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Military Enumerations North and South.

The Northern papers are increasing the am of butter in proportion as they de and the losses of their loaves, and they do not appear to perceive that the smaller the ter were the le could be the layer of the former — for it is no credit to an army to lose its guns, abandon its positions, throw away its muskets, leave its wounded in the hands of the enemy, and some thirty and odd miles from front of Centreville, not merely to Arlington, but to Washington, without any cause at all; for without loss there was no cause of retreat, and therefore no excuse for panic and rout. Again, they say there was only a portion of their army engaged. The greater sh mef those who were novengaged to true, their. But before the battle, when Mr. Dowell's force was enumerated in terrorem at 50,000, it was said fifteen regiments had subsequently joined. Now it is averred only 15,000, or 18,000, or 20,000 were in action.--What on earth were the rest about?

And I am obliged to say that Mr. Davis' statements are quite as starling; far, while he declares the enemy were 35,000 strong, he astonishes us by asserting that of all his host only 15,000 took part in the battle. As to losses, of course it is beyond anything but imagination to give an estimate. Regiments reported to have been annihilated have turned up quite hale and hearty, neat as imported on the day of marching home; and fond parents, wives and relatives will be spared many pangs and a great deal of mourning. I think my estimate of killed and wounded was nearly correct. The prisoners may amount to more than 900 or 1,000, but the Federalists have lost more heavily than the totals under these heads would show, perhaps. It would be rather ridiculous to call it either a hard fought, bloody, or a glorious field; but it is an important one; it was a most trying one to the Federalists, who were badly fed and hard worked in a waterless country, on a July day, for twelve hours; they were exposed to the demoralizing effects of long continued artillery fire. In spite of their want of discipline and the very unaccountable rout, the Federalists at first showed alacrity, but after a time they became torpid and difficult to handle.

No one questions the general bravery of Americans, native or adopted, on either side; but a defeat is rendered worse than ridiculous by attempts to turn it into a triumph. Det the unfortunate brave rest content with the sympathy they deserve, and shun the ovations which are the one of the conqueror. Praise and flattery cannot retake a gun, nor save a standard, nor win a battle — even if it be from vox populi in Broadway or Bowery.

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