Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-12
Gsaeral BrazsOn Bragg.

GeHernA bPazt0m HRaRHs
From the Sayaunah News
Mr.. EDITOR The presumption Of some q
| our editors and newspaper scnbbleTs is perfectl,
astounding. Although hundreds Of miles froz
the seat Of war, and with no data whatever OF
which TO ground an opinion, they indulge in tn
most wholesale denuneistons Of our first mill
tary chieftains. 1t is painful to witness sucl
recilessness among those who control, % a laIg,
/ extent, the views and feelings Of our people
Already have several articles appeared in differ
1 snt papers in the State rshecting most severely
| and uniustly on General Brazton Bragg, aud 4
| would seem that if they could sOnae men would
dana him for everlasting.
| 1 am no special admirer Of General Bragg
| but having been with him from the time the
army Of the Mississippi left Chattanooga until il
got back to Knoxville last week, / claim TO know
something Of his plans, and Of the difficulties
aud em0aTFassmeDts be had 10 c0nteRd with,
aud the causes which made his expedition into
Kentucky partial failure; and after considering
the whole, am perfectly satisfied that while
General Bragg failed TO accomplish all he de-
signed b do ia msFcking bis army into Ken
lucky, he did vast deal, and that be deserves
the sympathy and confidence Of our people,
rather than their condemnation and distrast
Would that thoss men who characterize General
Bragg's expedition as an utter failure, could be
heroic General Albert Sidney johnson. who was
sacrificed by an ungrateful, distrusting people
Gen. Bragg, Is have right to know con
trsry to his expectations and against his Wifhes
wss made commander Of the array OF the Mis-
sissippi. Be believed that Gen. BsauFegard was
The maa for she place, and he expected, As did
Cen. Beauregard himself, that IS soon as bis
health was restored be would be appointed to
that dsDsrtment but President Davis. for
reasons ksOs0H only to himself determined other.
wise, and Gen. Bragg was put in command.
Like brave patriot he entered upon his duties,
and in an incredible short time he had his army
in fine condition and good discipline on thsir
march into Kentucky. As to his plan Of Op-
er8tiOns l am sure that in the main it was iden-
ticsl with that suggested by General Beauregard
and differed only in 4 few uasssential points
Thers was 40 fault ia the plan-tkat loss adaiTa-
bls-the failure was il its execution. Gsasral
Bragg did not sre;ute his plan faliy because Of
difficulties he could neither foresss nor sonirsl
Before Gen. Bragg's array had got TO Chatla-
nOoga, Gen. Buell. hsd left Huntsville and was
leaving Stevenson Gen. Bragg proposed to
give him battle 81 Battle creek and at kcMin-
vile, but he Pushsd on his retreat through Mur-
freasboro' 70 Nashville. At Nashville he also
refused to make q stand and hurried on TO
Bowling Green. But why did Gen. Bragg les
Buell. get away from him = For the reason that
he had got fifty miles the start Of him. and the
terrible Cumberlrnd Mountains between them.
Gen. Bragg expected this, and pushed on with
bis army 70 Green river, where he intercepted
Gen. Buell. and Gus of bis retreat. Hare he
captured 4500 prisoasFE, and large quantity Of
stores, and here he intended to give Gen BusIl
fight. Why did be not do it7 For the best
reason in the world-he could get ne base Of
operations. All the creeks and rivers bad gone
dry-thsTe were no mills IUnning-he could get
neither meal nor hJUI-lt vas impossible 10 get
q days ratiOns ahead. But why did he not
foresee this Because ne had been sadly de-
ceiYed by pretended Kentucky friends, who, In
stead of having grain and -four in abundance
for his army, as they promised, Absolutely went
ahead of him aud removed everything of the
kind out of his reach. But was not Buell. in the
same condition Not at all--for the force that
had been occupying Bowling Green for weeks
before had gathered in a large supply Of all
kinds Of provisions, and he was well provided.
For thsse reasons Gen. Bragg was compelled
to move of the Nashville and Louisville pike
IN the direction of Bsrdstown, and could only
bow 10 Gen Buell. ss be passed him on his way
30 Louisville. Nor could Gen Bragg make q
successful stand at Bardstown for the very
same reasons, and also because it was impossi-.
bic for Gen. Smith 10 join him in time to meet
Gen BUelPs largely increased army. 1 think il
permanent stand anywhere in Kentucky sfteF
be left Bardstown, and that the battle of Perry
vile was necessity, and fought preparatory tc
our retreat Gen. Bragg found nc friends in
Kentucky th2t were worthy CT the name. Gen.
Kirby Smith bad let Gen. Morgan get away.
GeD BEeckinTidgo had failed TO come With bis
rsinfcreemeuss. Gems Van Dorm and Price had
been beaten BY Gen. Rosseranz Gen. Buell. vas
within two days of sDy number Of reinforce
ments, while Gen. Bragg was ten days distance
from any a. 81. Winter was hard upon him,
and he had received a letter from the President
10 save his army at all hazards What could
Gen. Brsgg do but what he has done II he
had stopped and fought Busl, aud routed him,
be would At last have been obliged to fell back
upon the Gap and Knoxville; and that, too, ua-
der the greatest possible Disadvantages. If
Gems. Van Dorm and Price had suceosded ia
Mississippi; if Gems. Stevenson and Marshall
had captured Morgan; and if KsntaekiAns had
done one half what they promised Gen, Bragg
our army would now be quArtsrsd around Lou
isvills, ard the State would have been redeemed
But the failure of these contingencies made il
absolutely necessary for Gen. Bragg 10 fall back
upon Knoxville.
ButGsneral Bgsgg' xpedision into Kentucky
WAS nos failure-irWas really great success.
From the time his army left Chattanooga and
Knoxville until ii returned, he captured ever
eighteen thousand prisoners, killed and wounded
over eight thousand of the enemy, aAd destroy
ed immense quantities Of stores. Hs liberated
Tennessee, thas sdding thousands Of soldiers to
our ranks, and furnishing our army with vast
quantities of provisions that can now be bad.
He captured and brought out of Kentucky
thousands Of mules ana norses, and cattle, and
bacon and flour, and cloth and shoes. And he
did more things-he has enabled the govern
nent and country to see what the trne atatus Of
Kentucky is: that she is utterly subjagsted--
that we may hope for nothing from her in eur
present great struggle and also, that the idea of
invasion by our army is sbsnTd
CAPFAIN IN THs Army