Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-12-15

discpne necessary to efficiency and in order to effect
discipline olsers should be toacfaly) above the
How often is It the that even large command
Brigade Is held In apparently efficient state through
losng light of discipline But let the leader b. removed
ana ~tnout his successor is man of equal mer it's and
ne Tn nd that they will not fight as well for him. and
VIII ake panic very much sooner than another command
"6Icn mas the adVaHtages of good discipline.
This error Of equality of officers and has nowhere
Seen more rife than in this army during this campaign
hority of subordinate officers and in fact such
oe eeen made 10 @ al au.hoty with
horty OF general officers available effort chou be al
been entirely neglected.
We assert without fear of contradiction u at our most
serious disasters attributable the facts above
mentioned than all others together.
But there still other matters which have their weight
ring Mary land and would have been
glad to have the Cities mills barns and other proper
y destroyed equal extent with that in
lated districts. Butevery will reflect about the
matter will readily perceive that individual enterprises of
irresponsible parties taking Their hands the
ter of retaliation for revenge and punder
had most pc pcicus Influence apon army, showing
itself more particularly with the cavalry troops
No need try disguise the fact. ,hst although
private property .uld the city Of Washington not
wnked at by officers who could have done great deal to
destroyed but should hive been done ty Official
tion
This unive license practiced in the enemys country
In the face Of OF der from Army headquarters al
the foshng stroke to the last vestge OF discipline in
the
1t lis with such destructive policy this army has been
governed du ing the past six months.
To the foregoing fruitful then to be referred
our disasters the great amount Of apple
dy consumed the veterans Of this The of
drunkenness in command far greater since
exertons OF ocers who thoroughly arouted
ful sense of their duty is hoped and believed that
the will be corrected. And confident
that there In brakdy drinking here than in other
armies Of our couRtry.
The charge of drunkenness upon officers high In com
ruand by P. w. A.. is unjust, and intended for
malice, shows criminal ignorance of facts. We
disposed to exesuae the faults of officers high in sutbor
ty, but if p. W. A.. that there Drunkenness
upon the battle field amopg Generals and that to this
We will venture to say that who the
energies put forth by Generals Winchester at Fish
ers H and Cedar Creek, would resoutey deny the SLAM
derus assertion charged than by the correspondent
mentioned.
1t too common among rews correspondents to assume
charging them Generals for the pleasure gives them
in moraz upon the subject is noticeable however,
that these only discovered when disaster
takes
ehcleaey Of armies and more paGticu arly to the
A. " D. than lnization of its eha tered batta
new Vlgor and impetus would be given TO command
which would insure rs victory in the future.
Dec. lat. 1864
Tie very acceptable reaches this morning that
Gen. Rossers late raid had proved and the fruits
OF 1t the capture of eight hundred prisoners the
of CATTLE thousand horses eight pces Cf
tillery, two hundred wagons and large amount of
brought by dispatch from Gen. Roaser, and far
able to ascertain ia We will scquain you
with particular
UUD