The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-06-06
The Advance into western Virginia.


movements FASTENED by information
that the enemy were burning the
bridges on the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road between Wheeling and Farming
ton. He Immediately issued, by tele-
|grapb,. orders for an advance of the
troops collected on the Ohio River.
The column was directed to move from
Wheeling and Bellaire, under the COM
|mand of Col. B. F. Kelley, 1st Virginia
Volunteers another from Marietta, on
Parkersburg, under Col. Stedman, 14th
|Ohio Volunteers. These officers were
directed to move with caution, and to
occupy all the Bridges, ETC., as they
advanced. At Midnight of Monday,
the rebels, as had already been an
|nounced, evacuated Grafton in great
haste and ere this no doubt Col. Kelley
has token possession.
The following proclamation TO Vir-
|ginians, and address to the troops, was
ISSUED by Gen. Mcclellan simultane-
|ously with the advance.
|GEN. McCLELLAN'S ADDRESS TO THE PEG
PIE OF WESTERN VIRGINIA.
HEADQUARTERS DEP'r. OF THE ONO. |
CINCINNATI, May 26, 1861. !
To the Union men Of West~n Virginia.
VIRGINIANs The General Govern
ment has long enough endured the
Vaccinations of a few factious rebels
lin your midst. Armed traitors have
lin vain endeavored to deter you from
expressing your loyalty at the polls !;
having failed in this Infamous attempt
Ito deprive you of the exercise of your
dearest rights, they now seek to inaugu-
rate reign of terror, and thus force
you to yield to their schemes, and sub
NIT to the yoke of the traitorous con-.
spiracy, digni6ed by the name of South
ern Confederacy. They are destroying
the property of the citizens of your
State, and running your magnificent
railways. The General Government
has heretofore carefully abstained from
sending troops across the Ohio, or even
from posting them along its banks,
although frequently urged by many of
the most prominent citizens to do So.
1t determined to await the result of the
late election, DESTROYS that no one
might be able to say that the slightest
effort had been made from this side to
influence the free expression of your
opinion, although the many agencies
brought to bear upon you by the rebels
were well known. You have now
shown, under the most adverse circum-
stances, that the great mass of the
people of Western Virginia are true
and royal to that beneficient Govern
ment under which we and our fathers
have lived SO long. AS seen as the
result of the election was known the
traitors commenced their work of des-
truction. The General Government
can not close its ears to the demand
you have made for assistance. / have
ordered troops to cross the river.
They come as your friends and broth
ers-as enemies only to the armed reb-
els who are preying upon you. Your
homes, your families, and your proper
ty are safe under our protection. All
your rights shall be respected.
Notwithstanding all that has been
said by the traitors to induce you to
believe that our advent among you will
be signalized by interference with your
slaves, understand one thing clearly
not only will we abstain from all such
but we will, on the con-
trary, with an iron hand, crush any at
tempt at Instruction on their part.
Now, that we are in your midst, / call
upon you to fly to arms and support
the General Government. Sever the
connection that binds you to traitors
proclaim to the world that the faith and
loyalty so long boosted by the Old
Dominion are still preserved in West
ern Virginia, and that you remain true
to the Stars and Stripes.
(Signed) G. b. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General Commanding.
ADDRESS TO THE VOLUNTEER ARMY.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE ONO.
CINCINNATI, May %, 1861
SOLDIERS: You are ordered to crossl
the frontier and enter upon the soil of
Virginia. Your mission is to restored
peace and confidence, to protect the
majesty of the law, and to rescue curl
brethren from the grasp of armed trail
tors. You are to act in concert with
the Virginia troops and support their
advance.
/ place under the safeguard of your
honor the persons and property of the
/ know that you will re-
spect their feelings and all their rights.
Preserve the strictest discipline; rel
that each one of you holds in|
his keeping the honor of Ohio and the|
Union.
If you are called upon to overcomeI
armed opposition, l know that. your
courage is equal to the task; but re-
that your only foes are the
armed traitors show mercy event
70 them when they are in your power,
for many of them are misguided men.
When, under your protection, the loyal
men of Western Virginia have been
to organize and arm, they can
protect themselves; and you can then
'eturn to your homes, with the proud
of having preserved gal
ant people from destruction.
(Signed) GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General Commanding
REBEL CANNON SEIzED.-On We'd