Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-12-17
->vr. : ROSS or .1-HE McnOwELL
rsUWT or INQUIRY.

.tN1ORT % = NN90s~s
R;cbuood ought 10 have been taken
six months ago. That such was mol
the e.ss wss q, fault of Gen. Mcclellan,
but Of the Administration alone. The
.moust Of soyhistry will ever change
this proposition. The revolutions OF
the Mcdowell Court Of Inquiry make i
!. plain - day. Gen. Mcclellan With
his corps commanders planned the cap
turs OF that city early in the present
year. His plans were approved ny 81
his division Generals, and BY the Presi.
dent and the Secretary OF War. The
expedition left with every promise OF
success il Was strong in men and mu-
tone, but none too str ne TO cope with
the .nemy-to carry on. the plan and
achieve the object. The withdrawal OF
. single brigade was to cripple the
movement and render the completion
OF The work in hand uncertain. The
mater spirit OF the campaign had ar
ranged IN the ost perfect order all his
machinery, and any interference there
with By ether hands WIS At the peril OF
dtsrrang'ng oil.
Such was the admirable condition Of
adairs when the expe di,ion set ont. The
f.l! Of the rebel capital vas certain.
The entire army, excepting McDowel!s
division, went by water to Fortress
Monroe, thence mp the Peninsula, while
Mcdowell was TO join the main army
by the wy Of fredericksburg. and to
gether the entire force was to push for
ward to the rebel capitol. Tho cam
paign was most admirably arranged.
Generals Of note, Of all nations, we're OF
the opinion that it was the best mode of
attack, and predicted Its succ, 50. The
whole country waited for the result
with great hope.
But the expedition must be in,erfcrred
with by the Secretary At Washington
Ga the llth of April McDo~ell is or
deied 10 look after the interests Of
Washington on the o4lh Of April he
is ordered not to pass across the Kappa
hammock, but to be ready to do 50
again on the 30th Of April he is adnon
lshed to make no further movements to-
wards joining M,Cle ans forces on the
Peninsula. Mcclellan waited in vain 70,
McDowell's cooperation. lie wanted
that portion of the army to head the
forces that he was cure TO shell ont Of
Yorktown. Ri b. there he va, ted Nc
Doweil's Fifty thousand men TO meet the
force and hold il in check,
while the forces in the rear should fall
upon ADD cnt 10 pieces the rebel army
Seeing what an awful blundcr they
had ma lie, the A administration chan ed
their tactics, and on the 18th ofthe mex,
month, in compliance with McClellan's
earnest and oft repeated appeals for
reinforcements, An order was given 10
Gen. Mcdowell to march forward and
aid in the capture OF the Confederate
capital. This was glorious news to both
Generals, There WAS yet hoae that the
campaign would prove successful. Bu,
how soon wero these hopes TO be dashed
to the earth.
On The Oath of the same month, while
Mcdowell was carrying out tho previ-
Gus order he was ordered to leave q
portion OF his force for the protection
Of Washington, and again, upon the
same day another order was, not by the
Secretare OF war sent but 10y Abraham
L,n'o r,order NC McDo~el's forces back
some hundred miles or more 10 coop
crate with Fremont and Banks, up 10
the mountains. Right there was the
death blow to the campaign agaips,
Richmond. The entire force might AS
well, yes better, have been Withdrawn
right then. McClellan's hands were
tied efiec,ually and the r. bel cause pros.
pered. No wonder that Gen. Mcdowell
Ielegraphed back to the President
This IS crushing biow TO u.s."
Indeed it was Crushing 1t crushed
ou' the entire campaign-crushed ali
The hopes that we've centered upon our
noble s'my-crnshed out the lives Of a
hundred THOUSAND men -crushed almost
everything that should no, have been
crushed, and removed the pressure from
Richmond. The entire matter is now
e1plAioed. The Court of Inquiry reveals
II all. Mcclellan did his part we'll. SO
old Mcdowell and The opIv ohs,.l