Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-01-06
The Richmond Wing on Bragg's
Retreat.

THE BATTLE IN FRONT OF CHATTANOOGA.
For the first time, in great battle,
Confederate troops have been put to flight
by the enemy. There is no doubt We
were greatly outnumbered, but this dis
advantage was largely compensated by
our superiority of ground. We held
Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge,
positions very strong naturally, and rem
dered, we presume, still stronger by art.
General Bragg must have considered them
well nigh impregnable, else he would not
have chosen the OCCASION when the enc
nv, all along superior to him in numbers,
had been heavily reinforced-to send off a
large detachment of his own army on a
distant expedition. There will hardly be
any division of opinion as to the cause of
the unwonted and most painful spectacle
of whole wing of Confederate army
giving way under the onsets of their
Yankee assailants, and breaking into a
disorderly flight. Unprecedented as is
the melancholy occurrence, it can not
have taken the public by surprise, for
however little the people may understand
of the mysteries of military science, COM
mon sense teaches them that confidence
in the capacity of the commander is an
essential element of success to an army.
We find no fault with General Bragg.
Doubtless he did the best he could. 1t is
no fault of his that he has held COM
mand for which he was incompetent. We
give him credit for gallantry as soldier
and devotion as patriot. If it did not
please his Maker to endow him with the
great and rare faculties that constitute the
successful military leader, no Just mind
will find in that defect cause for denun-
citation or censure. The responsibility for
the long series of misfortunes we have eX-
perienced at his hands, and especially for
this browning disaster. must rest with
those who, regardless of his own request
to be relieved, and in spite of the remon-
STRANGE of the army and people, have re-
uuired him to remain in command. But,
as we cannot doubt that the language of
the event which has just occurred will
make an impression which the voice of
the country has failed to make, and that
now when, as we Solcmnly fear, it is too
late either to expcl the enemy from the adj
vantageous position he holds, or to save
ourselves from train of widespread dis
aSters, change in the command of the
army will be made, we refrain from any
further remarks on this point. In the
Judgment of some, it might be good policy
to cndeavor to belittlc the importance of
this defeat. We do not recognize the
propriety of misleading the public where
so much is at stake. We are frank to
confess that we are filled with very grave
apprchensions as to the consequences that
may flow from this reverse. If the army
under Bragg could not hold Lookout
Mountain and Mission Ridge we are
forced to ask what position is there be-
tween them and Atlanta or the ocean they
can hold: What position is Longstreet
left in-and how can he unite himself
again with the army of Bragg, unless by
an immense circuit through Virginia
But it is likely the enemy may not feel
safe in advancing at this time, and that
before they are disposed to venture, ade-
quate preparation may have been made to
meet and hurl them back. Let us at least
hope so, and by every means at command
endeavor to have it so.