Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-05-19
The Result orthe Great battle,

The Result OfGhe Great Battle.
Scarcely enough time has elapsed since
the great battle beyond the Rappa5anDock
for the public mind to become quiet over
it's details.
Indeed after every great battle, and we
have had many of them during this war,
there has been season of terrible suspense
and anxiety, and particularly so in districts
where the regiments engaged may be from.
The reports of the lists Of killed and woun-
dsd are examined with aching hearts and
eager eyes. And, as is sometimes the case,
where weeks intervene before full reports
Of the killed and wounded are given, the
dreadful suspense becomes almost unbeara.
bic. Who were the loved ones who had
fallen, but whose sad fate had not yet been
made known, becomes a question of most
painful and doubling solicitude.
So it has been since the great battle over
the RappahanDOck. According to official
and other reports, our loss is seventeen
thousand in killed and wounded. Thers
are, a least, one hundred thousand hon1Cs
rendered sad by the llss Of some relative in
this terrible slaughter. A hundred thous-
and homes turned in mourning! Surely,
war is no child's play. 1t is terrible,
fearful, bloody reality. 1t spreads the sa-
bic curtains of mourning over the joys of
homes and devaStates the land and des-
troys the lives Of our most promising, &C.
tive and healthful men. Oh, when shall
the terrible work of carnage cease and rea
son and peace once more be restored III our
poor bleeding country!
And when we come to consider the cir
cumstances attending this great battle, we,
! perhaps, find less cause for consolation that
has attended many OF the others that have
boon fought since the war commenced
There lie no Disgusting the fact that Gen.
Hooker's five days campaign across the
Rappahannock was q terrible failure. He
advanced up"u Fredericksburg with prOba-
bly, the best and mot efficient army that
was ever before marshalled on American
sol, and after days of terrible and desperate
fighting, being Outgeueraled by the rebel
commanders. was compelled with frightful
slaughter, to re-cross the river and take
refuge ~ his old quarters with his bleed
ing and dishearteoed hosts.
This may not be the proper time to dis
cuss the causes which led to the terrible
disaster Of Gen. Hooker and US, tut when
our army is being depleted by scores of
thousands-and when arrangements are be-
! ing rapidly consUmmsted to force into the
service every able bodied man between the
ges Of twenty and forty five, we cannot
refrain from examining into, and, if neoes>
sary, eriticising the acts Of the leaders and
policy that is dragging so many thousands
to bloody graves, or to what is still more
terrible, from happy homes to languish and
die of peStlential diseases contracted in
Southern climes.
Hence, we maintain, if we are to be
dragged !roCa our homes to face South
ern diseases and rebel powder and steel,
| against our will, we claim the right to ar.
peal, to the ''powers that be" to see to it
that competent officers are appointed
Surely enough lives have been sacrificed
by the Popes, and Fremonts, and Rockers
to cause the Administration to come to it's
senses. We have had enough to do with
politicalG uerals,and braggadocio comman-
ders. Ii Is tune now our authorities at
Washington should give US leaders compe-
tent for the work before them. The
slaughtars Of our troops under Burnsides
and Hooker, in the vicinity of Fredricks-
burg, since the removal of Mcclellan, is a
melancholy evidence Of the folly of his
removal. While he was in command we
suffered no such terrible disasters.
We arc aware that some of the Adolf.
ton journals are trying to clear Hooker of
the blame ofC reverse, but they have
failed as yet. They cannots disguise the
fact from the people that be is responsible
Tor the repulse and slaughter.
Under the present management general
ship and policy. is it any wonder that the
people are begirn ng to raise the cry Of
peace?