Year: 1862

The Old Army officers
When the rebellion first broke out, large
portion of the old army officers reslgheu anu
went over to the rebels Many of the Others
had long been disciples Of jeff. Davis, and
gave MANY signs of feeling of more friend
shi for the conspirators, if not for their trea-
son, than for the government in whose service
they remained. Some of them were disposed
to retire from the service, and would have
done so probably, if they had possessed, out
of the army, the income required by the
wants of their social position. In some cases
designations were prepared and afterwards re-
called. In one case the resigning officer was
reinstated after his resignation had been
accepted.


This condition of feeling among the regu-
lar army officers was the natural result of
the operations of the war department in the
hands of such men as Floyd. jeff Davis, and
others of the same school. We remem-
Der very well how jeff. Davis organized and
officered the new regiments formed during his
administration of the war department. None
but those understood to be his favorites and
disciples could get position in those regiments,





and at the same time he sought persistenty to
disgruce and drive from the army every Off
Ger, from Gen. Scott downward, who was not
disposed to become servile deyotee of the
slavery extremists. Is it surprising that army
officers educated in such a school and control
led so long by such influences were not the
men to conduct war against the secession
+l,o
ed? The only wonder is that so many of
them were ready to do good service.


The Albany Evening Journal, expressnga
hope now very prevalent, congratulates the
country on the assurance from Washington
that there is to be ''no more coquettng with
treason; no more apologize warfare no
more lavender-water campaigning; no more
sentimental tittle-tat about ''conquering the
affections of the insurgent Masses and that
hard blows will be substituted for soft words;
that execution will take the place of threats;
that Treason will be treated as a crime in
stead of an indiscretion; that the utmost
strength of the government will be brought to
bear upon the very brain and life of the great
conspiracy" 1t is of course admitted that
there has been too much ''lavender-water
campaigning" and that the to save the
Union has not been as vigorous and as much
in earnest as it should have been. What has
been called ''borler state influence" is partly
accountable for this; but much of it is due to
the unpatriotic temper and half-hearted be-
hayiour of many of the old army officers
To many people it seems a misfortune that
all these half-hearted officers did not resign
attIPen IPenHp We find the following in let


''There are individuals connected with the
army, and wearing the insignia of office, with
whom the proposition to employ contrabands
in the service of the government meets with
decided disfavOr-nay, who threaten 10 resign
whenever that step is taken Shall tell you
'of what manner of man these officers are?
They are of the kind whose political horizon
is bounded on the one hand by id aboli-
tionist,' and the other by a 'nigger.' At
the beginning of the rebellion, they insisted
that the abolitionsts were the cause of it all,
and that the south had been greatly wronged,
and they met with a change of heart only
when their dull intellects comprenended the
fact that all the offices in the gift of the
people were to be bestowed upon those who
without qualification, stood by the constitution
and the Union. Were they at home now,
their voices would be heard at your 'conserv-
ative' and peace gatherings At heart they
are little better than traitors. Some of them
sit in high places, and give lengthy 'auden-
ccs, projections, and passes upon which the
words oath taken ore, but the words without
molestation or interruption are not erased, to
the most bitter and Outspoken of treason mon
gers. When these men have all resigned or
better, have been dismissed the service, and
when they shall have given place to such as
are willing to employ any means in visiting
swift retribution upon the heads of those in
arms against the best system of government
ever framed, then, and fear not till then, will
our arms meet with success, and our enemies
and the world begin to feel that we are terri
bly, in earnest"


1t can not be expected that such men as are
here described can be greatly in earnest
against the rebels. We do not believe they
are now very numerous in the army. Some
such are still there, undoubtedly, but some of
those whose temper was quite wrong at the
outset have since undergone a change"
They now listen more to reason and patriot
ism, and less to the clamor OF prejudice and
old associations; and we may expect to see
them do their part towards making the war
moro thorough and more terrible to the rebels
Meantime, such old army officers as will not
do this should be placed where their influence
can not do injury. The army should have
good and earnest officers as well as an abun-
dant supply of good men in the ranks; and no
more liberation should be accorded to the
cabals and conspiracies by which some of the
most patriotic, capable, and efficient officers
in the service, such as Gen. Mitchell, have
been driven from their commands.