Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-11-25
A Wall ont of Dixie,
From the Richmond Enquirer, Nov IL

I E. from the Richmond Enquirer, Nov IL
The people and army of the Confederate
States have been so much complimented upon
the proves and gallantry of their arms so
| much faitered upon what has been accom-
plished, that they have lost sight of the fact
that sagTenders hire been made 5v Htety ar
| Haies than By the armies Of any other natio,2.
" hat nation in three years of war e1er Iotc-
cred lis flag etereR tunes IL. surrender?
There have been eleven Confederate surren-
ders since the war began: Near Rich Noun
tain, at Hatteras, at Island No. 10. Fort Hem
~, Fort Donelson, Roanoke Island, Fl Phil
lips, Jackson, Arkansas Post, Vicksburg, 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 Will show much galantry 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
riod 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
ia a5uaitgated disgrace, and long as for
eign nations see surrenders SO co1nplacently
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 We're 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
Nicksburg, 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, Bristow Sta
ton, and now the late disaster ON the Kappa
hammock, show how leniency to the first deri-
lection of duty may entail continued and re-
peated disasters and carelesSness Intiict 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
trans tired 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 0 clock IN the afternoon until dark. No
explanation has been made why reinforce
ments were not sent to their rescue, nor 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
no activity remedy.
q Surprises are more injurious TO military
prestige, more destructive to men and mate
rial, than defeat III 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 a 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
manga"