Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-07-16
WILMINGTON, n. c., JULY 9, 1868.

YESTERDAY about noon, just ready to 60 TO
press tie official news of the fall of vcksburg came to
hand We need not speak of the oppression of spirits
which it cost OF that which occasoned in the
community We would doubt it, if we could but We see
netting whatsoever upon which begin hang
the shadow OF doubt. Vcksburg has fallen,
Wep yet without help succor,-without a blow struck
for her relief, gun fred, division moved her aid
God knows we little like to well upon the paina picture
We little like to csnsure any Of Generals in the
held orany OF our Statesmen in the Cabinet But it not
apparent to all that "some has bundered? In this
feengthis senment-this instructive Judgment the heart
and the mind OF the Southern people Some
hos blndered All feel that Vcks burg should have been
defended all hszards ard with the whole, power Of tie
Confederscy. Was it?
At present the immediate pressure Of rublic cansue
bears down upon General JosHPH E. JOHNSTON, wLo with
soma army at least, made effort to relieve Vicksbutg
lifted sword for her defence gun her
foes encourage her defenders He " getting ready
Perhaps to perform his fivourte strategic movemen-a
mastery retreat in which perfection would appear to be
with him the result of practice. may be that speak
harshythat what do not uaderstand-that
We Will be sneeed at for newspaper rslship &c
We confess that feel panied sd ritated and that
feelings may impart their tone to langua,e. We
knowledge ignorance tactics. We know nabii
ity TO dictate measuro or ci,icise evoIuona but We
claim the privilege to estimate results The result Of Cen
eral JoHssToss tactics is before That result that
have received the blow sirca the fall Of New
Orleans. But of this hereafter.
We doubt mnch whether General JOHNSTON has vol
UNFAIRLY either given accepted battle during this war,
and this extreme caution a commander is the sim
gular whose individual brave almost
reckessness. For the stand made at Bull Run Manas
BEAUREG responsible and JOHNSTON simply
up upon BEAUREaARDs urgent call. After that, General
JOHNSTON always fell back-aways rereated until he
the within range of the capital of the Con-
ederacy, and their frownng entrenchments eisurely
thrown up wi hou molestaton in full view of camps
General JOHNSTON fought the battle of Pnes appa
rently without plan, certainly without result
There he severely wound d, for said before
with all his caut amounting to procrastination tmid
ty General, he personally brave paladn, and
always exposes himself much Soon, after LEE took
charge. and the changed. The enemy driven
from before Richmond. He changed bis base. For the
successfully assumed the offensive, AMI Nc
CLELLAE and PoFs and BURNSIDE, names more
known among mea they live in memory, bear
the prowess of the Confederate egons and the
daring and genius of their commanders.
Where defence of what point is it expected
that General JOHNSTON will make stand We rcal think
that in the present state of the public temper doubt
liable to do great injustice looks for stand from
General JOHNSTON In this the public do great Injustice
They long silently and implicitly accepted the dc!
that pronounced JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON great general
great strategis They have discovered that their idol is
made of ordinary human clay and they fly to the opposite
extreme They question his generashipthey sick of
his strategy They dispute his title great military
putation. They demand his credentials They askWhat
has he done
may be that for the disaster Vicksbug, General
JOHNSTON is responsible. 1t may be that the
placed at his disposal inadequate for its relief
whether he could coud have effected anything for
vicksburg must remain, suppose speculative problem
since, all that find out attempt made
to bring it to practical solution.
IT, however, General JOHNSTON not to blame, who is
There is heavy responsibility somewhere, and whole
people will hold the responsible parties to stern account
account that will not be settled by at newspa
pers. We dis like to talk in this way but feel deeply
deeply to permit to be mealy mouthed We feel the
deeply as it appears that the filming dispatches
from Martnsburg purporng to give accounts of great
victory by LEE with the opure of forty thousand federas
bids fair out all bosh We wonder how people
lie they do. We must say candidy that know next
nothing of the results of the fighting in Pennsylvania,
whether we have gained victory at all.
BUT there has been many darker hour than this and
the gloom has passed away the has shone out
will do again. We must think Of giving the
ship. She floats and must continue to float.