Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-13

snd artillery eneumbered the road down to the
riTeT-supply wagons upset by the roadside
artillery stalled in the mud-ammunition
trains mired by the way. Horses and mules
dropped down dead, exhausted from tie effort to
move their loads through the hide0us medium
0ne hundred and tifty dead animals, macy Of
them buried in the liquid muck, were counted
IN the course Of = mornings ride. And the
mudde was still further increased by the bad
arrangements, or rather the failure 20 execute
the arrangements that had beer made Il was
designed that snklin's column should advance
OF one road and Hooker's by smother. But BY
mistske, portion of the troops of the letE grand
division debouehed iuto shs Tosd assigned 70
tie center, and cutting in between two divisions
OF one Of Hooker's corps, threw everything into
confusion. In consequences, the woods and
roads have for the past two days bsen filed with
strsgglers though very many of them were IN
voluntary, and were evidently honestly seeking
to rejoin their regimsais.
Il was now no longer question OF how T. 90
on; it was question how to get back. That
night, (Thursaay,) the tsree days cooked IA
tons which the men had taken in theiT haver-
sacks when starting would give out. and the
other six days provisions were in the supply
trains, which were stuck fact in the mud miles
behind Indsed, the rBtions had already, in
many cases, given out, and boxes Of hard crack
ers were brought up on mules or carried on
mems shoulders. An order from General Barn
aide to withdraw The forces to their old position,
was mOmsntarily expected It did not coma,
hut instead, another oTdsr stating that General
Burnside had "good reasons" for commanding
the troops to hold their present petition till to
day.
But whether we should move forward OF
backward, the first requisite obviously was to
put the roads in such condition as woald ad-
nit Of movement at all Accordingly, ali the
availabls ferce was at once sst 70 work coTdu-
roying the rotten" roads, and Pusting them in
TO some kind Of practical condition.
Early this morning the army was ordered
back 70 its old camping ground, and sbous noon
the infantry began TO pass by these hesdqasr-
ters The lads trudged along tired enough, but
Jolly withsl and disposed to be quite facstious
ever the mud campaign, whose odd expert
snees viii, doubtless, long form che theme Of
conversation around many a camp FIRE.
Thus ends an enterprise which bad every hu.
nan promise of success, bat which has been
banked and brought to naught by causes which
mortal ken could nsitheT have foreseen nor pre- /
vented. The fatal part played By the clements
needs no comment. Whether this drawback
might not have been overcome By vigorous eff
fort and hearty cooperation on the part of the
military leaders, is a question much mooted here.
for the spathy of some in high places Of mill
tsry command We might still have carried the
day. This question, however, is one more fit ts
be brought to another bar than thst of these
columns.
There Is, however, another point on which
cannot forbear to say 8 word. Ons Of your
Washington telegrams, referring to the causes
Of the lato failure says: 4" The qusrteunaster's
department., - usual, when an important move
ment is being executed, Was behind with its sup
plies have not scrupled in this correspond
ence to use the privileges of criticism to its full
est extent, and can the reader say, therefore, |
that this is total misspprehension. Abundant |
supplies we're on hand and there are ct this mo |
msnt moro than SIX millions Tstions stored here
in convenient depOts. Our chief lack is not in !
the material, but the moral order We do not |
fail for want Of food or clothing, OF ammunition |
or arms The army was never 80 well supplied /
with all these things. No The disease is of |
more subtle nature It is in the bloed and Grain. /
We want energy. capacity, faith, devotion.