Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-12-02

ask nor expect profits from it All We ask is that
We may be saved from actual loss and if the Legis-
lature will appoint committee to investigate the
matter we believe that justice both to the State and
to the printer will be done. We have endeavored
to perform duty State Printer faithfully, and
shall continue to do whether the prices fixed by
law many years ago shall be increased or not
The result Of General BrasS's useless and unsuc.
cessful attempt to hold worthless position in front
Of Chattanooga, will not dsappoint any oversan-
guine anticipat;ons of the public mind. Such re.
suit has long been foreseen by oil observers of tho
situation, and the country is prepared for it. Why
he persisted in remaining there so long, is a mys-
terry only to be explained the supPoStion Of con.
certed action between himself and his tardy leuten
ant in East Tennessee.
The Confederate army did very little harm from
Lookout Mountain to the Federal forces in Chatta
nooga. The relative positions were advantageous
to the enemy. He had not two miles of hauling
for his supplies; the Confederates were forced to
drag theirs nine miles of q road that was rapid.
y killing all the cattle of the army and the country
Meantime, Sherman had been permitted to bring up
reinforcement of twenty five thousand men unmo.
Tested, and Grant had become strong enough to at.
ford large loss of life to gain military advantage
Under these circumstances retreat to the old field
of Chickamauga appeared reasonable, and was ex-
pected by the country But General Bragg held
his position until forced from it
How has it happened With his splendid army
and with unquestioned superiority of position that
he has sustained an acknowledged reversed The
answer will be made with considerable unanimity,
that General Bragg is incompetent to command !;
that he is maintained in bis important position BY
Mr. Davis against the judgment and protest Of both
country and army that neither troops nor officers
have confidence in him that he has lost battle af
ter battle by faulty arrangement of his troops and
want Of military talents; and that it is right and
reasonable to suppose that he has lost another in
the same manner. 1t Is impossible to deny that
such deductions from the facts logical and even
inevitable; but it is just to add that the develop
ment OF the news NAY support less harsh view.
At present all that is known of the matter is con-
tained in the two dispatches General Bragg's
signature, which the reader will find iu the Erams
ner of this present date. In the first of these he
states that he sustained on Tuesday a prolonged
struggle for the possession of Lookout Mountain
and that Confederate division suffered severely
the enemy lnanosuvring for position Oh other
points-that is to sag, the enemy, as usual, was
hanking General Bragg. In . second dispatch he
SAYS that the conflict has been renewed along the
whole line his right wing held its ground but that
the Confederate left wing gave way lin considera-
BILE disorder" and that he was then engaged in with
drawing everything to Chickamauga. This is the
Perhaps the result might have been different if
Longstrest and his corps of the Virginia army had
been in line. His operations in East Tennessee Of
ford little compensation for the of CBtta-
nooga nor have the late barsand scanty news from
that quarter sustained the high hopes which the
public Justly based on the first intelligence brisk.
. ly forwarded by General Bragg. His telegram de-
envy into Knoxville; that the infantry was "close
up" and it was natural To suppose that the next
news would be that Of Knoxvilles recapture. But
the next news from Longstreet contained q mention
of entertainments which suggested disagreeabe re-
miniscences of Suffolk. Since them little nothing
has been heard from Longstreet, unless We are to
receive the unofficial story Of the telegraph this
morning to be trustworthy. O! that it may be so !!
His pressure on Burnside has, undoubtedly, quick
ened Grants attack on Bragg; while the absence of
his whole corps from the Confederate line at the
time of Shernsn's arrival in the Federal host has
given the enemy great Opportunity. 1t was du.
ring the parallel campaign Of Longstreet agains Suf-
folk that Hooker made his corp at Charlottesville;
but be found there Jackson, while Grant had to do
with Bragg alone.
Tho result is, that we have lost on Lookout Noun
tain the advantages gained the great and bloody
battle on the Chcksmauga. That battle must be
fought again, either 10 the next fortnight in the
spring Of 1864 Now will Dir. Jefferson Davis any
longer persist in maintaining General Bragg in tho
command Of the army on which depends the tate OF
the Gulf States? This 10 an enquiry which will be
anxiousy made by every citizen who reads the news
this norning, and who really desires the success Of
this. Confederacy. If that General is kept in place
despite of all the proofs that he is the wrong man
for such business it is possible that the Confede-
rate army may incur disaster on the banks Of the
Chickasnauga commensurate with its former victo,
!, ry.-Rieh. Exam iner.
At present We know not the extent Of tho disaster
at Chattanooga, but We do know enough of<he past
to forbid eoen hope for tho future unless the change
|. SO long desired in the army of Gen; Bragg is im@e
diately made. Dependency and gloom are fast
settling down upon the people, who see their cause
sacrificed by incompetent officers without even the
hope of any change. The President, We know, Is
teens Ger. Bragg and reposes confdcuce in his mil
itary capacity but unfortunately the people do no.
andunless they can see some prospect cfs speed.
change they may despsir If tbs eause and the noun
tain region of East Tennessee, Western North Carroll
ma, Northern Georgia aud Northern Alabama, subm'
to the despotism that incompesency has brough
upon them. For the sake Of encouraging populs
IL LII