The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-07-22

July 9th, 1862.
! IIon. Ed IL. Stanton, Sec War, L. s. H.:
It may seem a misnomer for the Army of
James River to be called the Army of the Poto-
mac, and it may excite surprise that my address
is - Near the Gunboats instead of "Richmond,
Va" but | have just executed grand strategic
movement Nothing equal to it was performed at
| Sebasiopol.
| That the enlighted public OF Boston and New
! York may understand the magnificent conception
and execution Of this wonderful plan, I will make
| a brief statement.
| On the goth of June I enticed across the
Chickahominy the rebel Generals jackson, Long
street, d. H. Hill and A. P. Hill, for the purpose
! of annhlating them when separated from their
reserves The works at Mechanicsville though
very strong, were strategically abandoned that
night to toll the rebels into my tolls around
Gaines Mill. No such magnificent design was
! carried out at Sebastopol.
! On the 9th instant, the rebels Longstreet and
! 4. 2. Hill attacked my works in front and Jack
| son and d. II. Hill turned them on my right
! We killed vast numbers Of the enemy, and left
vast army Of my wounded in his hands. Know
| ing the great lack Of provisions and medicine
stores in the rebel ranks let them take a thous-
and Of my we'll men and all my sick My wound
! ed sick, and sound men, will add greatly to the
distress of the enemy and help to crush this I'M
/ natural TeDeIloH NO SuCll LIICGul sCHcLHe
was devised at Sebastopol.
| The rebels having cut my telegraphic wires, |
found it necessary to invent new system of
signals. ! therefore adopted the old idea of
signaling by light so [ made bonfres out of a few
million Of dollars worth Of commissary and quarter
master stores. l am happy to state that the
signals were understood throughout my whole
line. In this age Of progress we ought to i'm
prove upon old ideas, and [ am confident that l
fun, i c1o ,ot cir Eli
used at Sebastopol.
On the 20th, the rebel Generals Ewell and
Stuart cut the railroad, destroyed my stores at
Dispatch Station, White House, &c. We lost
stores to the amount of forty millions 6ssdoars.
All this was part of my original scheme long con-
ceived and new handsomely executed. Neither
the Russians nor Allies did anything Of the kind
at Sehastopol.
On the 10Th, I resolved to toll the enemy still
further on, and it became again necessary to make
signals to my army. The better to deceive the
enemy, [ blew up fine engine and several tons
Of powder, instead Of using 81 9nal guns. | am
happy to say that the explosions were heard
throughout my whole line, aud were understood
by my gallant boys. No such substitute for
signal guns was used at SeJastopol.
That quiet Sabbath afternoon [ resumed nv
march for James river, but the serenity and calm
of that holy day was broken in by the rebel
McLaws, who attacked me in most barbarous
and uncivilizcd manner We fought him until
dark, when, disguised with the atrociolts conduct
of McIaws, [ resolved to leave him and continue
my march to James river. used the same happy
expedicnt Of making signal lights by burning
my stores. [ left near the battle ground some
two thousand Of my sick and wounded directing
Gen. Sumner to destroy all medical and COM
mssary stores at Savage Station. 1t is difficult to
conceive how the rebels can sustain this new
burden.
In my official report to the Ion Secretary of
War, l would earnestly call the attention of the
Rev. Mr. Beecher and the Puritans Of New Eng
land, to the fact that [ was attacked on the holy
Sabbath day by that Goddess rebel McLaws
Such thing was only of weekly recurrence at
Sebasopol.
On the 30th, let the rebels Jackson and D. H
! Hill take thousand Of my men, on the road to
White Oak river Some five hundred mules were
also turned over to the rebel Col. Momford to add
to the difficulties Of the forage question of the
enemy Finding that the rebels Jackson and
Hill were close behind me, tore-up the bridge at
! White Oak river and resolved to give them battle
at long taw. This IS a popular mode of fighting
with my men, when their long-range guns are out
Of reach Of the balls Of the enemy But, while
were having ine time at our favorite game
at White Oak river, the everlasting Lonestreet
and A. =. Hill struck me in flank and.capturcd
great number of my men. Ny great master
Gen. Scott, could not stand fire in the rear and
'front.' nor could I be expected to stand fire in
FanE and rear. [ therefore fell back and tolled
the rebels on None Of the Generals at Sebasto-
pol acted unfairly as did these four rebel Gen
erals
had now tolled tie rebels to the very place ]
wanted to get them, "Malvin HILL" MAGNIFICENT
height, defended on the banks by the gunboats,
and only approachable by ravines swept by my
artillery. anticipated glorious time in saught-
ering the rebels. The rebel troops of Gens
Jackson, Huger Magruder, D. H. Hill, and
Whiting, swarmed around ne all day. They
came up to my batteries yelling and shouting, and
[ moved them down with grape and canister at
half range. It was a glorious victory; but could
not persuade that it was glorious victory
for item. [ therefore yielded to the wishes of my
heroic boys and resolved to toll the rebels on.
When the billigerents at Sebastopol gained a
brilliant battle they held the field; my abandon
menL of Malvin Hill was, therefore, different f1om
anything done at Sebastopol. [ fatter myself
that have seriously crippled the enemy by leav-
ing another large lot Of sick and wounded in his
hands. [ had almost forgotten to state that |
have abandoned in all about fifty of my masnif-
cent Parrot and Napoleon guns. The enemy
will be compelled to feed large number Of horses
to transport these guns, and it is difficult to
imagine how starving reheldom can support such
burden. It's very gratifying to report the ex-
cellent health Of my men, notwithstanding their