, 1863-02-21

before the war in the Southwest will goon
as it should.
A CHAPTER OF THE WAR.
The way the war is carried on against
the rebels, is finely illustrated by the Mill
taIy movements in Southwestern Missouri
F i1st: Gen Schnfc}d was in command last
summer, during which time nothing was
douc-that describes three months Of his
canpaisn He is a slow, sluggish, red
tape officer, who has not the fa.utcst con-
ccption Of the value Of time OF the nature
of enterprise in war. Second; Hetook sick
was constrained to leave his command,
and retire to St. Louis TO get well. Forth
nate1y, he was considerable time about it.
While absent, his regiments fell into the
hands Of couple Of young Brigadiers-
Blunt and Heron. They were earnest,
active men, and supposed their business to
Ic, to whip the rebel forces wherever they
could find them. As soon as Schofcld's
back was turned, they lost no time in look
ing for hIarmadukc, Hindman, and other
Confederate chiefs whom they found, pitched
into, thrashed them soundly and pursued
them rapidly. In lew weeks they had sue
cccdcd in scattering and chasing out Of the |
State, the whole rebel force and spreading
terror among the secesh far and wide. |
Their soldiers were clated, and made
long, rapid, forced marches, without muir
Cfrfa
of warfare that exactly comportcd with
1Leir notions Of the right method of~dcal-
ing with the rebcl]ion-a method, which
If adopted elsewhere, would make short
work fit.
Not satisfied with chasing Hindman and
3Iarmaduke's butternuts across the Boston
Mountains, Blunt and Heron concluded
TO sec what was going on beyond those
"terrible and impassible'' barriers They be-
Geycd TINT Union soldiers could pursue
wherever rebels could retreat, and without
delay or circumlocution, they put six thou
sand men in light marching order, and
boldly followed the rebel trail. In q short
lime they were on the top Of the Boston
Mountains, and soon thereafter on the
other side and on the bank Of the Arkansas
at Van Burcn. The sa1utes Of their artil-
lery brought the first information to the
rebels Of their arrival. No time was lost
in seizing rebel steamboats, and stores. In
the course Of "a single day five steamboats,
we're captured and consumed, and half a
million dollars worth Of treasures were
destroyed. The whole depot Of supplies
for the rebel army was destroyed Many
prisoners were taken and some pieces Of
artillery. The connt1y.up and down the
river, for twenty or thirty miles, was
secured and cleaned out Of rebel supplies
The Object Of the raid having been fully
accomplished, the expedition leisurely
countermarched to Batesyillc, laden with
whatever spoil it was able to carry back
Third, Most unfortunately, Gen. SEQ
Eeld got well, and hearing that the boys
had "broken loose'' during his absence
lastened back by forced marchcs-tht
only ones he ever made-to resume com
n,and. He met the returning troops, ant
supcrccded Heron and Blunt, laid Iii
Ilamy hand on the buoyant arm,
and ralsied it, and from that day to thi:
nothing has been accomplished. We mus
relate one instance Of his war policy
Some time after his return, 1000 rebel
Eentu1ed over the mountains aud campo,
in The vicinity Of Huntsville. Heron an'
Blunt persuaded him to attack them. Il
consented, and with $4,000 eager troops
marched within four miles Of them, haltei
Then counter,narched some distance, an
halted again. The rebels lay for forty
eight hours within striking distance, an
then 1cisurely and slowly moved safel
away towards Dixie.
If HERON or Blunt had been in con
mand, either would have attacked the il
ferior rebel force, cut it to pieces, KILN!
capturing or dispensing every man. B'
nothing was done; the soldiers marche
wcarily back to their cncampments, WEI
into winter quarters, and Gen. Blunt, u
1erly disguised, returned to Kansas, whe
he is assigned to. other duty. Heron h
been constrained to idlcness, and part
his time has been loitercd away in fu
loughs at st. Louis and Pittsburg.
Had Scofeld continued sick, or die
Blunt and Heron would have cleared Il
rebels out Of Arkansas North Of the rive
and established their own headquarters
Little Rock, and opened the navigation
The stream from Fort Smith to Napoleo
There were troops enough in Southweste
Missouri to put down the rebellion in a
kansas, If only properly handled BY tls
officers.
The reader may well ask, why are su
lazy laggards as scohcld kept inimporta
commands, while bold, fighting, enterpr
ing officers, like Heron and Blunt, 8
Emothercd and rcpressed by piles Of I'M
matter? We refer them to Halleck for a
swer-an officer who is the model who
the Scohe1ds initiate and adore. Who
turn is lis model, is not known, but it
thought that Gen. Jack Falstaff must
his standard Of military enterprise q
strategy, though he falls far below that
nowned warrior in daring and genius.
PENNSYLVANIA.
bfr Riddle who reprcsenfs the C1n,