Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-11-26
A Wall out of Dixie.


"The people and army OF the Confederate
States have been so much complimented upon
the proves. and gallantry Of their arms, so
much hattered upon what has been accom-
plished, that they have lost sight of the fact
that more sas,rendsrs h1ps bsea made By their ar
mics thar 6y tie armies Of any other nation
What nation, in three years of war, ear loac-
cred its fao slspen times IL. surrender a?
There have been eleven Confederate surren-
ders since the war began: Near Rich Noun
tain, at Hatteras, at Island No. 10, Fort Hen
~, Fort Donelson, Roanoke Island, Fl. Phil
lips, Jackson, Arkansas Post, Nicksburg, Port
Hudson, and Cumberland Gap, and then there
has not been an instance OF punishment in
this long list of diasters, but, On the contrary,
promotion has in some instances followed
swift upon the commander. If the history of
the war will show as much gallantry in the
fight as that of any other war, it will also ex-
hibit more surrenders than ever befel the
arms of any other nation during the same Pc
Rod of time, and we cannot point to
any Saragossa, Gilona, Londonderry or
Genoa to offset this long catalogue
of unsuccessful sieges If our people
cannot understand why European nations
hesitate to recognize our nationality, perhaps
they may find the cause in the fact that the flag
we seek to register among the nations of the
earth, though often crowned with glorious vic
tory, has unfortunately been lowered very often
in u1emitgated disgrace, and as long as for
egn nations see surrenders so complacenty
made and promotions often following Them
they are uncertain whether some steamer
may not bring the news of our unconditional
surrender to the terms of the enemy. We
do not mean to intimate that all of these sur
renders were equally disgraceful, but we do
say that no one of them conferred any honor
upon the arms of the Confederate States. At
many Of them gallant fighting was done. At
Vicksburg, and Port Hudson, and Donelson,
and Roanoke Island, there were not wanting
instances of great gallantry; but to none of
them can we point with the pride of the Span
lard, French and English, at places made glo-
rious by the obstinacy and endurance of the
defense. The surprise OF kellysville
Brandy Station, Williamsport, Brstow Sta
ton, and now the late disaster on the Kappa
hammock, show how leniency to the first der-
lection of duty may entail continued and re-
peated disasters and carelessness inf1ict last
ing disgrace upon the army. Notwithstand-
ing the gallantry of the army of Northern Vir-
ginia, something is wanting to correct and
prevent these frequent affairs. 1t has not yet
TRANSFERRED where the brigades of Hoke and
Hays were when the enemy bounced upon
them. 1t is not yet stated how they came to
be SO completely isolated from the main body
of the army that they could not be reinforced,
thought the fight is said to have lasted from
two o'clock in the afternoon until dark. No
explanation has been made why reinforce
mentS were not sent to their rescue, nor are we
informed how these two small brigades came
to be thus exposed, inviting almost their cap
ture or humiliation. We hope there are
good and sufficient reasons for these circum-
stances, and that Gen. Lee will, upon inves-
tigation, be satisfied, that his two brigades
were lost in one of the ordinary eventualities
Of war, which no vigilance can prevent, and
ne activity remedy.
Surprises are more injurious to military
prestige, more destructive to men and mate
rial than defeat in regular battle, and as they
are easily prevented, the officer who suffers
himself to be surprised, and bounced upon so
suddenly, deserves the severest punishment
of the army.
Gen. Bragg has lately suffered greatly
from surprise by which an important posi-
ton was gained by the enemy, and one,
which it is feared may neutralize much of the
advantage gained by the battle of Chicka-
mauga."