Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-08
GEN. BUELL'S CAMPAIGN.
From tho Philadelphia Age.

Gen. BUELL. could not have expected much praise
from the devotees of policy to which no is known always
to have been opposed n the conduct Of the aud no
great harm TO him from the abuse which his let
ter written at Bedford Springs. and published 10 the Age
the 9th instant has called forth in certain public jour
nails but connected with their abuse certain misre.
presentations regard to his military operations and ad-
mnistration which ought perhaps to be refuted This is
at least to that portion Of the people who have steadily
insisted that the should have other object than the
Of the Union and that that object was only
be attained by respecting the Constitution and pursuing
humane aud just policy towards the Southern people.
An article in the New York Tribune, commenting on
Gen Buels letter contains the following passages:
His tardy, reluctant advance from Nashville to the
relief Of Gen Grants mperled at Pttsburg Land
ing : When he succeeded to the command OF our
army in Northern Alabama, that army which, under Gen
Mitchell had been constantly advancing and making cap
lures was instantly paralyzed and rendered impoen
From that moment it ceased to annoy the rebels
who commenced cutting it up detail defeating and cap
turing it by regiments, brigades, and divisions. When
satiated with this the rebels anked Buell. and struck
bee line for the Ohio Buell. followed afar off; that TO- he
started parallel roads, ordering Andrew johnson to
eyacuate Nashville and abandon all Tennessee to the
rebes-which johnson refused to DO. Buell. took good
care not to get behind the rebels to do them
damage; but he greatly Outnumbered them they at
length turned back aankDg him again. aud after an in
decisive fight at Peryvie, where not half army
engaged, and where consequently worsted they
retreated unharmed, taking all their plumber with them"
In an article in the New York Evening Post the follow
| ing passages appear:
Under his (Gen Buelrs) rule in Tennessee loyal SOL
diers were employed catching runaway slaves of rebel
planters, and stationed guards rebel plantations
Gen. Buell. treated the rebel population with such careful
that when they refused sell forage stock
or other supplies for the of armythen protec
ing them against molestaton-he would not permit such
Gen Buels devotion to his system of protecting the
enemy kept his army upon defensive line for whole
summer; caused the loss of many of his men by the
treachey OF the planters whose property and negroes he
guarded discouraged and disguised the Unonsts of Ten
nessee, and finally caused Gen Bues hasty and Disgrace
full through Tennessee and Kentucky to the very
banks of the Ohio before enemy not his superior in
numbers, and whom he permitted to get away, almost
moested, with the spols Of rich State"
Clearly there can be nadyertency the publication
of such assertions with the spirit which the articles from
which they extracted betrays To show to the full
extent the character of these assertions would require
more detailed history of the campaign of 1861 and 1862
in the West than would be possible within the limits to
| which this article must be confined Incidentally, it will
be made sufficiently apparent in the brief outline which il
proposed to give this time in order to show whether
there any for the following general assertions
| the Post:
Buell. had fair and long trial. bis policy gained
him the country single His fashion Of car
| rying on the war" " wasted year to no purpose"
These assertions mean they any thing that Gen
Buells services during the twelve months that he was in
command amounted to nothing and were of value to
| the country.
At the time that Gen. Buell. took command in Kentucky
about the middle of November 1861, the greatest appre
hension felt that the State would, by the force
and the disturbed condition of her people, be carried
under the control and into the active support of the rebel
lions and the opinion frequently expressed that if he
should succeed in ayetng that result he would deserve
/ of A Stat
had already been nauguraed under the protection
rebel armies which occupied nearly half of the entire
State and threatened further invasion from the south
east In three months and half from that time ever
rebel soldier had been swept from that portion of Ken
lucky and Tennessee north of the Cumberland rver am
powerful army second to that the country ha.
produced 10 organization and discipline, anc
after executing detached operations moved by land
ia mid winter hundred and seventy FIVE miles to Nash
Vile The experience Of the last two years the prepa
ration aud progress OF campaigns with veteran armies
perienced officers and syematized resources will afford
criterion by which to judge well those three montb
and half were employed: and their fruits will bear
parison with any OF a similar period To specify more
particularly, the prominent facts in Cen Buells rule du
ring this period the udcous administration which
Quoted the passions and of the people
Kentucky and established them firmly upon the side OF the
Government the creation OF large aod well disciplined
army the victory of Mill Spring, won under his specific
orders the operations in the northeastern part OF the
State under his special Instructions resulting the battle
of Middle Creek and the expulsion of Humphrey Mar
shas force from the State and the plan and execution
Of the campaign which resulted ia the capture OF For
Henry the evacuation of Bowling Green by the enemy
the capture OF Fort DOnel.on the occupation OF Nashville
and Middle Tennessee and very after the evacua
too by the enemy Of the whole Of West Kentucky and
4 West Tennessee
1t will not be forgotten that Cen HalIeck who com
manded the department adj dining Gen Buels took
important part IN that campaign Ii proposed to him
by Gen. Buell. on the 81 OF January 1862 and had month
earlier received the approval Of Gen. Mcclellan Gen
Haeck did not approve it at the tme-indeed was moi
probably prepared 10 undertake it but month later he
suddenly commenced the execution of that part Of il
which pertaned to him, by advancing up the Tennessee
river In the time tho expedition against Zolcof
fers army at Mill Spring and other important objects had
Withdrawn considerable part Of Gen BaePs force 10
points, bad roads when the whole country
drenohed with rans. On the 9th of February he
commenced 10 reinforce Gen Hnlecks movement up the
Tennessee az Cumbeand-to which from frat to last he
contributed about twenty thousand men, though only about
ten thousand arrived IN time to take part in the siege
Fort Donels0nand at the time commenced concen-
rstug his force towards Bowling Green which the enc.
N.Y. under Sidney Johnson began to eyacuae about the
l2lb falling back TO Nashville Fort Henry surrendered
to the gunboats the 7h and Fort Donelson was
ed by Gen. Gram about the l2h Gen Buelps advance
arrived opposite Bowling Green at daylight on the morn
ing OF the l4th drove out toe guard Of the enemy
and Immediately commenced crossing On the 10th Fort
Donelson surrendered TO Gen Grant, and on the 25th
Gen Buell. took possession Of Nashville Such are the
main features Of this important campaign An eIsmna
tlon of the map will show what effect these noyemens
necessarily had each other II the advance OF Gen
Grant up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers by cans
ing Sidney johnson 10 divide bis force prevented any for
1 / hla am IN Gap ID