The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-03
Responsibility for Buffers Cam.
paigning.

An article elsewhere published from the New
York Ercning Post. explains the cause of the
disaster to BUTLER, by which the Government,
during last week, lost some 600 men, i'm
portant positions, and which placed our forces
on the James River on the defensive. 1t is the
old story of political general in high COM
mand, with good officers under him, by whose
opinions he was expected to be guided; but
in this instance, as in the case of BANKS, the
political ignoramus enforced bis own stubborn
will against the advice of old and tried SOL
diers, and disaster followed. The responsible
ity should not rest entirely on General BUTLER.
A share OF it belongs to Mr.. LINCOLN, who put
him in position to do so much harm. The
Washington correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial says:
Some gentlemen in conversation with the
President few days ago expressed their
doubts as to Buffers capacity as an officer n
does not succeed it will not be my fault
have set three of my best Generals to watch
him-Baldy Smith, Gilmore and Weitzell.
Now, il they can't keep him from doing harm,
/ am sure ought not to be held accountable
for what he does.
The idea of placing an obstinate, mulish min
compoop in command and setting "three OF
my best generals to watch him" is Linconish
all over. The public and especially the friends
of the fallen, will ask why such command
was given to man who required watching amp
why were such soldiers as SMITH and GILMORE
compelled to perform that duty. 1t has been a
mystery to all, which is not explained in the
above anecdote of Mr.. LINCOLN, why the
BUTLER, close upon the heels of the North
Carolina reverse. Whatever administrative
ability Gen. BUTLER may possess, it is a we'll
known fact that his military experience prior
to the rebellion was confined solely to militia
trainings During the progress of the war he
has not once, if we mistake not, been under
fire, and has had the conduct of but one en-
gagement, that at Big Bethel, and then he was
at Fortress Monroe far away from the scene
of encounter.
When it was announced that he had gone up
the James in charge of the cooperating
column, we rested in the assurance that BAL
DY SMITH would be the commander But the
BUTLER had control of affairs, while such able
captains as Gems. SMITH and GILMORE acted in
subordinate capacity. We require leader
of military experience on the James, fully as
much as on the Pamunkey.
Some of Mr.. LINCoLN's appointments to high
command, set at naught all the dictates of
common sense and common prudence, and are
beyond the comprehension Of anybody. With
out enquiry into the cause of SIGEL's having
had charge of the important movement up the
Shenandoah Valley, or of his disaster, we
should like to know why he was superseded
by such an officer as Gen. HUNTER, who has
done nothing but prove his incompetency
since the commencement of the war and why
such an officer as Gen. Couch, one of our
,blest generals, was set to watch him, I"
while In command of only small d.
vision 1t would also be interesting to know
why Gen. CANBy, whose only experience in
the field was with small command In New
Mexico, was sent out to supersede General
BANKS while Gen. BUELL., one OF the ablest
officers in the army, and his superior in rank,
was Inundated by an order to assume . subor-
dinate command under him. There seems to
be studied attempt on the part of the author
tiles at Washington to heap every indignity
and humiliation on some Of our best ofacezs