The charge against Gen. Polk--who is to blame?
--The telegraph has announced the removal of
Lieut.-Gen. D. H. Hill from his command in the Army of Tennessee.
A correspondent of the Savannah
Republican, writing on the 2d inst., says:
‘
The truth regarding the tardiness with which the great advantages were followed up in our last signal victory over
Rosecrans begins slowly to unfold itself, and
Gen. Bragg is exonerated from shouldering the blame.--
General Polk has been arrested, of course by
General Bragg.
What for?
On Monday morning
Gen. Folk had orders to move rapidly forward at daylight and attack the enemy, either before he got within the fortifications at
Chattanooga, or within them, as he might find him.
Gen. Bragg supposed, with every reason justly, that his disordered ranks could not be organized before light, and a sudden attack in such a demoralized condition as he was forced from the field on Sunday night would increase the rout and result in his entire destruction.
Gen. Polk's command did not move until 12 M., so rumor has it — at least, it is no doubt true, he did not get under way until very late in the day. The result is:
Rosecrans improved the time allowed him, got his shattered regiments together again, formed them behind the earthworks, and placed his guns in position in the strong batteries which surrounded the rear of the town.
What excuse was offered for sacrificing the fruits of the most favorable victory we have had in the war?
Gen. Polk, so rumor again has it, attaches the blame to
Gen. D. H. Hill.
Gen. Hill's command, it seems, was ordered by
Gen. Polk to execute the command of
Gen. Bragg, and move forward at daylight to make the attack.
When asked why he did not move, his excuse was that his men had no rations and he would not fight them without something to eat.--If this prove true he deserved to be cashiered either for having no rations for his men or for not moving forward without them in such an important emergency.
It is very certain (or it should be) that they had something to eat the day before, and it is yet to be seen when Southern soldiers are not ready to move under more trying circumstances than privation of rations for 24 hours. The neglect of such weighty duties where so much of our interest was involved, hardly admits an excuse, and the shortest way to guard against such dreadful contingencies in future, is to do away, as early as possible, with leaders who have such "bad luck." It is to be hoped a better face may be put on the matter than at present shows itself in the countenance of
Madam Rumor as she travels about camp.
’
