The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-05-27
kn Important Comnlr nfcafion
-r55rsf from n Military Critic - -

! We fndi the following communIcationaln q
FoaNEY-s Press of the 9th of May. Mr..
ScuALK, the writer of it, is spoken Of by that
paper as Ata student and a critic, who has
made the science of war the study of bis life =
The Press says She has written two Of the
most remarkable books ofthe time and his
conclusions-w might more aptly say proph
ecies-in reference to this war have given him
a National reputation. ;, 1t is proper to add,
that the editor of the Press differs from the
distins suished writer of the communication
and protests against the general tone of his
reasoning, so far as 1t affects the eminent gen
stlenen at the head of our armies OF $ z
NIr. Emil schalk On the. Last Op.l
Grafton on the H1aPpahannoclk,
and the Causes of its Failure.
70 tie Editor Ct tie. Press - sS.e-.r5 !
SIR: +, When Lattles are fought ia which
thousands and thousands of brave soldiers are,
inundated, but which, no withstanding the
great sacri6ee, do not obtain. an adequate re-
suit for the enormous loss of lite, is it then
not the duty of every friend of the country
TO inquire into tie cause of the disasters,
which cover a whole nation with mourning,
and whiclN blstory, remain dark spot
on It's gloi s.
The late b14ze sc Fredericksburg and Chan
cel1orville, with its hecatcnbs of human be-
inss, may, like nearly all other lost battles Of
this war, be TRACED directly to the mistakes of
the Generals commanding, and it is but just
that the whole country should have clear in
81 ght into those mistakes, for it Hsay be that
thus more errors in luture will be avoided. -
Looking on the map, it will be seen that the
rebel army, in its, encampments near Freder-
icksburg, held line running from northwest
to southeast its right. wing was extended as
Jar iown as Port Royal, on the Rappahannock;L
its left wing rested above, Fredericksburg, on
the same river. This army has only two main
lines of retreat. One toward Richmond, the
other toward Gordonsville. 1t cannot retreat
to the east, or southeast, as such a march
would carry it into the Potomac, or York river.
Under these circumstances, the natural point
of attack is the rebel left wing IT this wing
is seriously defeated, and the victory rapidly
followed up, the rebel army would be pressed
from its two lines OF retreat against the sou'h-
east thrown against the rivers, it would be
finally obliged to- surrendervthes same fate
whicn beiel the Prpsaian army after the bat
tie of jena. v54g;
Crossing, therefore, above Fredericksburg,
at Uuited States ford, for instance, marching
rapidly, to Chancellorville, and from thsre to
point midway between Chancellorville and
Quincy, on the railroad (o-, if the list move
be considered too daring, moving straight
from Chancellorvilie against Fredericksbarg9
would be the correct .stragetieat move to OBJ
tain the desired result, viz the destruction
OF the rebel army. Utmost speed, concentra
ton OF turco, and utmost daring, Won d guar
antee a cOhplete success. wsf .ss3p g Isl
General Hooker arranged his plan of attack
as follows He had seven army corps of
these, three were massed below Frcdericks-
.urg, to cross there and make a feint attack
on the rebels, two of the corps, Immediately
alter the crossing, to return and join General
Hooker, wh., meanyhi!e, was crossing with
the four remaining corps at several fords,
some lep to twenty miles above Fredericks.
burg. szsT c7ss;i "a s-.sl
On Sunday, 26th of April, the movement
was commenced on Monday it was continu-
ed, and on Tuesday morning the three corps