Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-03
WEDNESDAY. SEPT. 3, 1899.


General mcclellan.
For some DAYS past, Gen. Mcclellan has
been very severely censured for his failure to
hurry his troops up the Potomac, ana SEND
them forward to the assistance Of Gen. Pope.
A letter on the subject in the New York rri-
bune occasioned some excitement in Phila-
delphia, and 4 report came from that city
that the Tribune was to be suppressed for
publishing the letter. The notion that
newspaper was to be suppressed for criucising
the behavior of any military commander was
too absurd to deserve attention. But the Tri-
bune was neither alone nor first in critieising
the alleged misbehayior of Gen Mcclellan
The facts have strongly influenced the New
lork Times, journal that has been foremost
among his eulogists. The Times yesterday
declared that the appearances against him
were grave" and said =
1T will be seen that the government has
virtually deprived him of any active partici-
patton IN the pending conflict, as it has res
trlcted his command to ''that portion OF the
army of the Potomac which is not ordered
to join Gen. Pope" As nearly the whole eff
fective portion of that army has already join
ed Gen. Pope, his command will be limited to
very few thousand men, and will be without
Importance The government would scarce
ly have taken this step without some serious
dereliction of duty on his part.
''Gen. McClellan's career has been one of
the most remarkable incidents of the war.
we shall have in due time as IA matter of
course, full exposition of it, with all the
documents essential to Il just Interpretation OF
his relations with the government. Until
that time any decisive judgment upon it would
be premature. But he has utterly lost the
confidence and high consideration which he
once enjoyed at the hands Of the American
people"
The allegations against Gen. Mcclellan are
stated as follows, in letter dated in Wash
ington, Sunday, Aug. 81, and printed in the
Tribune:
"As long ago as Wednesday, he received
an order to advance the corps of Gen. Frank
lin to the support of Gen. Pope. He sent an
excuse to the effect that it was impossible to
do so, Tor lack Of transportation and supplies.
On Thursday night, the order was repeated
and the time to march fixed at six O'Clock Fri
day morning. At late hour that morng
the president believed, and stated to visitors
that this column had moyed but the discoY-
cry was shortly afterwards made that Gen
Franklin was still in Alexandria.
Sat o'clock on Friday afternoon the order
was for the third time issued. but at / Gen.
Mcclellan teiegraphed that he had counter
manded It, beeauselfe judged it unsafe to de-
prlVe Ale4a4dTia and Washington Of the pro-
L sects0n Of this corps. On Friday night they
moved, but were stopped by Mcclellan at
Annandale, about seven miles from AleXan-
drla, and within sound Of the enemy's guns,
for the alleged reason that il was unsafe to
advance. Yesterday they at last moved, but
for three days the march was delayed-three
days! during which Gen Pope was fighting
against terrible odds.
"Another act by Gen. Mcclellan meets with
equally sharp criticism Gen. Pope sent to
him from the battle field a request that he
would forward him Immediately forage for his
horses and food for his men. Gen. Mcclellan
returned an answer to the effect that he would
be happy to comply with Gen. Popcs sugges-
ton if he would send a cavalry escort. This
story seems incredible, but it is much more
than a rumOr.
''We may add that while on the peninsula
Tor two weeks Gen. Mcclellan disobeyed Gen.
Hallecks orders, delaying for that length OF
time after he received his directions to en-
bark his troops for Aqua Creek and Alexan-
dria, with the object OF meeting the attack
which has now been made
other
journals. The New York Evening Post made
mention Of the allegations, on Monday even
ing, and the Washington correspondent Of the
same paper, dating Aug. 81, said =
"There was an important cabinet meeting
yesterday at which the failure of Gen. Me-
Clelan to forward Franklin's division in sea-
son for the Fridays battle was discussed 1t
Is stated that the order which temporarily de-
prives Gen, Mcclellan of a command Except
at Alexandria, was issued in consequence OF
the cabinet meeting"
If these serious charges against Gen Nc
Clellan are true, he deserves something more
than reduction of his command. The mat
ter is much too grave to be disposed of in that
way. 1t is well known that he was very slow
in leaving the peninsula, and also that a por-
ton Of his troops, that might have joined Cen
Pope before the battle Of Friday, were de-
layed unaccountably at Alexandria, several
days If there be any explanation that can
relieve him from the crushing weight of these
charges, it will undoubtedly be given. But
falsehood and special pleading will not be ac-
cepted as truth. 1t makes one shudder to
think Of the cold-blooded baseness that could
wllltulIy deprive Gen. Pope's struggling army
OF the forces ordered to its support.
II the divisions of Franklin and Sumner
had been sent forward according to Gen Hal
lecks order, Jacksons rebels would have
been thoroughly beaten and crushed on Fri
day' 90 that renewal Of the battle on Satur
Gay would have been impossible And we
are told that il Franklin's division had arrived
even two hours earlier on Saturday. the reb-
els would have been thoroughly beaten and
routed then. If Gen. Mcclellan is resnonsi-
Bile for the disasters, to the extent altered he
should be punished with the utmost rigor of
military law. If he is not guilty. let the
truth be shown as soon as possible, so that the
responsibility may rest on those to whom it
belongs.
The DRAFT PosTPoNED.-On the authori-
ty Of Gov. Andrew, acting with the consent
OF the war department, the time for drafting
has been postponed from to-day "wednesday