Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-11-20
GEN. BRAGG AND HIS GENERALS.

Gen;iemen: In an editorial in late num-
Der of your paper, headed ~ noble sentiment
from General Braxton Bragg" you made
some comments, founded on information fur
rishcd YOU, which is untrue. Those COM
ments d. Injustice 70 Gen. Bragg. The arti-
Gle is marked with 50 much ciudor and disni'
ty, and with none Of the venom which usually
charactcr:zcs the criticisms on this officer, that
knnw it will afford you pleasure to correct
an cx Drcssion that works injustice. You say,
in the editorial referred TO, THAT Gen. Bragg
no longer enjoys the confidence OF he army
cannot be disputed, since II is asserted, upon
evidence that we cannot question, that every
Major General Of the army except Breckln-
ridge and Lieut.. Gen. LoDgstreet (restrained
by considerations of personal delicacy), uni
ted in memorializing the President tor
change of commanders" The evidence can
be questioned. The assertion is not true, as
mais to you. There were ten Generals COM
handing divisions at the battle ofChickamauSa.
Two of them did requesta change Of command
ers, two we're silent, and six earnestly urged the
President to make TO change. This state
mcns is the fact. 1t is evidence which the
President possesses, and which is well known
to nearly every officer in This army.
In that editorial. you further say that the
'sdivisen commanders spoke not only their
own sentiments, but represented the army;
and with snch feelings between the army and
it; commander, it is Impossible that success
can attend that army" Your comment would
bs Just were it true that all the division com
mandcrs were favorable to q change; but as
sach is not the fact, am satisfied that you
are mistaken in your comment, and equally
satisfied that Gen. Bragg enjoys the confidence
of his troops ms fully rs any general IN the
service. II was said before he went into Ken
lucky that his troops had no confidence in
him, and would not fight under him. With
less than $1,000 of those troops be met the
enemy at Perryville, and defeated over II 600
Of their number. After the retreat from Ken
lucky was again urged that Gen. Bragg had
forfeited the confidence Of his soldiers. At
Murfrcpsl,Uru the same troops, under his lead,
by their daring heroisnl, defeated double their
number, and wrote one Of the talrcst pages
in their c0untry's history. Aiter'his army
had been depleted to swell our ranks in the
Mississippi, and lie was compelled to leave
Middle Tennessee, the cry OF want oil conf
dcnce was again raised, and demands for his
removal came from every quarter. The an
swcr to these was given on the banks OF the
river of Death, where 10000 Of these troops
slormed the strong entrenched camps OF the
ruemy. and routed 10000 of the foe. Surely
Gen. Bragg must be most remarkable COM
mander if he can force troops Who hate him
to win such victories.
In. view of these facts may we not well
doubt the assertion of those who say that he
does not enjoy the confidence of his officers and
menu
You further say, in the same editorial "But
is there no sacrifice that Gen. Bragg should
make? He knows the state of feeling be-
tween himself and his subordinate officers
Will he not, forgetting his own personal
wishes, demand IL removal, or at least that
another general he appointed to command Z"
Without waiting, after the battle of Chicka-
manga. to ascertain the opinion OF all his
commanders he found that small
number of them we're dissatisfied Gen. Bragg
did ask, nay, begged the President to retiece
him from tile conimand. lie did the samething
after the retreat from Kentucky. In victory or
retreat, defeated he has never bcen,) he has
Welded to the clamor of Il part Of the press, so
far rs to ask - be relieved from a position
which entails from them ccnsure, and censure
only, let his conduct be that which achieves
victory or works LOSE He cannot expect,
he cannot hope for the approval of all but
with pure patriotism, he is willing to sacri-
flee himself where duty calls, whether the
position be that of the commander of an army
or 9. private in the ranks. feel satisfied that
gou will take pleasure in correcting an error
,redicated upon assertions untrue in point o.!
fact, but I cannot expect others who have
copied your article, but who arc not governed
hv your sense Of justice, will be SO ready TO
right wrong. u.