Year: 1861




cries about the affair at Leesburg, Just as, a
few months ago, they were full of fury about
the repulse at Big Bethel They demand a
victim for the one as for the other. Brigadier-
! General Pierce was immoIated to aPpease pop.
ular fury in the one case; the question of the
day is whether the blame of the more recent
defeat must be laid Upon General Baker, who
1 IS dead, or Geueraf Stone, who is living. 1t
seems that somebody must be sacrificed on the
altar.


] Now it is not altogether best to attempt to
correct the popular notion that whenever we
/ fight we must win. The notion itself is alb
surd, of course; but has the advantage of spur
ingour troops on to do their Whole duty,and this
II decided gain.


AT the same time, when attempts are made
to asperse the reputation of living soldiers like
General Stone, OF dead heroes like General
Baker, it is well to bring little common sense
to bear on the matter.


1t is altogether reposterous-between our
selves and our readers expect that we shall
win every battle that's fought in this war, or
that we shall escape loaing large number of
men even in the battles which we do win
There never was war in which victory did
not alternate, more or less, between the con-
tending arEaies, and there never was a general,
from Alexander and Napoleon downward, who
did not occssioa a lJ lose battles. Invincible gen
erals and invincible armies are only heard OF
in books Of fairy tales, Nor is it rational to
argue that, because we have twenty millions of
people, and the rebels less than seven, therefore
we must carry everything before us. 1t takes
time in war for disparity of numbers to make
itself felt. Slavery enables the South to bring
much larger army into the field than it could
do if its labor were performed by freemen.-
And lastly, it must never be forgotten that the
treacherous leaders ofthis conspiracy had been
maturing their plot and preparing for lie con
test several years before the idea Of fight en-
tered the mind Of loyal citizens. These con.
siderations must always be borne in mind in
reading the varying history Of the war.


We are engaged in a great war; no mere
two-penny campaign for cphemeral principles
or temporary rights; bur great contest to
decide whether republican liberty or negro
slavery shall be the ruling institution on this
continent. To either beigerent defeat will
amount to ruin. The defeat of the United
States will be the destruction of the republic
and of all we cherish most The defeat of the
South will be the ruin of the institution OF
slavery, which represents $2,0O0,O00,0O0 of
property, the destruction Of which involes the
anuihilation aud reconstruction of the entire
framework of Southern society. With such
a stake at issue, it must be expected that the
contest win be ferceiy wagcd on both sides.


If the Northern people intend to prosecute
the war with the perseverance required by The
nature Of the conflict, they must get over the
habit of whining and abusing their generals
when they encounter defeats. Defeats are
necessary part of war. People must expect
Them and take them for granted. The United
States enjoy no miraculous immunity from the
ordinary fate of Nations at war They must
expect to take as we'll as to bestow blows
The operation which resulted so disastrously
at Lees5urg was unfortunate, but not a blum.
der. Two careful recOmuiSances developed
no enemy. After they had been made, and
our troops had landed, the enemy appeared in
force and drove US across the Potomac. This
Vas al ordinary eausalty of war, and General
Mcclellan shows his gencralshp by blaming
no one. So at Lexington. 1t would have
been impossible TO reinforce Lexington with
out hazarding the safety Of Cairo or St. Lou.
is, and the enemy was allowed to win barren
victory, which he improved by retrcating in.
stantly 10 tic borders of Arkansas. Bull Run
itself-which has cast a shadow over the fame
Of one Of the bravest, most chvaIric, and most
skilllnl soldiers in our army, Irwin Mcdowell
was an obtiots necessity. Nothing but the
event itself would hate sufi1cetl to convince the
people that malitia-m men are not soldiers, and
that time Is needed to create armies.


Citizens of the United States, what our
country needs of you now is pluck, little
pluck. 1t is not expected that you should EN-
ulate the citizens of Rome, who passed vote
of thanks to Varro, fresh from he OverwheIm-
ing defeat of Came, "for that lie had not de
Sraired of the rePnblic;" out It is hoped that
you will not allow two-penny reverscs TO dis
pirit you, or to turn your animosity against
your own leaders. 1t is rational to expect
that, in the course of the war, all our generals
will meet with reyerses. What is wanted Of
the people is that they should not lose heart
On this accornt, that they should not denounce
a general because he has been beaten; that
they should not heed the ignorant criticisms
after the fact-of babblirg eli'ors who have
never seen battle field; but that with large
faith in the righteousness of our cause, and the
ultimate triumph of law, order, good govern
ment, and democracy, over anarchy. rebellion,
and negro slavery, they should checrfully sub
nit to the stripes which fate may lay upon
them, and should feel as confident of the truth
of their principles under defeat as in success.
If the people will vouchsale this, the army will
do the rest.