The Portland daily press., 1867-04-11

This distinguished officer has resigned his
rank as Brigadier General in the regular ar
my, ard retired to private life. In lauda-
tory article the N. 7. Tribune says he will per-
haps be referred to in after times as conspic-
uous witness, if not of the ingratitude OF
republics, at least of the fact that war, like
all other professions, is good deal of lottery
in which it is not always the most deserving
who win tue substantial rewards. Victor in
the first important engagement which result
ed favorably to the Union arms in the war Of
the rebellion; planner and executor of four
distinct campaigns, three of which were emf
nently successful; hero of several great bat
Ties, never decidedly beaten in any engage
ment, frank and resolute in his patriotism,
and idolized by a hundred thousand veterans
who fought under him, Gen. Roseerans, by a
strange combination of m.sfortunes, has new
er been in favor with his superior officers, and
never obtained, even from the people, a fair
recognition of his eminent services.
In 1864 President Lincoln said: .-.
There are two things for which never can
be grateful enough to Gen. Rosecrans: one is
the battle of Stone River which accomnan;aJ
my proclamation of emancipation, and was the
beginning OF our permanent success; and the
other is his letter to the Indiana Legislature
abont the same time, throwing all the weight
of his name and fame against the Copperheads
For these he deserves the lasting gratitude of
the nation. ,ranaetfg,r ..f. a.. s-ta-e. Z 5 svf
Thousands will unite with the Tribune in
the hope that he may receive this gratitude at
some future time which it is quite sure be has
not had yet. The following from the article
above quoted will be read with interest:
1t was less than sixty days after the attack
upon Fort Sumter when he did us his first
great service in Western Virginia by compel
ing the surrender of Pelgram at Rich Noun
tain. The planning and the fighting were both
exclusively his: the reward was given to Nc
Clellan. After the Great Delayer had been
transferred to the Potomac, Rosecrans fought
the battle of Carnifax Ferry, drove Wise
Floyd, and Lee across the mountains, finished
the campaign with brilliant rapidity, and when
there was hardly rebel picket left en- this side
of the Allegheny Moutains, was relieved for no
fault Of his own, that Mountain Department
might be created for Gen. Fremont. He fought
and won the battle Of Iuka in September 1852
while his superior officer, Gen. Grant, was ~
ing inactive with his troops four miles from the
field of conflict, and although for this engage
ment he was made major-general OF vOlnn-
teers, there sprang out OF it misunderstand-
ing with Gen. Grant which has much to do
with the marring of all Rosecrans' subsequent
career.
The next month at Corinth he beat Van
Dorm and Price, with but little more than half
as many men as his adversaries, gaining the
most important victory of the war up to that
time. Recalled from the pursuit, against his
own Judgment by General Grant, he was re-
lieved OF his command nine days after the bat
tie and ordered to Cincinnati. 5.5.t.-. s..
Two months after his appointment, October
80, to the command of the 18th CORPS at Bow
ling Green, KY, he had converted demoral-
lied rabble into magnificent army, and led it
across the Cumberland. The four days battle
at Stone River was won not more by the intre-
pidity of the soldiers than by the personal val
or and skill of Rosecrans himself, and was
magnificent prelude to the brilliant campaign
of the summer Of 1868, by which he drove
Bragg's army out of Middle Tennessee and
across the Tennessee river. Iu
The battle of Chicamauga in September was
bloody encounter, in which both sides were
too badly crippled to continue the fray; but it
secured us i'll the possession of Chattanooga,
the objective point OF the campaign and the
key of all the country south of the Cumberland
Mountains. Nevertheless, Rosecrans was
again relieved of his command, and for several
months was allowed TO remain in obscurity-
Then he was sent to Missouri, where, beside
doing efficient military service, he discovered
the secret conspirscy of the Knights of the
Golden Circle. Yet he was once more remov-
ed, and has never had q command since
Whether Gen. Rosecrans's unfortunate rela-
tions with the War Department and the Head
quarters of the Army are to be traced to any
fault of his own, we have no means of knowing.
W. only know that of all our generals he has
uniformly been one ofthe most fortunate in the
field and one OF the most unfortunate every
where else and that his retireme 1T ought to
awaken in us double regret that we have
lost the services of an accomplished officer,
and have rewarded so inadequately what he
has done for us hitherto. Y r. ~ -.