The Portland daily press., 1863-01-30


poiGt OF crossing, and counted, with the utmost
confidence, on taking him by surprise. How
this movement came to fail have already en-
deavored TO show.
Gen. Burnside has thus attempted four at
tacks upon the rebel army in his front since
he assumed command of the army of the Po-
tomac In each instance he has been embai-
rassed and thwarted by those who were bound
by every sentiment of military honor and of
patriotic duty TO give him their cordial and eff
fective support. The influence is very clear.
He should either hare the poper TO dismiss
these officers, and PIT in their places others
,cho ,ciU second his plans, or he should be re-
Hered from command. There ought to be no
halfway work about it. He will be very like
ly again to tender his resignation. His per-
sona wishes will not keep him an hour in a
position which he is not permitted to fill. He
ought not, in my judgment either to resign or
to ask to be relieved. He should at once use
the power which his position gives him, and
remove every officer, high or low, who has
failed in his duty, or attempted to thwart him
in the execution of his plans. If the President
should refuse to sustain him in SO doing, then
he would have a valid reason for Withdrawing
from command. But do not believe he would
refuse. He might hesitate to authorize it in
advance, but he ought not to be asked to do
so. Gen. Burnside has perfect right to issue
such an order; and the country would APP
plaud the vgor and readiness to meet respon-
sibility which it would imply. Such an act,
moreover, would infuse heart and confidence
into the army. The mass of the army is thor
oughly loyal and ready for service. l saw
thousands OF them on the morning after their
terrible night march through rain and tempest
and mud, and saw no symptoms of despon-
dency or of shrinking from duty. This would
not apply to ALL Among some of the troops
of the Generals most open in their opposition
TO the Commanding Generals plans, there was
much "straggling" on the march, and heard
of one corps of 1900 men which on arriving
numbered but little over 5000. OF course this
could only have occurred with the connivanca
of their regimental and company officers, and
was due primarily to the decentralization at di-
vision and corps headquarters of which have
already spoken. Ii Gen. Burnside should take
prompt and resolute measures to arrest this
evil by striking at its root--by Furnishing in
subordination in high places as well as low
1t would act upon the army like an inspiration,
and in ten days time he could WELD the whole
power of that army in the prompt and hearty
execution of any plan which he might devise
If the other course is TO be pursued-if the
President declines to permit him to control
the army which he communicative are in cha
os again. Under such circumstances Gen
Burnside will unquestonably retire. The first
question that will arise is: Who shall be his
successor? And the next is: Is he to be ham
pered in the same way? II he is, it matters
very little who the commander may be- His
command will be only nominal. Ii he is held
subject to the caprices oi the President, and
exposed TO the Vaccinations OF his subordi-
mates, he can neither act with spirit and ener-
gy himself nor can he inftse energy aud spirit
into the army under him. In the French mil
itary system, every separate army has center.
right and left wing and a reserve. The COM
mander OF the army is appointed by the
Government, but he has the selection OF his
four chief subordinates, and the most absolute
authority over them in every particular. Up
on any other basis than this such a thing as
an effective army is impossible. This is the
decision OF the best military writers. fortified
by all the experience OF the past; and great
ly fear that IL will be still further confirmed by
the disastrous failure OF our own Government
in the present emergency.
II Burnside Is relieved, think it altogether
likely that Hooker will succeed him. What
effect it would have upon the temper of the
army, cannot say. Gen. Hooker deserves
the reputation ne enjoys, Of being a most ex-
cellent fighting General-brave to rashness,
gallant and expert In handling troops upon
the field of battle. Whether he has military
capacity for great command, like that of the
Army Of the Potomac, is yet to be tested. If
he receives that COMMAND, he should have the
loyal support OF the country and the army. OF
one thing he may rest assured, no one will
wish more heartily for his success. on account
of the cause he serves, than Gen. Burnside.
Before closing this long letter, L desire to
correct an impression which has become quite
current, and to which our correspondent "W.
s. gave countenance in his letter of Jan. 13,
published in the Times of the 10th, that Gen.
Burnside's letter TO Gen. Halleck, avowing
the entire responsibility of the battle of Fred
ercksburg, was written under some kind of
pressure from the Government or at least at
the instance, and in some sort with the conni-
vance, of some among its officers. / have Ia
ken great pains to ascertain all the facts con-
neeted with that transaction, and | know this
impression TO be ,cithout the slightest foun-
dGtion. The letter was wholly Gen. Burn
sides own-in the origina, purpose of writing
il, in its actual composition, and its final pub
lcation.
After the battle, Gen. Halleck paid Gen.
Burnside brief visit; but during his stay not
one syllable was said by either concerning the
responsibility" for the battle of Fredericks-
burg. On the 10Th Of December, DIR. Church,
one Of Gen. Burnside's staff, went TO Wash
ington on business and returned the next
day, bringing with him sundry newspapers.
In the evening, Gen. Burnside, being in his
tent With several of the gentlemen of his
staff, and reading these papers, fell upon par
agraphs in them severely assailing the Secre-
tary of War and Gen. Halleck for having or
ucitu Hiiu 10 Hllht tne alidck, contrary 10 his
own judgement He asked DIR. Church if that
was the general impression at Washington.
and was told that i: was. He at once said
that he would put that right, and on the spot
wrote brief dispatch intended for the Asso-
ciate Press, and embodying the substance of
his letter. Some of his staff demonstrated
against his noticing the matter at all; but he
answered all their objections by saying that
no man should bear an ounce of responsibility
hpinppQ1 ia i'm Ha oil
ever, so far as to change the form of his let
ter and address 1t to Gen. Halleck instead of
the Press. He came TO Washington next day,
rewrote the letter in his own room, he had it
copied by his private secretary and sent it to
the Press before he had exchanged word
with any member of the Government on the
subject. These | knoW to be the facts of the
case; and in justice to Gen. Burnside, whose
noble hearted magnanimity is among the most
conspicuous traits of his character, as well as
to the members of the government, they ought
TO be known.