, 1863-12-18
a SCENE I'm THE REBEL
CONGRESS-.


thc appropriate committee to provide for the
increase Of pay of soldiers
In supporting his resolution, 1lr. Foote
said that the matter WAS not only of grave
import, bnt it was patriotic duty. -,
He further urged the question at some
length, assuming that no action in regard to
the currency would fully restore it to its
nominal value, and that, therefore, Injustice
Was done the soldier in refusing him M cqua-
bic compensation"
posed to the increase OF soldiers pay, from
tie fact that he stated in his message Tint the
suggested action upon the currency would
obylate its necessity, by upDypximdtiuy The
nominal value of the money. He wanted tie
r1tle value secured.
dent from the impntation, and ar!.ued at
some length 10 show that the increase of the
nav OF the soldier WIS one Of the Presfdenf,s
most eager wishes.
The resolution was lost,
A1r. Footc then offered IN amendment. in
structing the appropriate COMMITTEES lMi1ita-
ry) to INQUIRE INTO thc causes Of Tic late dis
astcr near Chattanooga, and ascertain and re-
port whether It was owing to want Of yninr
In the troops, Us stated III the Presidents
Message, or to other Causes.
alr. Foote said he woull now defy the
take Issue with him here. Whoever charged
tliat army with want Of valor, hc nera-
tiyed; whosoeycr undertook to throw the E.
sponsibility Of that disaster upon that army.
or upon any portion Of 1t, he would take issue
witt, him. A more vali1nt body Of soldiers,
the world never saw. He would undcrfake
to soy tlat the President himself vas re-
sronsible for that defeat, and be was pre-
pared to proYc It: and. furthcrmore. he wnr,i1
show that he had cndeayored TO skulk tie
responsibility and throw It upon tic bruye
men who had barred tleir breasts to
thv battle, No man should dcnonnce fhosc
true men as wanting In raior. with imnnni-
ty. It was nm accusation dIsIonornbln tn thc
author and disczcditable TO aIl. which wonid
tend to the Decentralization Of our troops. and
may he productive Of still worse disasters.
Aitcr TINT unfortunate campaign in Tan.
tueky, it was urged upon tie President to
remove from the command of tile army
General Bragg, who lad proven himself
already incompetent for sl1fs position.
It was known how he permitted the inferior
and partly demoralized army Of the enemy to
puss linn and secure eommunlcationrvith
reinforcements and supplies; and further on,
tfor he had the proofs, he hnd proposed to
divide his army into different attachments,
aud would have carried ont his plans, but that
he was outnumbered By the opposite opinions
OF his council, who told him that tic plan
overwhelmed if he attempted it.. The prcsi-
dent was called upon then to remove him as
incompetent aud even dangerous. When be
came out Of Kentucky, from what proved to
have been only jeans expedition aud per
feet failure as military ail:lir, lie MT. Toote)
took part with his colleagues and asaln nrged
his removal They wultcd upon the Presi-
dent; it would be ont of order to say what
occurred. But tile result is known-Bragg
was not removed. That man {Bragg) Las
been most odioIs to both the army aud peo-
pie for more than year, and the President
must hare known it. But he visited the army
and eaid there was no cause for the com.
rlaints. also visited the army, continued
Mr.: Footc, and mingled with the men, and
addressed nearly every brigade In it-not,
however, upon Brngg, because 7 would not
] found the whole army distrustful Of him.
One thing is certain, he has driven away
every one Of Ills best Generals. He has driy-
IN away the skilled and gallant Polk he has
forced the noble hearted Buckner to Ioayo
him; he has calumniatcd Breckenridge, and
yictimized McCowan. Every body knows he
is on had terms With Hardcc. nc Is SO con-
s1itutcd that he can not arrec with any of hfs
commanders. What is more, one of nv col
lcagues hes received u letter from Bragc him
self, In which he said-on1v fye weeks ago
that lie could not command that army eifcc-
tiyely unless he was clear Of, unless there
were caehicrcd, twelve Brigadier Generals
and whole rcri1nent OF fjcld oiIlcers. Prcsi-
dent Davis was appealed to by nearly every
officer there for his removal. But he stood
up for Brngg he Ind committed himsclfto
the country; he had expressed his opinion
publicly, Of Bragg's eminent fitness for the
command, and was determined to risk the
safety of the country upon it. For the same
reason, and under the came circumstances,
Pemberton was retained. That was the sole
reason Of the fall Of Vicksburg.. To show the
pertinacity Of the President, the Military
Court directed to look to the conduct Of Penn.
berton was dispensed with in two days after
it met, by order Of the President. When this
man had. surrendered -dislonorably surren-
dered-:his command to the enemy, the Pres
.ioent made him his companion, carried him
with him to EragG's army, and, if the truth is
told, many soldier, as they rode along the
nne, saia, there goes the traltor who de-
nseTeo " oTer ~ xlcksourE. Even then,
tae ffesident had the temerity and unblash-
ms msfesafq OF pubic sentiment, IN bis own
Sta1e, ana eiseNhere, 10 otter TO that same
femoeItohlnee ITO e9mmana q FOLKS corps; and
E = ~ nsau auue.tahen 1' tunt anty, nc "onlo
uase pss,. s,sun % II ~ ealnesL honr OF nattle,
oIsse4 uGaolsa :1, 9llie1 ~ lac nanas 81 ms own
dG!;n. VII saf1nsa aua tin., upgn Ine propo-
st1oH a ~ s'pu lnto vi Ea5t 1ennes
~. ,,s ;,,5 Mn otag anu
tn+sa 10y % m.s Ia,iosu h !leIiof N num9sls
.pa.aS .aS Gi,e1.s' oot .nielof ~ none IN INC
a,.,rs4 49, ~ aa.aat oatu1a n.Fs army was 1Gtt
.gssa ugEa.nss , ~ yssnne1aP p5P l9e N 1foht. ~
tbnn thi+ ~ tha,,.,sS uru nus isasT !nole
1b;1e tha a3o,rr asn unuel ni,