Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-04-28
RUTLAND HERALD.
FRIDAY, APRIL %, 1864.


me disaster ~ 'i"s'SNi N'oiiu''' ~
been charged 10 the mismanasement
and incompetency of Gen Seymour
Whether this has been justly done we do
not pretend TO decide. But We find
letter in the Troy Times, from CORES
pondent al Hilton Head, which places
the matter in a new light. This letter
which is too lengthy for publication en-
tire in our columns takes up step by
step the history of the movement, argues
that its object was legitimate, important
and necessary TO the general plan that
all due preparations were made for it,
the requisite knowledge of the enemy
gained and his numbers known that
there were neither ambuscades nor sur
prises, nor traps, nor swamps, nor any OF
those scenic and Imaginative causes for
failure, with which Gen. Seymour has
been so currently charged and that
Gen. s, was defeated in a fair, stand up
fight, because OF not having just one
more regiment to put in the fight TO
neutralize the effect of Irregularities in
one or two regiments that failed at the
critical moment -irregularlties which
IL was not in the power of short. sighted
man TO foresee or prepare against, and
by which we lost the effective support OF
! at least 1900 men" .....
The writer continues -
Was it TO be supposed that an old and
well-tried regiment would break and
} fan into hopeless disorder at the first
FIRE Surely, the history of all wars,
and especially of our own, is too fuli OF
accidents unforeseen and iTemediable at
the time, for us to wonder at their oc-
currence on the battlefield, or condemn
the unfortunate leader who sees all his
ll well-laid plans dissipated in the very
moment OF his triumph, by mishaps OF
this nature. .. ....
Il The proposition is simple one, and is
thus briefly stated If blame is TO be
attached to Gen. Seymour, it is only for
o. going out, upon reliable data, to meet an
enemy whom it was desirable to defeat,
and with every chance of defeating him
save such contingencies as lie in acct
10 dents that cannot by any possibility be
foreseen or provided against. In all
O. other respects he is guiltless, and he is
| dare say, quite anxious for an investi
cation Of any charges that his maligner'
may bring against him. The Troy Times
in an editorial some time since, expressed
the hope that the public would patientl,
await the verdict of any impartial cour
of inquiry, before it consigned an hon
orable soldier and brave man to unmer
tied oboquy. / believe Gen. Seymour
" asks no greater favor at the hands of any
one. t1"
As to the politics of Gen. Seymour
the writer says
Coli Gen. Seymour is soldier. His lif,
has been spent in the camp and on tn
field. / believe he never voted. don
know what his politics are, nor do
care. The Evening Post affects to be
lieve him to be disloyal The Post nev
err made a greater mistake in its life
A paper so we'll informed ought to hav
known better 1t surely ought to hav
remembered that it was Gen. Seymou
who led the colored troops in the charg
have forgotten that he commanded then
at Olustee. Doubtless, it did not ALLOW
that upwards of a year ago, before tn
order was issued to arm the blacks, h
prepared a bill and sought to secure it
massage by Congress, for the Formation
of colored artillery regiments to garri
son the forts in the Gulf. And yet thi
man. the only officer that ever command
d ed colored troops in fight in this dc
d partment--who was among the earlies
to recommend their creation--is pre-
nounced little better'than traitor.
We see also that the Post has becom
convinced of the error of its correspol
dents concerning Gen, Seymour's polit
cal opinions, and retracts its formt
statements.
ba In regard to the testimony of Gen. Gil
more before the investigating committe
it is stated that mass of evidence col
Trajectory thereto has been laid befo
the committee, and the matter will
further investigated. i
Gen. Seymour is Vermonter by Dirt
ana, as we are lnloIIneu, IcCSiNcu MO q
pointment as cadet at West Point
the hands of the late Judge Phelps, al
through the influence of promine
citizen of this section of the state. o
people will therefore feel an addition
interest in his not being prematurely
unjustly judged.
EXCHANGE OF PRIsoNBRs.-TheW Was