Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-09-29

1t now is pretty evident that Gen. Rosecrans,
in his advance into Georgia, has met with Sc
we're check, and been compelled, after hard fight
ing and considerable loss, to fall back to Chatta-
nooga and act upon the defensive. This is unex.
pected and not cheering news to US. We had
confidently reckoned on Gen. Rosecrans as equal
10 the situation, and believed that be would adj
vance no faster than he was able to hold his
ground. His uniform success hitherto had given
the people great confidence in him, and the news
Of this reverse to his army will be received with
corresponding grief.
The real occasion for this untoward event is
unquestiouably due to the fact that Rosecrans was
largely outnumbered in the fight. We get moth
ing better than guess work respecting the rebel
strength, and hive seen no statement of the force
under Rosecrans, but the accounts Of the battle
make it evident that the rebels were in heavy
force. Whether they have been reinforced from
Virginia or not, all of their available strength in
the southwest, east Of the Mississippi, undoubted
ly confronted our army on the battle fields Of Sat
urday and Sunday. This would include all the
army under Johnston, which unsuccesslully at-
tempted to raise the siege Of Vicksburg, and
which at one time was reported as formidable
force. On the other hand, we do not know as
Rosecrans had been reinforced TO any considera'
Bile extent, if al all, for months; and he probably
had not. We think bis force was much less thar
that of the rebels, even i the latter bad no troops
from Lees arrays while II, as Is probable, $4,000
men from Virginia fought under Bragg, his arm,
must have been nearly or quite twice as large at
Rosecrant army. II addition to this superiority
the rebels were thoroughly acquainted with thu
ground, Of which knowledge they did not fail tc
take advantage, in oulilanking our troops in near
ly every part Of the field. We consider these ad
vantsges, which the rebels certainly possessed, al
sufficient to account for this check or reverse, L
our advancing armies. We have no evidence
that our troops did not fight well, that Rosecrans
generalship was not excellent, or that Burnside
had not made such haste as he could to Join the
Union army advanced upon Chattanooga and WI
can accordingly look upon the uniavoreble result
as only one Of the chances Of war, in which yiclo
ny is not always on the same side. And, without
wasting time in useless hult-fnding, in condemn
ing this or that General in denouncng the adj
minstration, or attempting to make party capital
out Of this temporary reverse let US learn the rea
lesson it teaches. The rebellion has vitality yet.
1t has large armies in the field skillfully handled
and ready to take advantage OF any weak point in
our lines. Its strength is wholly in these armies,
and until they are beaten, Thoroughly and conyin-
ciDgly beaten, the rebel coniederacy will not tum
Bile to pieces. The business of the Government
and Of the people is to beat these armies, and to
do il we must have our armies in the field rein
forced. To this end the Government has worked
and is working. Are the people doing their part
When one Of our armies, never before beaten, |,
falling back in the face of the enemy is it not our
duty to consider this question