Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-07-30

tne Impossible chase OF jackson, in the
MT antime, after ,distractiDg all our combi-
nations. succeeded in huring his whole
column against General Mo Clollan' forces
around Richmond at the very moment
when our military authorities, relying on
the reports oI General Fremont after the
battle Of Cross Keys on the sth of June,
supposed him still to be detained in the
valley by the threatening presence of
that officer.
Then came the brief campaign of Gen
Pope, in which, after having his flank re.
peatedly turned aud his communications
with Washington broken by an attack in
his rear he was badly repulscd and driven
into the defenses of Washington, while
the enemy, with lcisurly composure turn
ed from the pursu of his broken and
mis-handled forces to proceed through this
same valley, and make the formidable r =
ruptlon into Maryland which was repeled
by General Mcclellan in the battle Of An
tietam on the 18th OF September, 1862
| We need not pause to describe the dis.
graceful events which proceeded the
occupation of Winchester by the eQe-
|
Surrender of Harpcr's Ferry-resuIts all
due TO the incapacity which placed ncom,
petent officers in important positions and
which, in the case Of Harper's Ferry, was
made douby conspicuous on this occasion
by the retention of Colonel Miles at tha,
post, under order from General IIalleck
after the military availability of the posi-
ton was entirely neutralized by the turn
which events had taken. Official incapac.
ity in Washington, thus combined with
military incompetency at the post, to erec
anew at the entrance of this valley, the
caudine forks of an unspeakable humilia
ton, which largely modified the cxultatior
justly produced by the victory Of Antie.
tam, and which, in all generous minds
was intensified by the attempt to throw
on General Mcclellan the responsibility
for the uutoward events which he had th
sagacity to toresee, but not the power t,
prevent after his advice in the premise
had been cOntemned by the general in
= chief
And next, in the summer Of S63 more
than q month after the disaster of Chan
= cellorsvlle under General Hooker, tn
confederate commander proceeded to pro
ect new invasion "f the north, via thi
same valley of the Shenandoah Fror
Q at failure on the part of our military au
al thorities TO occupy in this quarter th
$ proper points of observation, and fro,
/. their failure to place in the positions &C
! tualy occupied the requisite military tai
/. ent and skill the country was again calle
q to blush at the disgraccful stampede {
It Milroy which preceded the irru p,ion @
II the enemy into Maryland. Winches.e
If was evacuated with John Gilpn speed
1t and eightaen fcld-pieces, Eve ,housan
,r fgs hundred mnsketry, and a large quar-
y tity of ammunition were let behind b
Of the fugilives--a valuable gift to the il
vading enemy,
10 After such repeated experience of ii
- :. military relations held by tAs valley
a the safety Of Washington and to the SUI
- cess of impending operations against Ricl
20 y, mond, it might have been supposed th
- military directors, with as little perspi
=, acity as ours have shown themselves
20 possess, would not for the fourth time perm
a a msmanagonent in this valley to Ia
=, stone of stumbling and rock of otfensc
"a the way of the campaign. And yet Il
a. >. illustration we have just had of the wa
;, of forecast VIII ch has been signahzed /
~ the conduct Of the war in this quarter su
NJ passes in its proportions anything we ha'
n yet been called to witness. Let US ana
81 we the elements oft he invasion which b
Just ended in the raising of the ''siege
10 Washington
:, 1t is obvious to the most unmilita
&c mind that in order to guard the side a
~, ~ proach to Washington via the Shenando
of valley, post of observation should be s
~, ~ lectcd at such point in or near the VI
h. ley as shall enable the force which occ
~, pies i. to discern the approach Of dang
le IN time to guard against the descent Of
~, blow and to calculate its probable weig
,;s wherever it may fall. Before starting @
-, on the campaign against Richmond in t
~ spring of 1862 General Mcclellan "
ua careful to take precautions on this sco
~ ~ Under date of March l6, in that year,
~, to General Banks (who had been select
in to watch tho vallcy) as follows;
~ Your first care will be the rebuilding
or Of the railway from Washington to Manas'
@ and 10 Strasburg, in order TO open yo
-, - communication with the valley ot
'D Shenandoah. As soon as the Mansss
Gap Railway is in running order intrer
ed brigade OF uIautry, say four regimen
o' with tw batteries, at or near the po
on where the railroad crosses the SbeHal
gh doah. Something Alike two regiments
in cavalay should be left in that vicinity
lre occupy Winchester, and thoroughly sc'
m the country south OF the railway and
me The Shenandoah valley, as we'll as throu
ag- Chester gay, which migh ht perhaps be
me vantageously occupied by detachm
lily ofipfantry well ntreuched, Block, hou
nts should be built at all the railway brldg
ra' Occupy by grands Wsrrenton junction q
Warrenton itself, aud also some little m
Ian advanced points on the Orange aud Al
ion andra Railroad, as soon az the railr'
the bridge i, repaired,
the Great activity should be observed by