Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-08

the following terms. AS the Journal is edited by
a gentleman bred to the profession of arms, and
who has the merit of having pointed out the de.
fects in our general strategy while all was still
prosperous in appearance, bis right to pronounce
an opinion in the premises will be universally con-
ceded, even by those who may resist his conclu-
sious We quote from the Journal of the Goth
ultimo:
1T perhaps premature to attempt say ,ohose shout
ders ought properly to bear the shame and the blame that
have beaen the national the repuse OF General
Rosecans army Saturday and Sunday last but II would
be the sheeres intellectual qualification to blink the fact
that there has been very great laundering somewhere
The compensation which arises behind the sad picture OF
broken baalions aud army in retreat Is the lesson
taught by the disaster The repuse in Northern Georgia
is fresh illustration of that principle of which the whole
Of the is series Of illustrations namely, that
all the achieved both by the Union and the rebel
the result of correct military action and all the
defeats that have befaen both and the enemy the
suit of incorrect military action.
1.-The situation of Gen Rosecrans' army is peculiar
one; it forms the centre of the grand Union Gordon mill
tare OF which the armies Of the Potomac and OF Grant
form the wings. To attempt grand operations with
portion of the line while the others consigned to role
Of inactivity is simply to invite the enemy to concentra
ton against that particular portion for its annihiaton
Every man capable of forming an enlarged view OF mill
tay operations took it for granted that with he posses
sion of Chattanooga and the great central mountain
the whole form of mi tay combinations and operations
would undergo change This at length gave what the
whole country had been in the habit Of looking upon the
key to the suationnterior nes forcing the rebels upon
exterior lines, aud opening the way to their defeat in de-
tail We ourselves know positively that Gen. Rosecrans
fully expected that the two great armies of the West his
and that of Gen Grant, would form combined ope-
ration in the present campagnthat to meet his advance
powerful column would be sent up the Tennessee
by way of Tuscumba ard that ether these two victo
armies would enter upon the task of hilang the
rebellion in the central But he, and those of US
who looked forward to this change in the military policy
waited in vain for any such proof Of wisdom Alone and
unaded Gen. Rosecrans forced to enter upon the
campaign His army, small, but in admirable morale and
with the habit of victory upon it, began the advance and
the was attended with entire succe.s Bragg
d,nked at Shelbye, retreated to Tuahoma flank ed at
Tuahoma he retreated to Chattanooga Hanked again
with the east cut he fell back to Dalton to the other
line At this point must have been evident to the clear
headed military men who sit i.power at Richmond that
crisis them and that the most vigorous
were required to meet it.
"And to meet it, the one method was the massng of
force adequate to defeat the victorious and advancing
my We Of course in The dark TO the made
the great but is evident that
does Gen ROsecrans advance begin seriously to threaten
Chattanooga, than Johnston and Pemberton with the
nants OF their armies and what they could gather around
them, called up; at the time large detschments
Cat least Division from each corps) hurried of from
Lees Army of Virginia and sent round the other line
is the meanwhile severed by way Of Charleston and At
sna 1t be confessed he occasion opporune
for their making these detachments The Union force
that had menaced Mobile aud held Johnston in position to
it, eliminated from the problem and with regard
Virginia the rebel cheffelt at least in beng able
with small force to keep back any advance of the
Union General long enough to enable battle to be fought
in the West when the troops if wanted could be returned
In the mean time Bragg gives Chattanooga without
musket fired in its deeneehe rebels justly reasoning that
territorial cOnquests of small moment while
military policy is bad BY the time Gen. kosecrans is
fairly in Cha tanooga the rebels concentrated in posi-
ton below resolved, may suppose that the Union
General shall pay dearly for his next step in advance
1T is not quite clear TO why Gen Ro ecTans took
in advance If he had remained at Chattanooga
looking well to lis communications drawing in Burnsides
troops aud fortfyng his position he might have remained
comparative security until ronorcements should be sent
him. But if the au hores had definitely resolved that
reiuforcements should be sent him. in keeping with
Rosecrans ardent and impetuou nature that he should
81 elk to strike quickly a destructive blow at the enemy,
knowing well that if the rebels should be allowed time
concentrate front of him. his position at Chatianoog.
would be exposed to the thanking practice he had
himself successfully exercised toward the enemy
What may be the precise estimate to be put upon this
repulse will of depend what remains behind
The loss of the battle itself is not dscoursgug the
faulty that placed the Army Of the Cumberland in posi-
ton to be thus handled Battles lost and battles
the natural strophe and antstrophe Of war. We have
learned TO bear them both with becoming calm but
vicious litary policy s what strains the temper almost
beyond the verge OF endurance The Government is now,
told rapidly reinforcing Gen. Rosecrans II abe
to do it after the defeat it should have been able to do it
before the defeat but if this practical lesson
needed the result may not be altogether without its
compensatons In issue of two weeks ago pointed
out the dangers incident to Gen Rosecrans ldvancea
caution hat drew down anmadyersons upon
1t is with satisfaction that to-day able look
upon the practical justification Of position in the
pulse in Georgia. which furnishes fresh illustration that
the great principles of war cannot be violated with inn
punity."
These criticisms would have nothing more than
theoretical value if we could hope that the "vi-
oious policy" which it points out was to be super
seeded by " correct military action" The writer
justly says that to attempt grand operations with
one portion of the line that forms the grand Union
Gordon militaire while the others are consigned to
role of inactivity, is simply to invite the enemy
to concentration against that particular portion
for its annihilation." And yet this is the very
thing which the military authorities in Washing
ton are still doing, if their favorte organs may be
trusted to speak by authority The journal which
has the closest relations with these authorities,
and which, lift has no right to speak for any body
else, has at least right to speak for them-we al
lude to the Daily Chronicle of this city-announces
in its number Of Tuesday last that I" the Govern.
ment has wisely determined to reinforce General
Rosecrans, epen though a cause The temporary ces-
sotion Of any actioe operations By the army of
the Potomac. Tennessee has become The qreat
b,y,Io- 6eIJ of fLe Lour We have NJ ob;aoI;or