Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-01-10
GBe NIenqBis 9ppeaI.
vENpTcATION OF GEN. mcCULLOCH,

q OE @nNa lACS
EDITORS APPEAL: 1nyOur paper OF the Sd inst,
there appeared an editorial article in reference 70, the
forces under the command of Gen. McCullOeh, which is
calculated to do that Distinguished officer the greatest IN
Justice. in the minds Of those who are not acquainted with
the condition Of affairs on that distant scene Of operations
and in reference 70 which beg to make & brief statement
diselaiming any wish or intention Of doing injury to any
one. and seeking only to vindicate those who have no
voice against their accusers, and who only ask that the
solemn truth should be the measure by which their ser
vices in the cause are to be estimated by their fellow
eifizens The true soldier scons the cunning arts Of the
tdekster. and bows to those for whom he stakes his all in
The v~indication Of his motives.
This is not the first publication that has been made in
the columns Of newspapers calculated to mislead the pub
lie in reference to the movements Of the column under
Gen. NcCulloeh. And that officer has been oOntented to
make good his reply to all such injustice by redoubled
efforts against the eomEon enemy. He has no honorary
ssaf Of Newspaper correspondents 10 magnify every TN
imDortaut movement Of bis command into something dis
plsyinr the most wonderful military talents And this
brief statement is written upon my own responsibility Ior
the simple purpose Of stating q few facts upon which the
people can form their own opinions have been with
Gen. MeCulOch ashis Gia-de-oeMP, since the list OF July,
s~f the statements I make are upon my personal knowf
eage.
North Missouri with 4 force insufficient 70 hold mis- posi-
ton szainst any force which the Federaists might bring
Against him, 70 DO the people in that region OF the state
the NTNat MiuHEGc oA dIAu1lAh AEAA AA0 1ENA Gu
avowsac cooperation with the Confederate armies, and
then leaving them without arms and without organiza-
tion, to the tender mercies Of the Dutch murderers from
81 Louis He insisted from the beginning that the ad-
vance should be permanent, and In such force that the
EaOple would be assured Of protection He was satisfied
that when the chance was offered, the hostile Greeks I'M
der Opotblevholo. together with the jayhawkers Of
Kansas, would overrun and pilage the country IN his
rear aud eut of his supply trains which would have 10
come from the White and Arkansas rivers, a distance of
four hundred miles. Recent events have vindcated the
wisdom Of these impressions 1t is only necessary to
point to the occurrences Of the past three months % sat
isfy any one that the bret step toward the liberation o.
Missouri from the Yankee yoke, should have the Organt
zadon Of her forces under the command and direction Of
ffe Confederate government It's almost Impossible 70
conceive how two forces, acting for a common purpose,
but deriving their powers fram different sources, and
ruriue responsibility 10 separate and distinct authorities.
would fail 10 come in collision, engendering radical diff
fsYenoes q opinion and action, in the complex and ever
changing conditions Of an extended field of military OPP
erati0uz II such collisions have occurred 1t IS no taultOi
Gen. McCnIiOch, as be il responsible only to the govern
meut which he serves, ant not subject 10 any state an
thogitv Whatever. Gen McCulloch has been anxious az
the time to cooperate cordially in every effort 70 drive
the enemy from the country, but he has not telt at lib
erty 10 sscrihce the settled convictions Of his maturest
iudgment save upon the suggestions Of those 10 whose
orders be OWES and il ever ready 10 yield the readiest
obedience
After the battle Of Oak Hills he proposed that Spring
field should BE- held with the view Of assembling the
Efiss 3ui Legislature there, which could declare the State
no longer a member Of the Federal Union, O ganize her
forces. and turning them over 70 President Davis, place
both commands under whoever might be designated by
the oropsr authority. He called as often as three separate
tim - upon Gen. Price, after his retreat from Lexington,
fr Inc purpose Of forming some definite and concerted
plan Of campaign, but that distinguished officer preferred
- pursue his own purpos s, and a tur1her union o. the
armies was defeated He caused Gen. Pearee TO lend
Gen. Price six hundred ard fifteen muskets, an furnished
the Missouri army with whatever mum lens he could
spare and they were foundto be in need Of Is is well
Known thst for weeks previous 10 the fight AZ OAS Hills
I've Confederate troops had been subsisting almost eEclu-
si,'eiy upon gr,Sa corn The pursuit Of the eEsmy. how
eversiempdHg, was uurriy impossible. The gallant men
who hsd wen imperishable renown upon that bloody field
go - 49, - n~nwaW fun1 HIaE a
foucshf all day without breakfast and without dinner. II
ram irs but a knowledge Of the State Of Missouri 70 con
vi1ce any one OF the complete hopeiessness Of advancing
more faa1 four hundred nEes I ON the bass OF Opera
tons and s~oarae,of our supplies, against alargely superior
force, who had de advantages OF the Missouri nyer and
the Hannibal and st Joseph railroad on the Borth SIDE
and the road % S dalia On the south, by which any
number Of men and any quantity Of supplies could be
Drovi5ea in a very brief period. The Ectuni fighting, as
eyerv sxperisnced soldier knows, s. the least part Of .
successful campaign. II Is the transportation and snb-
kisteuce Of the command which gives the greatest trouble,
and against the iainre Of which the prudent commander
Is most esreful 10 provide. The advance from Springfield
a. the Missouri river would have been through a region
slrsady, 70 a great degree, exhausted and without a very
largely increased means Of transportation would nave
res1iisd in a p~reciptate Tetreat-not from the enemy, but
from starvation.
The Undersigned knows that Gen MeCuilOch feels the
daepest anxiety 70 drive the invaders from the soil Of
Buss0anL He entertains the Warlnest sympathy Tor nei
Raispt sons, and h ever ready 10 strike whenever the
bloz may be effective. He has taken ms troops "ta nee
,uarter because Of the want Of tran portafi0n and sup-
plies generally, and beeanse he knows that nothing 0ai
disaster await any effort 10 hold the northern half OF
Missouri in the present condition Of the service. The
sDriuz viii open with 3 different state of things; the
meu and horses viii be fresh sDd strong, and the amplesi
prenarations for q forward advance made.
The uukiud reference TO the lauTels Of Oak Hills
whitening upgn his brow comes haEshly upon the hearts
Of tbose Tor whom the veteran soldier has freely Offered
his blood. and particularly as il comes from the State
which gave him birth. Gen McCuhoch Is a man o.
zsfon. If there has been thought to be some reason foT
complaint in the halts and bitches of the service N the
Byef il should be remembered that he Is not the superior
in comn1snd. and II be has failed 10 do his duty, It IF
becaase Others could not soc what that duty was len
rsadv 70 move wherever the good OF the country calls
And whether his heroic and daunfiess action on the neia
Of battle. or biz eeaseless vigilance in the care Of ms
men and the performance Of Otner duties shall WIN tme
lind words Of those fer whom he tolls. he viii ever be
found in The path Of duty s~teadfasily and firmly uphold
ing the right and maintaining the honor and safety Of the
cause and the dignity and integrity OF the government
regardless Of the miserable elamOr which seeks IN vain 20
draw him from the iron-handed dispute with the msoieei
Invaders Of his countys soil.
j have the honor 10 be yoHr ohedient servant,
F. W. ARMSTRONG.
January 4, 1862