Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-12-01

law many years ago shall be increased or not.
The result of General Bragg's useless and unsuc
cessful attempt to hold worthless position in front
of Chattanooga, will not disappoint any over-san-
guine ahticipations of the public mind. Such re.
suit has long been foreseen by all observers of the
situation, and the country is prepared for It. Why
he persisted in remaining there so long, is q myS.
terry only 10 be explained the supposion Of con.
certed action between himself and his tardy heuten.
ant in East Tennessee.
The Confederate army did very little harm from
Lookout Mountain to the Federal forces in Chatta.
nooga. The relative positions were advantageous
to the enemy. He had not two miles of hauling
for his supplies; the Confederates were forced to
drag theirs over nine miles of road that rapid
ly killing all the cattle of the army and the country
Meantime, Sherman had been permitted to bring up
q reinforcement of twenty five thousand men unmo-
Tested, and Grant had become strong enough to af-
ford large loss Of life to gain military advantage
Under these circumstances retreat to the old field
of Chickamauga appeared reasonable, and was ex-
pected by the country. But General Bragg held
his position until forced from it
How has it happened, with his splendid army
and with unquestioned superiority of position that
he has sustained acknowledged reverse? The
answer will be made with considerable unanimity,
that General Bragg is incompetent to command !;
that he is maintained in his important position by
Mr.. Davis against the judgment and protest of both
country anu LuaL DeilneT troops nor OtncerS
have confidence in him; that he has lost battle af-
ter Rattle by faulty arrangement of his troops and
want Of military talents; and that it is right and
reasonable to suppose that he has lost another in
the same manner. 1t is impossible to deny that
such deductions from the facts logical and
inevitabe but il is just to add that the develop
ment or the news may support q less harsh view.
At present all that is known OF the matter is con-
tanned in the two dispatches over General Bragg's
signature which the reader will find iu the ELdml-
7er of this present date. In the first of these he
states that he sustained on Tuesday prolonged
struggle for the possession of Lookout Mountain,
and that one Confederate division suffered severely
the enemy were manoeuvrng for position OIL other
points-that is to say, the enemy, usual,
1anking General Bragg In a second dispatch he
SAYS that the conflict has been Sneved along the
whole line; his right wing held its ground but that
the Confederate left wing gave way in consIdera-
BILE disorder" and that he was then engaged in with
drawing everything to Chickamauga. This IS the
history in brief Of defeat
Perhaps the result might have been different if
LHngstreet and his corps of the Virginia army had
been in line His operations IN East Tennessee af-
ford little compensation for the reverse Of Chatta
nooga, nor have the late bare and scanty from
that quarter sustained the high hopes which the
public Justly based on the first intelligence brisk
ly forwarded by General Bragg. His telegram de-
clared that Longstreets cavalry had pursued the
emy into Knoxville that the infantry "close
up" and 1t was natural to suppose that the next
news would be that of Knoxville's re-capture But
the next news from Longstreet contained mention
of entertainments which suggested disagreeable re-
miniscences of Suffolk. Since then, little or nothing
has been heard from Longstreet, unless we are to
receive the Unofficial" story of the telegraph this
morning to be trustworthy. o that it may be so !
His pressure on Burnside has, undoubtedly, quick
ened Grants attack on Bragg whie the absence of
his whole corps from the Confederate line at the
time of Shermans arrival IN the Federal host has
given the enemy great opportunity. 1t was du-
ring the PARALLEL campaign Of Longstreet againS Suf
folk that Hooker made his coup at ChancellorsVile
but he found there Jackson, while Grant had to do
with Bragg alone.
Tho result is, that we have lost on Lookout Noun
taiR the advantages gained in the great and bloody
battle on the Chickamauga That battle must be
fought again, either in the next fortnight in the
spring of 1864 Now, will Mr.. jefferson Davis any
longer persist in maintaining General Bragg in the
command of the army on which depends the fate of
the Gulf States? This is enquiry which will be
anxiously made by every citizen who reads the news
this morning. and who really desires the success Of
this Confrderacy If that General is kept in place
despite of all the proofs that he is the wrong man
for such business it is possible that the Confede
rate army may incur a disaster on the banks of the
Chickamauga commensurate with its former Ficto-
ry.-Rieh. Examiner.
At present we know not the extent of the disaster
at Chattanooga, but we do know enough of the past
to forbid euen hope for the future unless the change
so long desired in the army of Gen. Bragg is imme
diately made Dependency and gloom are fast
settling down upon the people, who SEQ their cause
sacrafced by incompetent officers, without even the
hope OF any change. The President we know, es-
teens Ger Bragg and reposes confdeuce in his mil
itary capacity but unfortunately the people do not,
and unless they can see some prospect q speedy
change they mGy despTir Of tbs cause, and the noun
tain region Of East Tennessee, Western North Carol
ma, Northern Georgia and Northern Alabama, submit
to the despotism that incompetency has brought
upon them. For the sake Of encouraging popular
hope, terminating the people, and keeping alive