Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-22

a
Infantry indispensable. On the 9Th Of JunoT
letter OF instructions was sent him, 10 which i
was told that there must be no reverse; a chec
Or drawn battle would be victory TO the o.
emy hlllng his heart with Joy, his ranks wit
men ana hil magazines with voluntary oontrI
puuonsj and, therefore, 10 take his MEASURE
crcumspectly and attempt nothing without
clear prospect Of success. This was GOOD. In
etrnction and most sensible advice. Good o
pad, he was Co obeyj and be did.
ii IMPORTANT ORDERS.
On Friday, the 18Th, be was informed that. OF
the supposition that he would cross The river or
the next Monday or Tuesday, Cen. Mcdowell
would be instructed 10 make a demonstrstlo
on Manassas Junction. He was surprised al
tne order, but promptly obeyed. On the 18th
ne reacned hagerstown, and. on the 18th, two
thirds OF his forces bad crossed the Potomac. =
Inc promised demonstration by Gen. Mcdowell
IN the direction OF Manassas Junction, was moi
made; and on the 10Th, just three days after hs
nad been told he was expected 10 crosg, he wal
teIegraphed by the General. in. Chief 10 send hin
"at once all the regular troops, horse and foot
and the Rhode Island Regiment and Battery }
ana told that he WAS strong enough without ths
regulars, and to keep within limits until b,
could satisfy him that he ought to 70 beyond
them On the 17th he was again teleRraphed
we are pressed here. Send the troops l have
twice called for without delay" This was i'm
perative, and the troops were sent, leaving him
without single piece Of artillery, and, for th,
time, single troop OF cavalry. twas gloom,
night, but they were all brought over the rive
again without loss
APLAN OF OPERATIONS PROPOSED.
| On the Goth Of June, he was asked BY th,
General-in Chief to propose, without delay,
plan OF operations. On the 2ist, he submitted
TO the General-ln Chief his plan, which was Il
abandon the present line of operations, move al
supplies TO Frederick, occupy Maryland Heights
with Major Doubledsy's heavy guns, and brig
ade Of infantry 10 support them, and with ev.
erything else-horse, foot and artillery--lo cross
the Potomac at Point OF Rocks, and unite with
Col. Stones forces at Leesburg. from which
point be could operate as circumstances should
demand and the Generals orders should re
quire. No reply was received; but, on tht
9Th, the General telegraphed to him that ht
supposed he was that day crossing the river ir
pursuit Of the enemy.
THE FORCES.
On that day the enemy was in condition Ia
cross the river In his pursuit. He had over fif
teen thousand men, and from twenty to twenty
four guns. Gen. Patterson had about ten thous'
and men and six guns, the latter immoyablG
for want of harness. On the 26th he informed
the General of the strength Of the enemy nnd
Of his own force; that he would not, on his owr
responsibility, attack without artillery, but
would do so cheerfully and promptly If he woulG
give him an explicit order to that effect. M
order was given. On the Goth he received tn,
harness for his single battery Of elk smooth
bore guns, and on the 30sh gave the order Il
cross. On the I'd Of July he crossed, met tht
enemy and whipped them.
PROPOSITIONS.
On the 9th Of July q council was held, al
which all the commanders of divisions and bri
gades, and chiefs of staff, were present. Col
Stone, the junior line officer, spoke twice and
decidedly against an advance, advocating q d.
rect movement to Shepherdstown and Charles.
town. All who spoke opposed an advance, ant
all voted against one. On the same day he In
formed the General.in. Chief Of the condition oil
affairs In the valley, and proposed that hl
should 60 to Charlestown and occupy Harper'l
Ferry, and asked to be informed when he would
attack Manassas. On the 18th he was directed
to go to where he had proposed, and informed
that Manassas would be attacked on Tuesday
the 10th. On the 18th he was telegraphed: 81
not strong enough to beat the enemy early mex
week, make demonstrations so as to detain hiu
in the valley OF Winchester.". He made th
demonstrations, and on the 18th, the day Ger
Scott said he would attack Manassas, he drov
the enemy's pickets into his entertainments q
Winchester, and on the 18th marched Il
Charlestown.
On the 18th he telegraphed the Generals in
Chief that Johnston was in position 10 hav
his strength doubled Just as he could reach him
and that he would rather lose the chance of &C
complishing something brilliant than by hsz
arding his column, to destroy the fruits Of tn
campaign by defeat, closing his telegram thus
off wrong, let me be instructed" But no in
structons came. This was eight days befor
the battle of Manassas. On the l7th Gen
Scott telegraphed: "McDoWelrs first days worI
has driven the enemy beyond Fairfax Cour
House. Tomorrow the Junction will probabl
be carried" With this information he wa
happy, Johnston had been detained the appoint
ed time. and the work OF Gen. Patterson's col
umn had been done.
On the 18th, at in the morning, he tele
graphed Gen, Scott the condition of the Iene
my's force and Of his own, referring to his let
ter of the 10th for full information, and close
the dispatch by asking, "Shall attack7" Thi
was plain English. and could not be misunder
stood, but he received no reply. lie expecte
to be attacked where he was, and If Manassa
was not to be attacked on that day, as stated Il
Gen scott's dispatches Of the day previous, b
ought TO have been ordered down forthwith +
join in the battle, and the attack delayed unit
be came. He could have been there on the da
that the battle was fought, and his assistanc
might have produced different result.
| On the Goth he heard that Jobnston ha
MARCHED with 35, 1000 Confederate troops, and
large artillery force, in a south-easterly direC
ton. He Immediately telegrsphed the informa
tiOn to Gen. Scott, and knew that he received
the same day.