New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-27
emily holds Mcclellan right in most Of his con-

trONerS1cS WIFI tHt dutHOiibiSS III
and with other generals He does not accept the
criticisms upon Meade for falling to move rapid
" in pursuit Of Lees broken army after the
Battle Of Gettysburg He says roundly that
much of the censure contemporary with the event
would have been better If It had been based on
actual experience in the preeence Of the enemy.
He blames corps commanders for delaying the
movement of the Army Of the Potomac by talk
and by formal advice and comedies the fact that
the feeling Of disappointment over Lees escape
without another battle north Of the Potomac
River was universal throughout the Army
However" adds Colonel Powell, had General
Lee remained north OF the Potomac on the lith
Of July notwithstanding the opinions OF the
corps commanders. General Meade would have
attacked with tremendous force" To this,
those who have censured Meade will reply that
Lee made a particular point Of not staying
moment longer than he could help on the north
side Of the Potomac One has TO suspect as he
reads book after book on Gettysburg that no
man in the Army or out Of It really knew what
a victory had been won until twelve or perhaps
twenty-four hours had passed away. Colonel
Powell several times makes a criticism on all
the Union commanders IN Virginia down TO
Grants time TO the effect that they never
learned how to give an efficient counterStroke'
He makes no exceptions in the case OF any. Ihls
failure to hit back the cause of the dislike
felt by Grant and Sheridan for Warren, which
resulted in Warren's enforced retirement almost
on the eve Of final victory. In this instance
Colonel Powell contents himself with an argu-
ment 20 show that Warren. in the particular ac-
ton for which he was blamed did everything
that a general could do. The sharpest criticism
he makes for his own part on any officer is upon
the conduct of General Sickles at Gettysburg.
But that criticism has a triumphant ring, for IT
General Sickles had not formed his line so as TO
incur Meade's disapprova it would not have
happened that men Of the Fifth Corps won the
glory of saving Round Top To this incident
the author recurs when he speaks or Warren's
dismissal as a shameful return for what that
general did in averting defeat on the first day
at GETTYSBURG When the Army was reorgan-
lied under Grant the Fifth Corps retained its
identity. and thus it's history is at least partial
history of the Army Of the Potomac. from Bull
Run to Appomattox Colonel Powell has written
this history admirably.
Mosby's irregular cavalry was a thorn in the
side of the Union forces long the war
lasted. Northern men called these Virginia par
tisans ''guerllas"; they prided themselves on
the name of rangers" They were brave men
and they had a wealth of adventure But after
reading Private Wliamson's book, the best part
OF which. by far is the authors own Journal,
one Is bound to say that the utility Of Mosbys
kind Of warfare is still in doubt. II the troop
had never existed, It does not appear that the
war would have been changed In any Of It's I'M
portant aspects The whole chapter Of Mosby's
achievements Ike that Of Marion's stirring con
ficts in the Revolution. is wonderfully attractive
and picturesque reading but it lacks the serious
ness Of downright war. Greene had to 30 all
over Marions ground with proper army, ana
Mosby really irritated more than he harmed his
enemy. Mr.. Williamson retains some bitterness
against the Union generals who attempted to
treat Mosby and his men mere moss-troopers
and outlaws. But he ought to be indulgent
toward generals who had to deal with band Of
men that We're summoned to a foray by personal
letters messages and dispersed like mere
civilians the moment the raid or skirmish was
over. The unique position OF Mosby Ia shown
In the fact that his troops did not surrender
with Lees army but sought terms for them
selves. Mosby himself and a small band being
the last to Yield. Similar groups Of volunteer
warriors were treated very unceremoniously by
the Germans in the closing period Of the Franco
Prussian War But in spite Of all this, there Is
iamson's book and there is much serious though
fragmentary history. besides complete lists Of
those who served in the command.
In the strict military sense the Loudoun Rang
ers incurred in the early part OF their career a
similar criticism to that passed on Mosby's com
mand But the case Of the Rangers was an ex-
traordnary one. In spite Of persuasions and
threats and persecution these men remained true
70 the Union. They rallied to the flag under
which they were born in the midst OF a popula-
ton which had given itself up 10 the cause Of
rebellion There IS more in the history OF their
organization than can be found In that OF mere
part!sans fighting outside the lines Of an army.
In the first place. Mr. Goodhart shows, the
Rangers-at least Company A formed early in
the war-were an embodied protest against the
methods by which secession was forced upon
Virginia. 1t can hardly be wondered at that
these men hated the old doctrine OF State rights,
when a loyal majority by means Of that doc
trine was forced into instruction. The pretence
OF submitting the question Of secession to a vote
of the people, as these devoted adherents Of the
Union saw not carried far enough even to
save appearances. The returns in many counties
were merely estimated the whole number OF
those capable Of bearing arms being reported as
voting for secession 1t would be impossible TO
convince survivor Of the Loudoun Rangers that
there any attempt to get an honest vote In
Virginia wavering between loyalty and rebel
lion They resented the tyranny to which they
were subjected and the history OF their organZd-
ton is a monument TO the cause Of individual
freedom For the secession movement was not
the first affair in which the men Of the noun
tains in Virginia had found themselves at odds
with the people of the lowlands.
There were causes OF difference in the blood OF
the early settlers OF Loudoun County. The de-
scendants Of the Cavaliers. who settled the east
ern and southern part Of the county and intro
duced slavery, were more than tolerant
toward the men Of the so-called German settle
ment who came from Pennsylvania and planted