Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-06-03
S'pD'SS Ss.G9 R6s.oe ss1a0d IL IGs

~ ~ 1uS sAIhEy OF General Bragg
drew forth the following bitter denuncis.
ton of him from Mr.. Orr, of South Car
OliuA:
Mr.. Orr said II this bill passed, General
Bragg would get more pay, by several
thousand dollars Q year, than General Lee,
taking into the estimate the Communication
of quarters, etc. He was credibly in.
formed that even Lieutenant Colonels on
duty here in Richmond got in the matter
of cbmmutAdons, &C., Jas much ipay as
General Lee he thought II wrong that'a
General on duty in the city should receive
more pay than General exposed to the
hardships and dangers OF the field.
Bot he had much more serious obiec.
tionS to this bill than the matter of nav.
He did not believe there was any necessity
for the Office filled by this General. Alter
the military disasters of 1852, the President
finding that he could not personally attend
to aud manage the affairs Of the Generals
of a our different armies had this Office
created and put General Lee into it. Gen.
eral Lee hlled it for two months when,
General Johnston being wounded at Seven
Pines, he was called to the field. The
ONCE then became vacant and remained
so until General Bragg, having completely
played out at Missionary Ridge, was float.
log about, no army being willing to receive
him. when he was brought here and put
into the Office which had been so we'll and
50 worthily filled by General Lee.
What was the organization of the War
Department when General Bragg was put
into this Office? The Secretary of War
had been in Office over twelve months, and
if there had been complaint against him by
any considerable portion of our people, he
(Mr. ORR had not heard it. If the Secre-
tary did not require assistance year ago,
why should be now, after he was the more
competent by moro than twelve months
experience2 The Secretary had already an
efficient, laboriOus and accomplished As
sistant. he alluded to Judge Campbell, OF
Georgia. The Adj. Gen. was an able officer
Of twenty-oue years experience, having
been the Adjutant General of the United
States Army. There were also in the War
Once a corps of experienced and able AS
sistsnts.
But just on the eve Of this campaign,
when the department had our whole army
In its grasp-every regiment, brigade and
division sPotted-When there was no neces.
si'y for additional officers In this depart
ment, General Bragg was placed here as
Ordering General. He had not learned that
the Adjutant General or the Secretary of
War had asked that General Bragg should
be put here. He had. however, no doubt
from his knowledge Of bis high toned char
seLer that Sir. Seddon's Independents re.
yOlted at the idea of playing second fiddle
TO General BraRR.y-, -
He MEsorr) had called General Bragg
the ordering General; but his functions
might be OF even higher order. Officers
who have been 10 active service for over tire
y Srs had to apply to him for promotion.
General Bragg had to pass upon the merits
of officers of whose gallant deeds he knew
nothing, with some of whom be had GUAR.
relied, and some of whom he had driven ont
Of the service.
There was no necessity for this General
In Richmond. It was q homely but true
adage that too many cooks 6poIl the broth
40 instance of this was afforded during
the recent Sheridan raid, the attempt 10
break MP which bad been the worst butch
cred affair of the war. On that occasion
We had the President In the Geld, General
Bragg in the field. aud . number Of othsr
Generals. There were too many Generals.
No one knew who was in command. He
knew this from officers who were in the
nRnt. Ihere were too many masters, Il
WAS impossible to serve 90 many leaders.
But If it was necessary that this Office
should be hIled' General Bragg was iu-
competent for the place. This was shown
BY bis whole course, running through
three years. When BeaureRard fell back
from Tupelo he applies for three weeks
leave Of absence. he was Immediately re-.
lieved upon the ground that the army
could not be allowed to lie idle 40 long,
General Bragg was put in command, and
this army had to lie idle for two muuths.
Let the Kentucky campaign attest whether
the commanding, General was incompetent
or not. -sA-I- - EE II TT =
Mr.. Orr then reviewed the Kentucky
campaign down to the battle of Murfrees.
boro'. he fought Rosecrans at the latter
place, Rosecrans having very little super.
Tor force; and it was believed he ought "a
have whipped the enemy if his BRA II
troops had been properly handled. The
next day be Bragg sent out Breckenridge,
and had his troops cut to pieces, aud theu
attempted to make scape goat of him
He Bragg then allowed hinselfto be ma.
nnuvered out of ROCKVILLE and Chattanoo.
ga: Il was true be (Bragg) fought the
battle OF Chickamauga, which ended in a
victory which was not. followed up Sbut
he (Mr. Orrl 'believed thatfor this victory
to him (Gen. Bragg no credit was due. 4. :,
The credit of the victory of Ohickamau /.
ga was due to Generals Longstreet, D. 81.
Hill and others, with all of whom General
Bragg had quarreled. When he had quar-.
relied with these Generals and thew had
left him with pet Generals, he and thew
were beaten in the next battle, and for the
hrst time 10 the war we hear Of the rcovar-
dice ofou troops. If at Missionary Ridge
our troops acted with coWsrdice, it was
because they had been educated to 1t bv
their General, who had proved to them on
many nard fought fields, on which they had
done their duty fully and nobly, that he
was Incompetent to lead them 10 victory,
General Bragg was thu first among o1r
Generals, aud, to their credit, 81 Il said
the last, who had had our men led out and
shot like beeyes, without court.martial or
form of trial. But he (Bragg) was q fl :.
Vorite of the President, who would hear
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