Year: 1861

FROM lho CnlcaSo Fo5t.


A statement which we have seen in some
OF the papers, that Of large number-we
think more than one huadred--of priyates
10 the regular service who have been raised
by commissions signed by the President to
Lleutenants, onl = two OF them have resigned
their commissions on account of sympathy
with the rebellion, reminds US of q passage
IN the Presidents message TO Congress, to
the effect that every private in the army
was loyal, and hundreds of them ag well
lifted to be President and Cabinet Minis.
tiers as the present occupants of those ex.-
allied places. This was at the time by some
rather sneeriDgly conceded as probably y true.
By most persons, however, it was thought
TO oe highly extravagant. Many Of the
earlier lcidents--disasters--o the cam
paign against the rebels did not serve to
raise our soldiers in the popular sentiment.


1t must be granted that the most, and
most fatal, of these disasters we're caused
by iuetficiency or cowardice in the officers.
When the officers run away, the men lose
their courage, and will not light. But it is
certain, Notwithstanding, that when a part
OF an army proves recreant and cowardly,
the other part will nine times out of ten be
driven TO commit some folly, and all to.
gether fall under the gravest stigma ine
yolved. II the men in epa1letts and tinsel
fall short of their duty, all fall short.
Grdualy the officers have heen improved;
and in the latest engagements our soldiers
have shown the courage and steadiuess Of
veterans. President Lincolns seemingly
hyperbollcal allusion to our soldiers in his
message may not have been hyperbole after
all. Our ranks are composed of thousands
OF the very best men in the land.


We have not attempted to explain away
into nothingness the discouraging and anger
moving reverse to our arms the other day
at Edwards Ferry. There has nothing hap
pened in the course Of this war one half so
discouraging, or in which one half OF the
guilt of some officer or officers is ID
volved, as the bloody disaster at this
point. We promptly stigmatized the
rash proceeding in partially adequate
terms-though we were and are at all times
willing to apologize for any blunder or
error that may be committed by our officers


and since then We have read nothing, and
heard nothing, that could change the judg
ment of The most willing mind upon the
facts. The percentage of loss was greater
than IN any engagement yet, greater than
at Bull Run by lar, and greater than at
Springfield, and there was no occasion for
the move, and no excuse for it. Who is
responsibility for it, we do not pretend to say.


If it were not for the gallant conduct of
our soldiers at Edwards Ferry, there would
be absolutely no bright streak in the cloud
OF the national dependency. But the men
herolcally standing under the most calling
tire, and enduring the most unwonted hard
ships, redeems the lustre of our arms. Ev-
cry advantage of the contest was evs
identity from the outset 10 favor Of the
rebels-and this ought to have been seen
by the officers who gave the fatal order
but had they behaved with the same cool
bravery of the men, the case would have
been much better. All that can be
said OF the officers, is, that they betrayed
criminal weakness in being tempted
into the trap of the enemy, and that, after
they were entrapped, their presence of mind
failed them. All that can be said of our
men is, that though mostly what are called
raw volunteers, they obeyed the original
order with alacrity and inteligence--tought
like veterans--and when overpowered, ap-
peared not in the least panic-strcken or
alarmed and this is praise that the vete~
rams of the English and French armies
would be proud to have given to them. So
the American people may have still--do
have still-hope that it will all come out
right in the end, and that hope is in the
noble bravery of our men,