, 1863-07-11
THE ARMY: OF THE POTOMAC
AND ITS GENERALS.

the rebel forces under Lee, there was al
most an universal feeling Of apprehension
respecting the Army Of the Potomac-a1
5ndctinable' dread lest the evil forum,
which had so long pursued it should still
be following on its track, maliciously eage1
to overwhelm It once more with disaster
and defeat. There seemed to be fatalit,
about this army-a predcstined judgment
against (which neither courage, nor en-
durance, nor splendid examples Of bravery
and valor, nor the possession OF the high
est military virtues and discipline, could
propitiate or avert. In no other WAY, tc
all appearance, could the astounding fac!
be accounted for, that this army, SO admi.
1ably equipped and appointed, composed
OF such seasoned Veterans, who looked as
II they were made for victory, should on
nearly every OCCASION, when brought into
contact with the enemy, either be COM
PEELED to 1etrcet before him, or else brought
ito bay as the dubious heroes Of a drawn
battle.
They have proved, however, By the slo-
1ious victory which they haye just
achieved over the invading army Of the
rebel General, that destiny YVES not alto
gcther to blame for their previous Ill for
tune. If Mcclellan aud Hooker had been
as competent Generals as Meade has shown
himself TO be, the route at Bull Run, tie
bloody battles Of Antietam, the awful dis
asters Of the seven days before Richmond,
and the shameful repulses on the Kappa
hammock, wonld have assumed quite ano-
ther aspect, and have gone down to histo-
~ as brilliant tiumphs- 1t was the Gene
1als, alone, and neither fate nor the men,
who were to blame. The only wonder is,
that With almost the certainty of disaster
before their eyes, every time they wentinto
battle, they were not utterly demora1ized,
dishea1tened, and unfit for service. If they
could have been crushed By bad general
ship, they would have been, long ago. Nc
C1elian did his utmost to break down their
spirits, and entail upon them an evil and
ominous prestige; and how the soldiers
can have any love or respect for him as q
commander, We are utterly at loss to dis !
cover. In spite Of him, they had won, as
We verify believe, The battle Of Antietam,
out he took care to convert it into a de-
ieat, He had it in his own power, when !
he had driven the enemy, Of FILLING upon
him with fifteen thousand reserved troops,
and utterly annihilating him But he pro
1erred to 1urniliate his own army, rather
than do 80 great m injury to the rebek
and their cause. If it be true that he is
the soldiers hero, after so many, and SO
well proven instances Of incompctency,
and apparent completely with the enemy, |
all We can say is, that such infatuation has |
no parallel in military history. II
Under General Meade they have elo1i- |
ously retrieved their character from the
doubts which were cast upon it, from |
the heavy gloom which hung over it. in
consequence Of the blunders and miserable
want Of skill Of their leaders. The history
Of their last great battles will be read in
after ages with amazemcnt at the pcrsis-
tency and courage which they manifested,
The ansincib!e front which they presented
to the terrible enemy, = driven to despera-
ton by the hopclcssncss of his position,
80 dreadful slaughter has not been wit
messed in war since the battle Of 6olterino:
and we will hope TINT the worst Of this
var is over.
Let Us take care, however, in the excess
# cur great joy over the conquest of Lee,
md the fall Of Yicksburg, that we do not
1eceiye ourselves, as to the amount ofresist-
ance which the rebels may yet be db1e to
oyer. We are not quite out Of the wood,
md another battle is imminent. Mead is
ono"1ng the retreating army as fast as he :,
an, and our cavalry is ha1rassing his
1anka The Potomac is so hirh
hat he cannot ford the river md
escape; and the pontoons which !
brought him safely over its waters
.n nus outward bound mission, are utterly j
ot*t'oyed, so that he must fieht-he can ,
.u. I.<s .scape. Meade has been strongly re-
En'orcea, and the next battle viii be dec;- ,
ave but We must be in no hurry aiont
II. nor gro" Impatient over what NAV seem =
Icing silence: Meade has great d;f1cn1
lies to overcome, and, perhaps, monnts;n.
% traverse before he will be In a noa;t;aa .
q settle Lee and the rebel cause for ever
&c will do it, however, we make no donht !
IFto can doubt what thc Army Of the po. =
1nac c:4 Iosaer Gett5sbu1gs ThcA1mv, q