The National tribune., 1908-02-27

tie, but there was no ray of pride or
cheerfulness to gid the terrible dead
line at the foot of Marye's flights.
The Army of the Potomac had now
been in existence nearly Is months, and
during that time had experienced vicis-
STUDIES passing thru the whole diapason
of human feelings, from the tiresome
inaction in front of Washington to the
high mounting hopes of the Peninsula
from the disappointment of retiring
when in sight of the very steeples of
Richmond, TO the magnificent fury of
the fighting at Antietam. After this had
come the Slough of Despon6 in the
valley of the Rappahannock. Was it any
wonder that the fainter hearted, weary
of ill-success and bitterly angry at the
incompetence in high places, despaired
of victory and longed to leave struggle
that seemed to be growing more hope
less?
Desertions increased from day to day
with alarming rapidly. There were
factions, Jealous and paralyzing enmi-
ties among the officers, and no report
or charge against those in the highest
ranks was too incredible to be believed
by the men whose confidence had been
so sadly shaken. Among these was the
Indictment of a feeling against the Ad
ministration at Washington, in which
Halleck and Stanton were charged with
having an undue partially for Western
armies and officers, and nothing but
scowls and condemnation for those of
the East This was the beginning of
rift which might have had to open
rebellion and mutiny. 1t may be that
the men who began preaching this had
no disloyai thought in mind, but its
tendency was extremely dangerous.
Nothing could have been more unjust.
Halleck himself was an Eastern man,
l,a laln to hot no
terie of West Pointers of which Nc
Clellan was a member. 1t seems in
evitable that there shall be cliques and
combines among the officers of all
armies and navies; the very nature of
their service promotes these. 1t is the
most natural thing in the world for men
TO draw together in associations of more
or less com aiming character, no matter
in what pursuit they are engaged, and
it is hard 10 draw the line where strong
friendships merge into cliques and coal
itions. The men whom Mcclellan had
gathered around him were those with
whom he had been more closely asso-
ciated ever since his cadet days, and
from his tastes and methods of thought
Halleck rather belonged TO that CO.
ferie. There was absolutely no basis
for this charge of favoritism for the
Western armies. 1t was because the
armies of the West had been more
successful, that they received the most
praise from Stanton and Halleck, who
were furnishing for success. Neither
of them had any liking for the Western
General who had achieved the mos
success, and who was in time to be-
come the General-in-Chief of all the
armies-Gen. u. S. Grant. Gen. Sum.
ner in his testimony before the Com
mittee on the Conduct of the War, said
that the trouble was too much croak'
ing. ct is difficult" he said, ito de.
scribe the state of the army in any
other way than by saying there is &
great deal too much croaking-there il
not enough confidence"
Last but not the least potent wal
bitter rancor against the Emancipation
Proclamation. 1t was strange what al
effect the assertion This has become
a niger war" had upon some minds
Most of the higher officers were OLE
Regulars, who still bowed 10 the fetisf
of slavery. They were among the las
TO recognize that slavery was doomed
and its death merely a question of :
few months.
Burnside's Plans.
Burnside seemed to be entirely un
aware of the extent to which he hal
lost the confidence of his officers an,
men in the singing of the gadfiy o
desire to retrieve himself by anothe
battle and a decisive victory. He q
once began formulating plans for an
other movement. and one which woul'
avoid the formidable position behin'
Fredericksburg. Dec. 26 he was read
with his plans, and issued orders 70
their execution. RatiOns We're to b
cooked, wagons packed and everything
lmade ready for general movement
His cavalry and infantry were to max
ifeints of crossing the Repentance!
.abore Fredericksburg, and $500 cav
ialry under Averell were to make rea
crossing with four guns at Kelly's Ford
reach the railroad in the rear of Fred
fricksburg, blow up the locks on tn