Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-10
MILITARY CRITICISMS.

We find in a late number of the New York
Tribune an elaborate review of the military opera
tons which, in the Department of Tennessee, i'm
mediatey preceded and attended the repulse of
the army of Gen. Rose,rans in the battles of Chicka-
manga.
This review, which is very minute and appa-
rently authentic in its statements, has been evil
sources of information, and, it is ayowedy pub
lished in yiudication of the removal of Gen Rose
Grams from his command it may be proper for us
to reproduce the salient points of the writer's
representations, because there are those-our read
ers know that we are not of the number-who have
supposed themselves to find grounds of grave com
plant against the Administration on account Of its
decision in regard to that officer.
Awaiting ourselves partially of the condensation
of the reviewers statements, as contained in the
same number of the paper which gives them cur
rency, we may say that it appears from their pur
port that cur military authorities in this city, after
having had their patience severely tried by the
antecedent delays" of Gen. Rosecrans, assumed
the resp visibility OF the issue of the campaign up
to the time Of the fall of Chattanooga by ordering
Gen Rosecrans peremptorily to cross the Tennes-
see river.
1t is also epr sented that upon the evacuation OF
Chattanooga by the enemy, Gen Rosecrans, with
out satisfying himself thoroughly to the real in
tents of his adversary, by reconnoissances and
other"iss proceeded to act the assumption that
Bragg was in full retreat, and upon that theory
divided his command into three columns, and or.
dered them to move over three separate routes
twenty to thirty five miles apart from each other
for the purpose of interceptlpg the opposed flight
of the enemy. This mistaken pursuit took tb,
different parts Of the army beyond supporting dis
lance of each other, over lines Of march converg
ing upon the position assumed by Bragg, so that
they were exposed to the danger Of successive at
tack and destruction by the whole rebel force
And it is added that this division Of his forces
besides being in itself indefensible on military
principles, was also in open violation OF specific in
structions from Gen Halleck in this city And
when Gen. Rosecrans had discovered his mist Ike
as to the movements of the enemy, and the neces
sity of rescuing his army from the peril Of destruc
ton in detail, he made his dispositions so unskil
fully, it is charged, that the army was drawn int
| HeUCTdi dCIlou mOFCmeub Wy lux
left Aank--a disadvantage which brought it to thu
, verge Of defeat at the very beginning Of the con
fict, and rendered it impossible for our troops Il
win the battle Of the 10Th Of last September-th,
first Of the conflicts which resulted in the repuls
Of Chickamauga,
; Gen. Rosecrans is also severely censured by tn
official reviewer for abandoning the field Of batt,
and retreating to Chattanooga while the sound o.
battle clearly indicated that Gen Thomas was still
making stubborn resistance to the enemy in hi,
: front
! The Tribune concludes its summary as follows
"Thus il that, had Gen, Kssecrahs carried ou
Gen. Haecks instructions, the loyal people would hav
had 10 disaster h. the Army OF III
Cumberland We will not say that battle avoidabe
but we hold that il could have been fought ow
to time and place instead Of those Of the enemy
and that in that contingency quite another result wou
have followed.
THE the Chickamauga Of couIs contrOe
the recent operations Of Gen Grant These have bee
succesu but it should not be forgotten that with tber
double expenditure Of life and hub has been incurred
and that the preparations for the efforts to retrieve t
discontinue OF September bias used up the for tb
contemplated fall csmpagH INTO the interior 81 Georgia
renders necessary postponemeat 81 further often
sye movements in that quarter until next spring"