Washington telegraph., 1864-06-29


ed from duty by the commander of the
Department. We had heard this some
time ago, but did not conceive it proper
to bring the matter before the public, un-
til it may have been submitted to the
proper military authorities and acted
upon. 1t is impossible that citizens. or
even the army itself, should fully under
stand the reasons, or the necessities infu-
encing the conduct of our Generals to-
wards each other, before the whole mat
ter may have been investigated. These
points of military duty. and discipline,
and etiquette are far better left to the
quiet settlement of proper authority.
whilst the whole people and army, batting
nothing of honor or respect, for any ia
vored General, should do their utmost to
preserve harmony amongst themselves,
and to sustain the General in command
whoever he may happen to be.
The writer mentions, with the appear
ance of censure, that portion Of Gen.
Taylor's forces was taken away from
him after the battles of Mansfield and
Pleasant Hill. We cannot concur in
thinking that wrong. The interests of
the achoie Department primarily. and of
the Confederacy generally, are placed
under the charge of Gen. Smith. 1t is
grave trust, filled with the most oppress-
i've anxieties. The General cannot know
any State or any section. He is equally
bound TO watch every point and defend
every section so far as he may. But his
prime duty is to strike the heaviest blows
upon the enemy and defeat his purposes
regardless Of local Inconvenience. The
destruction of the enemy, and the acqui-
sition of our independence are the main
objects. Local protection is desirable,
but altogether secondary.
In the common cause it is the highest
patriotism TO expand our hearts and sym
pathies to all portions of the Confedera-
CIV. Some parts must suffer. 1t is la
mentable, but unavoidable. 1t has hap
pened to Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia,
Kentucky. Louisiana. Mississippi, Ar
kansas-every State. What condition
of affairs would have resulted, had each
of these States murmured and repned
because all the States of the Confederacy
had not been concentrated for its special
protection?
Arkansas has been overrrn. We hold
but few counties in the South. We re.
cognize it as the fortune of war, and do
not murmur that our best young men
have been fighting in Virginia and Geor-
gia, whilst their homes were being desc
Grated by the invader. So it should be
everywhere. When local protection is
made the first object of every State, our
cause is lost. The enemy will conquer
us in detail.
The battles of Mansfield and Pleasant
Hill were won by the aid of Missouri and
Arkansas troops, drawn from our soil fol
that purpose, whilst an invading army
from another direction, was overruuning
the State. That was right Could the
cause Of the Confederacy have been sub.
served, by retaia;rg tlose troops in Lou
; | 1Sialld anu illc 10 uOlI
every foot of Arkansas soil to ravage a
will, that would have been right also. Az
/ exalted unselfshness is the true atmos
phere Of patriotism.
The question is, how could Gen -Smitl
; do most to cripple the enemy in the Who'll,
department. How could he weaken hin
, most in every quarterl How defeat til,
plans Of their campaign! Certainly By
repelling, wasting, weakening each por
ton of their army in detail There wa,
something Napoleonic in the way he ac
: complished it-and he did it effectually
t By leaving the Arkansas and Missouri
forces in Louisiana after the battle o.
Pleasant Hill, more prisoners of Banks
army might have been captured, but his
: army would have been but little more eff
fectually routed and driven from tn.
country. Meanwhile, Arkansas down t.
Red River, would have been abandoned
to the enemy. With head quarters a
) Camden or Washington, they would have
, secured a permanent foothOld, from which
r it would have been difficult to driv,
them. BY hurrying back our own troop.
after the rout and defeat of Banks was {
fixed fact, Steele was also driven back tc
Little Rock with a routed and demoral
lied army and incapacitated for aggress
, i've movements for months, if not forever
The results were glorious liz the whole
but satisfactory to no particular section
The Arkansians were disappointed tha'
Steele was not annihilated-the Louisi
! anians, that Banks was not. All, how
ever, confess that the general results were
beyond all their previous hopes or expec
ta:ions, 1t is human nature, after every
, good thing, to murmur because it wa:
: not better.
Gen. Taylor has won laurels in the lat,
battles in Louisiana, which he deserves
to wear, and which history will max,
immortal. He is Louisianian, and ha,
nobiy battled for the people of his Stat.
and for the Confederacy. Let him hav,
all honor. But let us avoid all acrimo
nious partizanship, and leaving military
difficulties to military men, be sparing o
our censure, and ready with help ant
sympathy to all.
Gen. Smith has proven himself able
| natriotic imOartiaI inst If l. we'll RI n