Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-12-03
OLUMBIA COUNTY, PENNA, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1864.

|
dier wounded on the left at the battle of
Fredericksburg was hit by a minio-ball,
fred at Times correspondent, who was
far in advance of the line of battle, study
ing the topography Of the coming field of
strife. Among the very first wounded in
the centre was a HyaM attache. A Times
man charged with Col. McVicar's cavalry
regiment at Chancellorsville, and shot two |.
rebels dead with the borrowed weapon he
carried. One of his associates was after
wards wounded at the cavalry engage
ment near Bands Ford aud again had his
horses head taken completely off at Get
tysburg by a solid shot. Two correspun-
dents, by dint of much exertion, made
their way TO Harpcr's Ferry, when it wa,
beIeaguered on all sides. One escaped
through the enemies lines at midnight, and
conveyed to Frederick the first intelligence
Of the surrender Of the place. The other
escaped by becoming Col. D Utasscy's
private secretary, and being paroled in
that capacity, Two representatives. Of the
Tribune, one Of the HtraW, uud one of
IVohl, determined on reaching Grants
army at Grand Gulf, attempted to run the
Vicksburg batteries. The vessel was des-
troyed and all taken prisoners Numer.
Gus other examples might be cited, but
these are sufficient to prove the fasity Of
toe statement frequently made. that the
war chroniclers write their dispatches from
the rear.
COMMANDING GENERALS AND TIE PRESS.
, General Mcclellan gave bat little heea
to correspondents, assuming that they
were possessed of sufficient di Grafton and
patriotism to reIraiu from publishing news
Of an Injurious character They were,
= however, subject to certain restrictions
from the War Department, Pope was at
first very friendly to the press, rendering
to some Of its representatives the hospital
tiles of his quarters. He Irequantly read
over their de~patcbes before they were sent
: of. But he afterwards took offense, and
summariy ordered them all from his lines
Burnside treated them with the utmost cor
u diality, and won their highest regard and
esteem by his manly course. Hooker af
t ter having been promoted to the supreme
: command more through their influence
5 than all others combined at once turned
u upon them. The same was true OF his chief
Of staff. Between them they rendered the
c position Of correspondent such that one
" could not very wei retain it without com
o promising his self retpect, To criticse
l. either Hooker or Butterleld's Operations
l. was to sign ones pass to the quartcrmas-
8 ter's department at six mouths hard labor.
81 Il was for this reason that the couDtry has
: never compreheDded how dcplorablo was
'' the Encouragement and failure at Chan
Il cellorsyilIe, and how narrow was the e.
10 cape OF our army from total destruction.
= The correspondents were held in t2rrOrcat
= and did not dare to make known the fact:
J in the case. One who had the courage tC
u publish true statement of the losses sim
Is ply, was huhed Tor days up and down the
s. army, but fortunately for himself could no
u be found, Buell. pursued much the same
d course toward them in the West that Nc
Clellau did in the East. Sherman ha,
followed Pope's example and Grant Burn
Lii al; a.,
" every courtesy, frequently making then
. his companions in the tent and at the ta'
- BE.
lo That much harm has been done by the
!" premature publication of plans and other
= facts is uquestionably true ; but SO long
Ill as the Washington authorities maintain
III their present attitude toward the press tbi
. will continue to be the case. In the Cri
mean war the correspondents accompany
III ing the allied armies had an acknowledge,
y rank, were supplied with equipage, etc,
y and held strictly accountable for every lin
w. written.
VI Chose in authority at the capital, ia
CT stead of pursuing a rimilar course, hav
OIL made no provision whatever for CORES
a pondents, each one being left to shift 70
10 himself, to write what he chooses, and il
y short to do what he pleases. The natura
III result has been an irregularity and IRE
- sponsibility in army correspondence. Th
he people are entitled to and will have tn
a news; but they demand only such as i
y legitimate and not detrimental to the caus
," II they are furnished with more than thi
al it is because the War Department permit
n it to appear.
dh -
ED- Though much reading and conveI