The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-04-27
BuelI's Contribution to History.

The close of the war has brought a pacii-
cation of class of 6erco passions which ow
ed their existence to the conflict. They were
born of the war, and while the war existed
they fourished like the vultures and other
unclean animals which thrived upon and dis
appeared with the carnage of the battle.
fields.
The class Of passions that we refer to is
that connected with success and defeat in the
field and which, at the same tims,was link
ed closely with political sentiment. In its
hot, earger desire for victory, majority of
the nation was led to believe that there was
an intimate connection between the genius'of
the successful commander and his cordial be-
lief in the efficacy lin the politico-war meas
ures of the government. Success was pre-
dieted of men who adopted the political con-
vlctions of the party in power. The small
est advantages obtained by such men grew
into Important victories. Their large sue
cesses became decisive battles. Their failure
was never acknowledged. A defeat was new
er defeat. 1t was q requirement of strate-
gy; and which, while an apparent failure,
was really the preliminary step to grand
victory.
On the other hand, this majority of the ma
ton was slow to believe In the general who
WAS not partisan. Defeat was anticipated
before he took the field. Necessary delays in
advancing were regarded as q lukewarm dill
hgence. Anything less than an overwhelm-
ing success was a result of no consequence.
Delay was suspicious, defeat ruin. No one
examined the circumstances surrounding
failure unless to extract isolated and illogical
events by which it could be proved that want
of faith in the politics of the administration
was incom patibls with gsnsralship. Repub-
lican generals never failed, or if so, because
Of the Inevitable if democratic generals
failed, 1t was treachery. There was no ex-
cuse in the inevitable, for Mcclellan or q
Porter or a Mcdowell or q Sturgis. 1t was
lukewarmness or open treachery. The Burn
| sides, Banksss, Buffers and Hookers were the
| victims sof the irresistible. Their defeats
| were no failures. There was an intallibihty
about the partisan Of the administration,
which made, what was in others ignominious
defeat, In him change of base; what for
| others was traltorous imbecility, for him an
| advantageous falling back.
| But, we said, these peculiar developments
were 9 producasOf the war, and they departed
| with, or have died away since the war. Facts
whIoh were once set in these passions are
| now receiving their setting in history. Events
are no longer scanned through medium o!
| pref udice, but through one of reason. The
| prosecution-one comp posed of intolerance, bias
| and blind political zeal-hss rested it's case,
| and the jury-puulic opinions now getting
| in the evidence for the defence.
| Among the most maligned during the war
| was Gen Buell.. The services he rendered the
| country were numerous and important. But
Buell. believed in a warrior the preservation
only of the Union. 1t was not TO him phil
tanthropic war. He drew his sword for his
country, and not for the negro. He fought
/ to put down rebels, and not to elevate slaves
and this WAS the cause of his fall. he fell,
not before the blows of the enemy, but those
| of the administration and 30 reckless and
unscrupulous was this administration that q
measure which history will place to his cred
il was urged as an argument for his downfall
The federal defeat at Shiloh was charged to
his delay, and that delay was openly charged
to his lack of sympathy with the policies OF
the administration.
The late letter of Buell. to Grant-and
whose truth does not rest on the tpse diTt
of the former, but upon official documents
shows that Buell. arrived at Pistsburg Land.
ing TWO DAYS earlier than he had been re-
auested to be there by Grant himself. Had
he not made extraordinary haste across from
Nashville; had he moved az Halleck ordered
and Grant suggested. he would have found
Beaureguard In full possession of the ives
bank of the river, and Grants army annihil
atei. His promptness saved the remnants o
the army of the Tennessee, and turned detea
into victory. ;.
Buell. has completely Vindicated himself. =
Insview OF his official publications, history II
prepared to accord to him the possession OF I
zeal which pressed beyond military order
| and enabled him to turn the tide OF the bat
tie of Shfloh.
1t is to be hoped that other officers VIII
have been under cloud will follow the ex
ample of Buell.. The public is now prepared
to Judge calmly. Let US know how man
generals failed because they were not In Pc
lisical sympathy with the administration
! 1t will be found we venture to say, that NINE
tenths of the men of the class of Mcdowell
Porter, Ssurgis, and the like. were strrc
> down, not by rebels, but by political traitor
at CHICAGO INES.