Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-01-07

GEN. HALLECK's CrITIoIsMs OF THE YANKEE
CAMPAIGNS OF THE PAST 7EAR-TfzE EFF
CHENEY OF HIS GENERALS.
The Yankee Commander in Chief General Halleck,
has made long report of the Yankee campaigns he
past year, in which he most successfully lifts al blame
from his own shoulders and neatly distributes 1t upon
the backs of the commanding Generals. Nothing failed
that he ordered and nothing succeeded that he did not
order His vanity is equalled by nothing but his
falsehood The New York Times, in commenting up
OF his report says:
Gen. Burnside, On his own admission, is shown to
have proceeded contrary to the wishes OF his surperor
ia bis march on Fredericksburg the famous cioGder o.
the pontoons' is put deliberately On bis shoulders ano
the defeat of Fredericksburg is attributed to the failure
or disobedience of Gen. Franklin in bis flank attack
Gen. Hooker's unfortunate campaign is quickly place.
outside of the responsibility of the General In CneI
from the fact that reports were rendered to him ~
this officer. Gen. Dix is sharply raped over Inc
nuckles for his campaign against Richmond. In the
battle of Gettysburg we discover to our surprise that
an "errcr" of Gen. Sickles nearly ruined and Gen
Meade himself gets but faint praise for bis victory
while the escape of Lee over the Potomac calls cut
some words Which, thought lot directly asserting, simply
the strongest censnre Of the naction OF that General
Gen Pope is convicted of gross blunder in his opera
lions against the Indians. Gen. Banks received nc
praise, and it is estimated that Port Hudson could
have been taken much earlier had We known its weak
ness
Gen. Grants campaign alone, in the rsar OF Vlcks
burg, is spoken of with enthusiasm though here The
great merit of that officer to be that he always
obeyed every order from Washing ton, and never com
planned of want of reinorcements If, by this Ultima
ton the War Office the Generalln-ChIe intended Il
take any of the glory Of his campaign to themselves
must be rem embered that have the honest comics
sion of the President bis signature, that hf
had faith 10 the practicabty OF the rear attacE
| on Vicksburg.
The teview of Rosecranzs and Burnsids campaigns
| IF Ft
| searching. If we m take their own statement, thu
Department was exceedingly dissatisfied with the della.
OF Gen. R0secra1z after the battle OF Murfreesooro
and constantly urging him forward toward 6eor
gia. The latter, from caution, and probably no
believing that he had sufficient number OF men for 81
great ADVANCE waited mouth after month to strength
EN- his position and to organize. Gen. Halieck claim
that be ought to have advanced during the siege @
Vlcksburg. He admits that when at length he dix
move his combinations were OF the most remaTka bt
and brilliant nature, forcing the enemy cut Of Tannes
see WITHOUT battle or any especial loss on our part
he fankiug AID taking of Chattanooga he is forced
also to admit as very efficient military movements
The Geographic dispatches embodied Ia the report
ably prove that the General in Chief had at the tim
clearer idea of the dangers to which both Rosecran
and Burnside were exposed than either OF those eli
GERS.
Burnside was ordered to connect bis right With Rose
Grams left, and if possible occupy Dalton ard the pass
es mo Georgia and North Carolina, that the tw
armies might act body, and support each other
hos Grams was no. to advance into Georgia Aaba
ma present, but to f0ry his position and connec
with burnside. If his weak p0nt--he right and tn
communications with Nashville - were threatened, b
was to bard over Chattanooga to Burnside, aud swin
arou1d to cover that flank. At the same time torcc
were ordered up from Memphis and other quarters t.
guard that aide, as well bis long line OF commurica
tiors Gen. Burnside, We are CURLY informed, entirel
dsooeyed or neglected his orders, and Gid not connec
With the Army of the Cumberland, leaving great ga
between the two armies, and exposing his outlying de
tachmenta 50 that several were cut to pieces 1t can
not be doubted, that had the instructions Of the D.
partment been strictly followed the disaster Of Chica
mauga would not have occurred
SIM II must be remembered that RG have but On
eide OF the Case The officers severely criticized
not permitted by military etiquette to n
doubt Gen. Burnside could show various satsfactor
reasons Tor his want CT concentration of which the pub
nc kno" nothing, and possibly Gen. ROsecrarz cou!
furnish equally plausible reaso0s for his six mouths
delay. The defeat of Gen Rosecranzs right wing
attributed primarily by Gen. Halleck to two causes-t
his advancing With SO wide line, forty miles in length
and to mistake of Gen. Woods in the battle who va
ordered to streng another portion Of the ne
oid II, not oy closing up but by march around to ii
rear mus leaving gap for the enemys attack. Ger
lhomass resistance on the left wing is characterize d
tor a wOndar-with warm praise
ms detSnse OF Gen. HaleCk against the imputE
tons OF the public, in regard to Ros crarzs campaign
ngenoasy Ignores the especial point OF the public
sure, which that t. rentOrcemants go buried
were not sent month two months earlier, when
leased IRON the siege Of Vicksburg. We demand nj
turay OF Generain Chief that be should look Il
whole h7d, and rot act systematically SENSATIONAL!
Ii Rosecranz was not strong enough when he entere
Georgia in September, the department knew it befor
hand az we'll SO then, and ought to have supplied th
needed strength They knew that Bragg might at an
'ne oe reinforced from Virginia, and they should haV
provided against the contingency. They had the me
on the Mississippi. Why were they scattered off owe
, Arkansas, Mississippi aud Louisiana? What was A
Kansas TO US for moment, compared with decai7
march to Atlanta ?.
1hese kilograms of Gen. HaIeck do not relieve hiE
LIE earliest ordering reinforcements, is to Gener
E Herlbut, IN Memphis, dated September 13. The fa
i oatte was fought in week from that day, and
course he knew it would take weeks for Gen Sherman
column 10 reach Chattanooga. The public have tt
right to say OF the Generalin Chief he has said of
many OF bis subordinates that here "fatal error
gigantic blunder, which has delayed decisive Cal
y paIgn, even with all Grants splendid force
from fortune since, at leas six MONTHS and prevents
the capture OF Mobile and Charleston for come time
come.
Economics the Force.
Put into fha 6