the result of Seward's prophecies! A diplomat calls Seward
the evil eye of the Cabinet, and of the country. I suggested to some
of the senators that a resolution be passed prohibiting Mr. Seward
from playing either the prophet or the fool.

Burnside took care of the army, no doubt, but it was of the rebel
army. Our soldiers have been brought by him to the block, to an easy
slaughter, he himself being some few miles in the rear, and having
between him the river, and the intervening miles of land. All this,
however, was according to the regulations, and on the most approved
Halleck-McClellan fashion of fighting great battles.

_Dec. 18._--The disaster was inaugurated by the shelling of
Fredericksburgh. One hundred and forty-seven (147!) guns playing
upon a few houses. It was the play of a maddened child, exhibiting
in equal proportions, reckless ferocity and egregious stupidity; and
it is difficult to find one dyslogistic term which will adequately
describe and condemn it.

From what I can already gather of the details of the attack, it may
be peremptorily concluded that Burnside, Sumner, and above all,
Franklin, are utterly incompetent of a skillful and effective
handling of great masses of troops. They attacked by brigades,
positions so formidable, that if they could possibly be carried by
any exertion of human skill and strength, they could only be carried
by large masses impetuously hurled against them. Franklin seems
especially to have acted ill in not at once throwing in 10,000 men
to be followed rapidly and again and again by 10,000 more. In that
wise and only in that wise, he might possibly have broken and turned
the enemy, and thrown him on his own centre. It is said that
Franklin had 60,000. If so, he could easily have risked some 20,000
in the first onslaught. Sixty thousand! Great God! Why, it is an
army in itself, in the hands of a general at all deserving of that
name. If those great West Pointers had only even the slightest idea
of military history! More battles have been fought and won with
60,000 men, and with fewer still, than with larger numbers, and at
Fredericksburgh Franklin's force formed only a wing against an enemy
whose whole army could number but little more than 60,000. I want
the reports with the full and positive details.

The clear-sighted and warlike TRIBUNE discovered in Burnside high,
brilliant, and soldier-like qualities--admirably borne out and
illustrated no doubt, by the Frederi