Year: 1863

tmy.p Burnside, after the Abutchery
Fredericksburg, crying out, de pr9fiadi
that che was untitled for his post;H ghtln


Joe Hooker, gently complaining, "wit


quivering lips" that sit was hard he shout


be deprived of his command just when b


was in situation to perform great deeds;


all these are things which reach the hear


and seem to fathem the depths of huma


woe. ~-- s.


But what are they compared to the bite


agony of Meadee Rather than that LIE


should escape without a battle, ipse dtrt


he would have lost an eye-tooth. Here


"the touch of nature that makes the who'll


world kim We cannot all be generals o


statesmen Few are those choice spirit


who feel the highest glow of patriotism o
most ardent thirst for glory; but we can al
appreciate the pain of drawing TOOTH
How few are the favored mortals who have
not been subjected to this terrible ordeal
If they have not endured the extremity o
parting with their cherished eye teeth, they
have, at least, been compelled to yield theil
grinders to the pitiless instrument OF the
dentist All can appreciate, then, the mag
nitude of the sacrifice which Meade was
prepared to make. Nor need it be supposed
that he himself was ignorant of its value
A man Of fifty years, it cannot reasonably
be supposed that he had never had tooth
pulled. On the contrary, he had borne the
inhiction; he was aware of the suffering il
would cost him, and stood prepared to en-
dure it manfully in the sacred cause OF his
country. History records no greater act OF
self-abnegation than this Agamemnon yield
ing up the Iphigenia as victim to the com
mon cause of Greece; Richard III. immo'
lating his nephews in the Tower; or the
Virginia Legislature abolishing the faro
banks, are not more heroic -g


It is strange what apparently contradlc-
tory appearances sometimes conceal the
real wishes of men. With all this anxiety
on the part of Meade, it had really seemed
that he avoided the battle that Lee pressed
upon him instead of courtiug it. Hissome
what precipitate retreat looked moIe like
the anxiety Of fugitive to escape pursuit
than the deliberate movement OF wary
commander to bring on battle in chosen
position. Deep strategy it was, no doubt,
which the vulgar may as well give up vex-
ing their brains in trying to understand
Again, when Lee played his part OF this
admirably concerted military piece, and by
a retreat in his turn brought both armies
back to their original position, was there
no way to force battle and avoid jeopar-
dizing the eye-tooth2 Could Lee not be
forced to fight2 Oh! Marcus, if thou art
great general, come down and fight. Oh,
Sylla, if thou art great general, make me
come down and fght2


In this fearful calamity which has over
taken Meade he has the satisfaction at least
Of being sustained by his countrymen.-
That singular people display one amiable
trait of character, which is refreshing to
note as change amidst the stream Of vitu-
psration that has poured upon them for the
last three years. They are always in the
best possible humor with themselves and
their progress in the war. If they are dis
routed at Bull run they actually
seem to glory in the completeness of their
defeat and the exaggeration of their panic.
If they gain an advantage by dint OF over,
whelming numbers, or a combination OF
land and sea forces, it is straightway mag
nifed into the greatest victory since Mara
thon. Ii defeated, they congratulate them
selves on escaping complete annihilation.-
If they are foiled in advancing, and forced
to fly, all disappointment at the failure of
their plan is lost in admiration of the skilful
retreat Under all circumstances they
are faithful to this optimisi philosophy.


=


Brilliant as is the reputation he has won
for himself in this war, Meade evidently
aspires to something more. He desires
universally Of fame, and is determined to
show his skill in actual battle. Hence the
affecting declaration respecting the eye
tooth. 1t is sincerely to be hoped that
General Lee may find it convenient to
crafty him, and the prediction may
be safely ventured that at the
close of the battle he would give another
tooth MOTTO have fought, Let him beware
lest he be toppled from his present pinnacle.
The nation he serves are somewhat tickle.
They praise general one day and relieve
him the next They wheedle and pet the
victim while they are actually whetting the
knife to decapitate him. Was there ever
nation in which question could arise like
that between Burnside and Hooker, where
the latter's fate trembled in the balance,
and he narrowly escaped being ignorain
iously broken, in order to rise to commander
in.chie2 With such masters the most
skilful retreats will fail to avert his ruin
Meade may survive the winter with care,
but renovating spring will bring no new
lease of life to him. He will follow the
shades of Mcclellan and Burnside before
the harvest is reaped.


Affairs near fredericksburg


From the Richmond Enquirer, Nov. g..