Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-03-05
From the Mobile Advertiser and Register.
Gen, HEGET,

From The Mobile Advertiser and Register.
Cen Bragg,
MEssRs. EDITORS Has it ever occurred to the
slauderers of Gen Bragg that he is the only of
Generals who has recovered ard secured from
mics any of lost territory has successfully held
fort against systematic attack OF the foe?
Soon after assuming command at Pensacola he found
himself at the head of some Is 600 raw militia. He
moulded this mob into well drilled troops only to see
them called to Virginia and their places supplied with
other material These, IN turn, also drilled
and disciplined and with their aid alone construct
ed those batteries and Notifications which made Pensa-
cola impTegnable to the Federal Navy. When the
fleet and fort and batteries Of the foe opened upon Us
the 22d OF N0vember, every engineer predicted the fall
of Fort TcRae, b2tOra The setting yet this place
a mere shelt-the weakest Of all our torgs-was held
aga st tie most fearful bumbardment that mankind
had then witnessed. Aunihation OF oTt and forces
preferred by Gen. Bragg to surrender, and Pensa
cola remained ours long our Government chose to
hold it.
Called from Pensacola and Mobile to al active CAM
paigr he participated in tie battle of Shiloh, where
his courage, skill and generalshp for him the high
est rank Ii own in our army He soon after placed
at the head OF our troops at iupe0, where they were
most ieaCfuly q moralz2d by sickucss desertOn and
retreats. With indOmitable energy, he moulded the
into army, excel!ed and rarely equal IN
discipline ard efficiency. Hurting this iOTce the
,uk OF The irC at Chattanooga, by series OF brilliant
tacls lie w-esed from the enemy the whole OF n North
Alab ma, most of Middle Tennessee and Cumberland
Gap: all OF which are now held by our gallant little
army at ullahOma, against Toe OF triple Its numbers
He is the only General who hJ3 recovered and now
holds any portion of territory which had been
pied by enemies From that territory is drawn not
only the supplies Of his army but subsistence for
troops in Virginia.
Gen. Bragg has been severely censureC for The re-
suits of the battles Of Perry vile and Mureesboro and
for having too small force at each place You know
the reason why this occurred at Perryvla the enemy
advanced on from Louisville by three roads, the
Bardstown, Bloomfield aud Frankfort, the latter OF
which was occupied By Gen. Kicby Smith, force of
some $4,000 troops. Gen. Bragg at Harrodsburg
On the evening OF the 9th of October scouts we'll
citizens informed Gen. 3. that the column Of the
enemy on the Bloomfield road was marching porthward
to the Frankfort road, and that Kirby Smith would
have to encounter two columns Of the enemy On the
1h General Smith sent dispatch to Gen. Bragg, that
the enemy was massing 10 very heavy force in his
front, and asking for reinforcements. General
Withers' division sent him imme iiately whilst
the divisions at Gems. Buckner, Cheatham and Ander-
SOD, under Gens Polk and Hardee sent to Perry
vIIie to ush the column advancing the BardstOwn
road Gen. Bragg the night Of the 9Th directed has
staff and escort to be eady at o'clock the morning
10 10 the Frankfort road, to be present at the great
ba, lie OF Kentucky, to he fought by Kirby Smith
That night the enemy recalled his centre column and
preciptated it to the field of PerryviIe Gen. Bragg
learned this fact late at night too late to recall Whers
division. He changed his own course, went Perry
Vile, and there with 5000 men drove back and whip
ped the force of the foe numbering over 900 troops
History will record more brilliant victory of this
war; Whipped rom the battle field, the force of the
Zoe were too overwhelming to hold it, and Gen Bragg
returned 10 Harrodsturg, and there formed his juno