The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-06-10
me Last slaughter.

Idepfeciatetlosin theae = columns fConseien
tionsly opposed, from the frst, to the coercion
of States, believing that we could not--and
ought not, If we could-conquer and subju
| gate the South, we have never cSssed to pro-
test against the present unjust Savasion oi
Virginia and other southern Statess he re
suit Of the war, thus far. has not disappointed
Us. A people Jealous ofliberty will neyer see
their State invaded for the purpose Of 4nbju-
| cation orfhe destruction of their iavE and
linstitdtions, without resisting it with flps the
power the God of matt has placed N their
posscssion While, however, We haze seldom
alluded to the sahguinary battles which have
marked the course of the war it has often
been source of wonder to US that the papers
which are urging on this invasion, did not
stand eghast at the carnage they were cfes-
ting. At first, the loss oflifs seemed to shock
the community but now ifappeafs ito be set
tling down into Kind of stfl;d indifference
truly shocking The humane and Christian
feelings which would prevent misery and suf
faring are swept away, and the cold and bit.
ter hate that knows ro softening, has taken
possession of our people. The calamnitics =
war have become subjects of cruel jests or
positive unconcern: When u battle occurs,
The FIRST shock that a full account Of the de.
feat aud slaughter might occasion is prevent
ed by series Of cleverly concocted falsehUods,
marufacturcd by government agents." to
calm the people and repress agitation. It
does not admit of doubt, that the recent de-
feat Of Gen: Hooker was attended with more
loss, more bloodshed; more suferings, &c,
than any previous one of the war. The truth
is gradually coming out, despite all the efforts
to deceive the people and induce them to
consent to a continuafion Of this fruitless saud
bootless struggle. At first, it was stated that
Gen Hookef's loss was only 5000 or 10, 600
in killed, wounded and prisoners, and that he
returned across the Rappahannock on accorat
of the storm But it was soon ascertaine1
that his order for retreat was given twenty
four hours Lefore the rain commenced The
public mind, however, was not satisfied with
the newspaper reports, which they have
lcorned are usually false and unreliable. So
the Secretary Of War issued the following =
To TIE GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA -
The President and Gcneral-in Chief have just
returned from the Army of the Potomac - -
The principal operations of Gcneaal Hooker
failed, 5us Me-e has Icen no serious disaster
10 he orgdnizafion and e6icienr.y ofkhe d,n,y.
It is now occupying its former position on the
haring recrosssd the ,iuer
,eifiout any Toss IN the naovenlenf. Not more
han o.sc-thirf of Gen. Hooker's .fnrce trds
engaged Gen. Stoneman's ofo rations have
been a complete success part of his force
advanced to within two miles of Richmond,
and the encmys communications have been
cut in every direction. The Army of the Po-
,onac uM speedily resume ofensiUe opera
mons. go a1 sat = ~
T.Siencd,] EDWIN NJ. STANTON,
3@ss = Secretary of War"
..No serious disaster" .sRecrossed with
out any loss in the movement" stNot more
than one third engaged. Gen. Stoneman's
fcom plete success" .Speediiy to resume
ope. ations," &c. Now, mark how the above
talIies with the statement of the New York
Tribune, one Of whoae editors, direct from the
army, saye:
1t is idle to deny that the campaign OF Gen
Hooker, which began SO auspiciously, came to
a premature inand et3ectual end. His losses
were considerably heavier than the published
estimates, and will not amount TO less than sir-
teen thousand killed, ,touaded and naisstng.-
The acfuol present returns e.rceed seUe,,feea
tlsousand, 5uf may be little reduced.
i Are l6, 900 killed and wounded 1no serious
disaster 2" But the same authority says:-.s
Gen. Stoneman's cavalry performances have
been very extensively received as a con- plete
success. and it seemslright, therefore, to say
that they have been exaggerated. Some mis-
chief was done on the Virginia Central Rail
road-a matter of little or no consequence to
" hich the cavalry was expected to co operate
-6ut the Richmond and Fredericksburg Rail
road soas 20 little injured, that the trains ,cere
NOT stopped for t,centy four hours. <, s.5ss
This is what Secretary Stanton calls aa
complete success" Still later authority than
the, Eibune's, also. Republican, makes General
Hoeker,s loss much greater. A letter in the
Comptercial Aduerfiser. of this city, says -
aCertain it is that the Army of the Poto-s
mac has lost large number of prisoners and
ifs dead and acouHica erceed
% 600, - that it lett on the Southern bank of
the Rappafsnnock % pieces of artillery; with
. leree quantity of arms and ammunition, and
that a majority of its general officers desire n.
new commander. p 3 p fe1Es s7si,4tais. si7's
Are % goo dead and wounded "no serious
disaster besides prisoners and missing? And
how many prisoners were taken? The other
day it was announced that s, ,600=were coming
down the James River to Fort Monroe, and
that Eve THOUSAND more were to come. IT
these we're taken on the Rappahanock and We
know of no other place where any considerable
number could have been taken, it would make
our loss in the late battle between 10000 and
40 GOO, an army of itself More than %, 900
killed and wounded! !! Think ot that, 70 men
who have hearts not made of stone. Ye ter
der and delicate women, who, forSetting the
humanity of your sex. urge on this fearful
consider the groaDs and anguish of
these $4,000 Picture it to yourselves the.
families made desolatc, the wives made wild
ows and children rendered fatberless by the
bloody Moloch of war. Said an intelligent
foreigner to us the other day, "the indifference
and cold heartedness of your people to the
fearful slaughter of yoar battles, perfectly as.
tonishes and amazes me. No other people on
the globe would be so regardless, SO callous to
human sufferings. No other people.would al
low goyernpent tosgoon with such sue
cession of Wretched failure In sacrificing lives
to no purpose. ~. - ~ .s.I ...l.s.a
And yet We do go on. The men, howe yer,
who drive the ear.of war, are not in it them
selves It is the poor, the more obscure and
the IaboriDg classes of society, who have no
organs Of public opinion among the daily pa
pers that lead spd direct public sentiment, who