Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-01-22
From the KoxVille Regi-tep.
Br gus Genernls6fp.

From the Koxville Regi,ter.
Br gs's Generrlshfp.
1t is d,emed uGquesiionabie that Rosencranz came
out OF Nashville because he could not remain there
His supplies exhausted. Morgan in his rear,
and the Cumberland was not navigabe he therefore
must aunlhlase Braeg's army retreat. 1t was a
surrender retreat Louisville, the necessity for
complete victory. such would give him unrammeled
control of Middle ienneeste, that evoked him from
Nashville. He Therefore advanced 10 annihiIae Bragg
army-Bragg gave battle and was triumphant When
he drew of bis forces from the battlefield Wedues.
day night it not his Ian policy to assault the
enemy on the hill on which twenty rifed pieces were
stationed Wien, however the AbolItionists crossed
Stone river on our right Aank Breckenridge Sc
repeI them. II Bragg had reinforced Breckinridge
he would thus have becom' the assaling party Know
ing that RosencranZ compelled to attack bin, what
folly it would have been to have supported Breckn-
ridge at such place aud in such assault. II Rosen-
forced leave Nashville, the necessity Tor
bis abandonment OF bis position strengthened earth
works at Murfreesb)rO', wa& great that which
f)rced hm to advance from the Capital. The country
und MurtreesbOro has beeu exhausted by Brsgg's
army. There is no railway communication between
Louisville and MurfreesbOrO more than between Louis
vile and Nashville. Bragg knew that Rosencrsuz
must again attack him auy place that be- Bragg would
select
So palpable and apparen. were these facts and con-
sderatons Us, that stated On the very morning
that Bragg unced his victory that we would re-
treat He would have been an idiot mailman to have
done otherwise. He has only to seek stronger posi-
tion than that held at uret sboro' to equaliz. bis
army to that of Rosencrarz then be may redeem BIZ
promise TO the people Of Winchester, that he would
again defeat the Federas before they reached that vii
age.
There are movements of Federal troops which may
intervene to interfere with the of General agg
plan Of operations If the purpose OF capturing Wick
burg be abandoned, which do not believe il Grants
army not to operate against ackson, Mississippi anu
Vcksburg, and then against Nj Jbe, ii Porter's and
"a of of nnho har MiSais.
sippi from Ficksburg, may learn that diver
sion in eencrar rs favor is being made by Grant 10
the direction of Huntsville from Oxford and COrinth
To effect such a movement, Grant must keep open his
lines 0t tion with Memphis, and to prevent
this, Bragg has sent Forrest into West Tennessee H.
and Van Dorm will doubtless become stinguishtd
of railways Morgan, by bis achieve
ments in Kentucky. Then should the Cumberland and
Tennessee become navigable for guuboats, these de-
tachei from Porter's feet, nay convoy supplies to
Grant at Decatur Ala, and to ROsencrapz at Nashville
Can ROseDcrapz await these contingencies? =? Should
they arise, Rosencranz will De reiotorced, and agR
may be compelled to violate his promise to the army
and people, aGd withdraw even to Chattanooga |
is part OF his duty to engage force supe ior to
his that the chances of victory doub:tql He
would not have made stand a. Murfreesboro in those
level fields had he not known that he had the b st army
yet organlze1, and that hout bst lie would
/ ave demorazed that army. Even when they had
been subjected to fagues aad dangers and suffering
such few armies bore, his troops became almost
mutnOus when q retreat was ordered
We have never been elassed among the admirers of
Gen. Bragg. He was in the city for many days within
a stones throw of " our " headquarters. We new
called at his. Shaers portrait OF the General sats
Us that he is " bard customer" We, too, had our
doubts about the perfection of that generalship which
conducted the Kentucky campaign, still it now happens
that anticipated the very movements Bragg is now
making, aud in defending him. may only be acuateo
by motives OF seifshness.
We may again have occasion to inveigh against that
fof
in its demands for unparalleled victories 1t Is this
which gives origin to the clamor that greets victor
crowned with glory enduring from the bloody field
OF Murreesboro. 1t was this spirit which welcomed
Lee from Sharpsburg and Harpers Ferry. It was this
which overwhelmed Mcclellan, whose retreat from be-
fore Richmond is not surpassed in skltul generalshp
betrayed during this Mcclellan displaced by
President who is mailman, and because of the clam
Or of the Northern press and populace 1t s but nat
ural that those whose wishes generated the thought
who announced the result of campaign when only ad
vsad of the results of battle, should look round
for some faulty step n the conduct OF the commander
who did not, in sing day complete this campaign.
Hence the readuess to give prominence to any imagin
ed error hence the proneness to take advan of pop
ular sympathy with the gallant Breckinridge, who
de he'd into the very jaws of death.
1t was no part of Bragg's duty policy to assa .
reinforced army and camp partially entrenched in
position found strong the day BEFORE that six
cessu assaults had BET made upon of its positions
held by artillery. Cons :ious that RosencraDz must
follow him from the exhausted country around Muir
freesborO, and for the very which dmpeed him
to leave Nashville, it Braggs policy and duty to
withdraw to position which would enable him to prac
tice the maxim that everything is fair in even
retreat after splendid victory in order that there
may be another victory, which may reasonably hope
will be 6na and conclusive to all those splendid results
which filled with Joy the world of newspapprdou. We
still that Glen Braggs conduct Murfreesboro'
s, in view of all facts before US, yond the
saut OF newspaper criticism