Washington telegraph., 1864-07-13
demanded General Kirby Smiths atten.

movements of the Yankee army, under
Gen. Banks. Just glanced at, were going
on south Of Red River. another Yankee
army, under Gen Steele, having compell-
ed Gen. Price to evacuate Camden, was
pressing forward down through Arkansas
to Shreveport. Shreveport being. as al
ready stated, the objective point on which
all the Yankee forces under Gen. Banks
and Steele were to lie concentrated.
Gen. Steele was to be met fought, held
at bay al To with
draw, as Gen. Smith did, these divisions
OF Churchill, Monroe Parsons, and Walk
er. in the very flush Of victory. their
blood still heated with the delicious mad
ness of two triumphant baitlehelds, their
ears still drinking III the wall of the re-
treating enemy--to order soldiers. under
such circumstances. 10 face to the left
and hurry forward under hard and forced
marches 10 meet an enemy in Arkansas.
belongs to that class of prompt and de-
cisive movements BY which the military
masters of the art Mi war on the battle
fields Of Europe from 1898 TO 1915 Sc
cured tie trssits If 0'ctories and achierea
detaitipe success. Gen. Smiths move
ments resulting in tie defeat and rout Of
Strul's army al tn Saline, was il al
its main objects, triumphant success. v
Some persons. tmilitary critics the
cannot be called.) seem 20 think that Gen
Banks army should have been pursued
By ali our forces. The folly Of such a
course has been, perhaps. sufficiently
pointed ont But this is not all. Read
ing present events by the experience of
military history, there is no reason 70
suppose that the pursuit Of Banks By
our entire army, would have furnished
results materially different from what ac-
tually happened, unless to our disadvan-
tage, by the coming up and junction Of
Steel's corps.
As 2 mere town, a. an assemblaga of
so many houses, even, or as strategic
poilt, Shreveport is Of comparatively
small importancs. As the seat Of extern
sive military workshops Of the Govern
ment. a. place of arms. the depot ot
our supplies Of munitions and stores Of
every kind for the armies Of the Trans
Mississippi Department. It's possession i
VI LlAr i+A IAI5t plLlAiiA1 ~ - MIN 80
it To have fallen into the hands of the
enemy, I'd IL the damage and loss would
have been incalculable. Us Geteace Joas
q aecessity-there 7oaS no balancing Of
advantages admissible Be il remember
"a. too. that Gen. Steele, with a large
and hitherto yictnriors army was press
ing onward to its capture. Its recapture
by US would not have restored workshops
burned down, arms, munitions, supplies
destroyed. A place or district nay ~
sometimes wisely abandoned, whore irs
eventual fate will be decided by the re-
suits of tie main contest. Not So with
Shreveport. Its temporary loss was TO
us. in effect, it. loss with all its immense
stores forever. This j. not all. Gen.
Steele might have moved lis army by
rapid marches by an interior line to Red
River, and formed a junction at some
point between Nstchitoches and AleXRn-
dria with the army Of Gen Banks, which.
though shattered and re,reaiing, still
largely outnumbered our own. Had
Steel's army, Aushe! with its slight sue
ccsscs over Gen. Price joined Gen Bank
columns. il wpald have formed tot merely
a nucleus for raIlying Banks forces
il would, So to speak, have breethed into
them the breath of life. 4 fresh and
numerous army. with its a1orais restored,
would have again and instantly confront
eli Us
Gen. Banks had an ample pontoon
train-we had no pontoon trsiu-he. in
fact, sent pontoon train 10 Black river
he could easily have placed tworivers,
the Red and Black, between biz army
and trains and our army; they could
have rctreated AZ their comparative leis-
ure. emight, it is alleged, have laken
and destroyed gunboat o. a few gun
boats more Admit that We might, which
BY the way, is not ain ascertaineI fact.
would their destruction have couppnsa-
ted for the destruction Of the military
workshops. stores, supplies and arms at
Shreveport On this subject, among
military men, there is scarcely more than
one opinion.
The campaign vas glorious one. and
glorious in it, mighty results; il was
glorious To the val5r oil our brave troops,
and to the gallant officers who command
ed in battle 1t was glorious 10 the s,ra-
tegic skill and soldierly ability Of the
General who planned and commanded in
chief
THE WAR ~ FLoRIDA-Since the
war has relaxed in Florida. by the with
drewaI of his forces, the enemy has taken