Maryland free press., 1862-12-12

ment. This army is in excellent discipline
and condition we hold debouche on both
banks of the James river, so that we arc free
to act in any direction, and, with the assis-
tarcc of the gunboats, consider our oommu-
nications as now secure. We are twenty-five
miles from Richmond, and arc not likely to
meet the enemy in force sufficient to fight a
battle until we have reached fifteen TO eighteen
miles, which brings us practically within ten
miles Of Iiichln0nd /, Z: 1855 i ii.!.l
Our hrgest lire of land transportation
would be from this point twenty five miles,
but with the aid of the gunboats we can sup
ply the army by water during its advance,
certainly to within twelve miles of Richmond.
At Aqua creek We would be sercnty-fye
miles from Richmond, with land transporta-
tion all the way. From here to. Fort Monroe
is march of about seventy miles, for Iregard
it as ilnpracticablc to withdraw this army
and its material except by land. The result
of this movement would then be to march one
hundred and forty miles to reach a point now
only twenty-five miles distant, and to deprive
ourselves entirely of the powerful aids of the
gunboats and water transportation Add to
this the certain Generalization Of this army,
which would ensue, theterible depressing ef-
feet upon the people of the North, and the
strong probability that it would influence fors
eign powers to recognize our adversaries ; and
these appear to me sufficient feasonstte make
it my imperative duty to urge, in the strongest
terms of our language, that this order may be
rescinded, and that far from recalling this ar
my it be promptly reinforced, to enable it. TO
resume the offensive. 1t may be- said that
there are no reinforcchents availablcj point
to Gen. Burnside's forces; to that of Gen.
Pope, not necessary to maintain a-strct de-
fense in front Of Washington and Harper's
Ferry; to those portions of the army of the
West not required for strict defense there.
Here, directly in front of this army, is the
heart of the rebellion. 1t is here that all our
resources should be collected to strike the blow
which will determine the fate Of the nation.
All points of secondary importance elsewhere
should be abandoned, and every available man
the military strength of the rebellion iscrush-
cd. 1t matters not what partial reverses we
may meet with. elsewherc-here is the, true
defence of Washington. .a g.; .-.t...,. ..,,i.r,
1t is here, on the banks Of the James river,
that the fate Of the Union shall be decided
Clear of my convictions of right, strong in the
consciousness that 1 have ever been, and still
am, aetuated solely by love of my country,
knowing that no ambitious, selfish motives
have influenced me from the commencement
of this war, do now, what never did in my
life before, entreat that this order may be res
cinded. Ifmy counsel does not prevail, l will,
with sad heart, obey your orderst to tho ut
most of my powers, devoting to the movement
one of the utmost difficulty, whatever skill
may possess, whatever the result may be; and
may God grant that am mistaken in my
forebodings. shall at least have the internal
satisfaction that have written and spoken
frankly, and have songht to do the best in my
power to arrest disaster from my Country.
GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major General
Official copy. i'
Headquarters Army, Washington, D. c.,
November 90, 1862. 4' 'e,.
[ExHIpIT No. g. ...'-'.a-- z ''T
WAsHINGToN, August 6, 1862.
Major General Mcclellan, Commanding &c
Berkeley, Ta.-General Your telegram of
yesterday was received this morning, and l
Immediately telcgraphed a brief reply, prom
ising to write you more fully by mail +.
You, General, certainly could not have been
more panied at receiving my order than was
at the necessity of issuing it. 1 was advised
by high officers, in whose Judgment I had
great confidence, to make the order immedi-
ately on my arrival here, but I determined
not to do so until could learn your wishes
from a personal interview, and even after that
interview l tried every means in my power to
avoid Withdrawing your arnays and delayed
my decision as long as dared delay it. / as
sure you, General, it was not hasty and ina
considerate act, but one that caused me moro
anxious thought than any other of my life
But after full and mature consideration of all
the pros and cons, was reluctantly forced to
the conclusion that the order must be issued.
There was to my mind no alternative. ~
Allow me to allude to few of the facts of
the case. You and your officers at the inter-
view, estimated the enemy's force in and
around Richmond at two hundred thousand
men. Since then you and others report that
they have received, and are receiving, large
reinforcements from the South. Gen. Popcsi
army, now covering Washington, is only forty
thousand men. 81. p
Your effective force is only about ninety
thousand you are thirty miles from Rich
mond, and Gen. Pope eighty or ninety, with
the enemy directly between you, ready to fall
with his superior numbers upon one or the
other, as he may elect. Neither can reinforce
the other in case Of such an attack.
If General Pope's army be diminished to
reinforce you, Washington, Maryland and
Pennsylvania would be left uncovered and cx-
= 4 I. i.