the way Jackson did when retreating
before Fremont after Banks defea:-he put
the prisoners on his flank and marched on,
and Fremont did not fire, seeing he would
kill the prisoners. Humanity is very well.
out when the whole nation is weighed aga;ns,
a few rebel inhabitants it would be we'll to
choose the least of two evils. 4 few more
such humane acts and our nation will be
our men in graves and our women
and children filing the land with lamenta-
TONS
The rebels have no such nice feelings
They dash into place at once and dictate
terms there. We really believe that some OF
our Generals would delay their forces for
little matter like few days in order that
rebel who had sick pig might remove him
to place of safety, and in the mean time the
country could be solaced by the ,ime-honored
news Of 8" All is quiet in 'front.'
Gen. Mcclellan gave Lee day to bury his
dead at Antietam, and Lee said to himself
Let the dead bury their dead" and cooilv
walked off with the living. 1t is high time
We had some Of the dash which has charac-
terlZed the rebelS-our men are as strong
and brave, and had they been allowed would
have carried Fredericksbnrgh at the point of
the bayonet, and our army could have
marched on.