Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1880-02-28
An Unwrltten Chapter Of tho
Late War.

the cause of the Union. The army
Of the Potomac under Mcclellan
had not made the expected move /;
Mason and Slidell had been sur
rendered Congress was surround.
ed with the gravest difficulties.
Early in 1862 Burnside's feet was
wrecked; and Camer0n's resigna-
tion made room for q new Secreta-
ry Of War, of whose capacity and
energy the people had no accurate
knowledge. Great expectations
were entertained Of important
movements and successes in what
was popularity called the West, but
ofssliat might be planning orhap-
pening in the far West, in those re-
mote Territories which were not
even correctly laid down on the
maps, not one person in one hun
dred thousand, from the President
down, had u thought or care !;
though o most anxious solicitude
would not have been'misplaced, as
shall forthwith appear. 80.
Surveying further the situation
in the far South and West, we find
in the first place that the rebels
had complete possession of the
great State of Texas, Twiggs had
traitorously surrendered all the
troops under his command, with
forts, arms, ammunition, and sup
plies of all kinds, and many of the
men had been paroled. This vast
region afforded an admirable base
for extended military operations,
and it was not long before advan-
tage was sought to be taken of It,,
in the autumn of 1861. 1t was
somewhat as follows that the Con-
federate leaders argued the matter.
Assuming that they could hold
their own east of tho Mississippi, a
move could be made westward of
that river having every promise of
success, and which if successful
would give immense material and
moral advantage to the South. The
plan was nothing less extensive 9
than the capture of California, and
the subsection of five other States
and Territories, ~.
For the execution of this brilliant
enterprise the programme was SIM
pie. A powerful column should
luaEfh by FL Paso into New Mexi-
co, defeat or flank Candy at Fort
Craig, and occupy Santa Fe. Next
would come Fort Union, contain
ing an admirabl le arsenal and sup.
ply depot fitted in good season by
FLOYD with most convenient
stock of arms, ammunition and
stores. Thence the march north
ward would be easy, and the prizes
would fall rapidly into tle hands
of the troops. Indians and Nor
mons we're probable and valuable
allies. The sure result could hard
Iy fail to be the complete and
speedy control of a rich State, a
splendid sea coast, and forts from
which men-of. and privateers
could issue to sweep the Pacific.
This would hasten recognition by
European nations, would lead to
the breaking of the Atlantic block
ade by England and France,-and
then thu end would GONE. ~:
What, then, were the weak
points in the plan 7 They were
three. First, the rebels made the
mistake, which they repeated over
and over again, of attaching i'm
portanee to the support to come
from disaffeoted people and dis
tricts where the general sentiment
was loyal. Second, they were hope
lessly misled about the sentiments
of the Mexican population of New
Mexico. and forgot or ignored the
animosity born years before of the
Texan Santa Fe expedition, aud
still deeply ranking. Third, they
made fatal miscalculation in un,
derrating the stern patriotism, the
unfinching courage, the fierce ell.
ergy of the men who were laying
the foundation of our "Centennial
Staten of Colorado while hraving
priyation and hardship in the
search for gold.
That these events were no
known and have not since beer
known in the East is hardly sur
prising, in view Of the fact thai
other matters of transcedent i'm
portance. far nearer home, were
contemporaneous with them. Fort
Henry was taken on February 6
Qoanoke Island Oh February 8, ant
and Fort Donelson on February 16
The battle of Pea Ridge ended OIL
March s, the Monitor fought thu
Merrimac on March 2, and th'
great engagement at Shiloh occur
red on April 6 and z. Probably
not one in ten thousan d suspected
that such a threatening movemen
was making in the rear Of our arm
les; and 1t would have been equal
ly surprising and terrible to have
: heard suddenly that a junction hat
been effected by the rebels with tt,