Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-25
FFOHl TIC aI1aTF ATEls aHI AfI1s
The secret History of this Adminis-
tration-How Mcclellan was Pre-
vented from Taking Richmond by
$ the Prcsidenf-Hem ma kable Deyel.
opmeufs.
rar M'DowrLL couar os ISouiRr

Ihh - bONfLL COURT o. INQUIRY
The suppression by the Administration of the
correspondence aud orders relating 20 our cam
paigns and particularly go that OF the Peninsula,
has been the cause of the greatest injustice to
Generals, to The soldiers and all engaged. This
suppression, so insulting to the people. has been
coupled with falsiications, which make il
crime As the truth Jerks out, we begin 10 see
why the guilty ones in Washit gton "love dark
ness rather than light-for their deeds evil"
When the blaze of history i thrown upon recent
events IL will blast those whose cowardice and
presumption have ruined our country IL Is only
by accident. or indirectly that the evidences are
brought to light. Halleck' report. like toad,
| ugly aud venomous. bare yet precious jewel in
is head. in the noble letter of Mcclellan from
HarrisGn's Landing.
The Mcdowell court martial has brought out
the letter to Fitz John Porter, to confound the
enemies Of Mcclellan The rest of the evidence
intended 70 vindicate Mcdowell reaches further
and places in high relief the conduct of the Com
1 mander- in Chief.
/ Mcdowell had planned well and fought well
the battle of Bull Run. Looking back at that
protracted and almost successful battle. can do
justice 10 the valOr OF our men and the skill Of
our officers The final defeat and panic TO be
/ traced 10 other causes than McDOwelPs want OF
| generalshp His fate afterward was to march
and countermarch and effect nothing: till on the
]
tered a second defeat Accused of treachery by
Sigel ON the field of battle, aud denounced as a
traitor by the diving Brodhead, he seemed TO con-
centrate upon his head all the odium of that dis
asser Pope did all it, righteousness. The sen
sation letter writers in Washington had long made
him their target. They had not the courage or
the conscience to defend him when he was right.
They accused him falsely of intemperance, sloth
| and cowardce The public who saw him screened
nv no chs cd IN has xhO q
he is, aud whose neptism is somewhat indicate,
aud resented the supposed favOritism by ready
| credulity of all charges, however gross.
We know not how his conduct in the brief cam
paign of Pope will appear upon investigation.
/ The charges have been vague and indefinite.
This Inquiry is one promoted by Mcdowell him
self. and the investigations will be one sided The
facts thus far presented vindicate his character
personally, and as an officer, and particularly in
the retreat from Fredericksburg. They throw a
food of light upon that turning disaster of the
campaign of the Peninsula.
| Who was responsible for the failure of Ne
4 Dowell, with his corps of 10000 to connect with
] Mcclellan, at Hanover Court House. and march
Non TO Richmond? Mcclellan, on this point. tes-
tilted before the court martial:
81 have 10 doubt said, for il has ever been my
opinion that the Army of the Potomac would
have taken Richmond had not the corps OF Gen
McDow ell been separated from il. 1t is also INV
opinion, had the command of Gen. Mcdowell
Joined the Army of the Potomac in the month OF
May. by way of Hanover Court House from
Fredericksburg, that we should have had Rich
mond within week after the junction. do not
hold General Mcdowell responsible in my own
mind for the failure to join me on either occa
sion"
i If Mcdowell was not responsible, who then
was? We quote upon this point portion of the
correspondence exhibited on the trials
GENEB AL MCDOWELL TO GENERAL NJ CLELLAN.
HEADoUARTERs DEPARTMENT RAPPAHANNocK,l
Opposite Fredericksburg, May %, 1862 i
Maj Gen. Geo B Mcclellan, Commanding the
Army of the Potomac White House. Va:
Il have received the orders OF the Secretary oil
War to move with the army under my command
ami cooperate with yours in the reduction OF
Richmond, and also a copy of his instructions to
YOU IN relation to that co operation. Major Gen.
eral Shields will join me day a the
necessary preparations for the march can be com
pleted, which | think will be by the Oath inst
We shall set forward in the general direction or
dered.
/ There is in front OF to impede advance
the secession army of the Rappahannock, so
called under the direction of r Anderson oil
the Tredegar Iron Works His force is from
twelve to fifteen thousand men, mostly South
Carolina and Georgia troops We should engage
THIS lOitt Oh our Hleb ual rs lutN
within six to eight miles of US. posted on and to
the right and left of the Fredericksburg and
Richmond Railroad, and in position of consde-
rable strength. |; is my purpose 10 turn their
position by throwing large force on their left
flank aud cut off their opportunity of receiving
reinforcements from the direction OF Gordons
vile. and, at the same time endeavor to save the
railroad bridges. IL this can be done. another
channel of supplies can be had for the force going
| auoinst Rich uopd that cannot fail UivinU a oreoi
relief TO the Commissary and Quartermasters
department of the army, and facilitate your ope
\ rations. We cannot rely on this at present be
cause they now occupy the line, and am told are
preparing destroy the bridges if they forced
to fall back
/ beg to ask to what extent | can rely on CO.
operations from you in my present movement, in
the of your cutting off the retreat of the enemy
upon Richmond, where they would add ~ 0D0 to
the forces against yon, and in saving the bridges
across the Paymunkey; and what point on the
Paymunkey you can extend your right TO join me
and TO what point you can cause supplies to be
! placed for my command, and by what date can
| count on finding them there ready for meg
\ shall require subsistence for % 600 men and
! forage for III 900 animals
IRWIN MCDOWELL,
Major General Commanding Department
4 THE PRESIDENT TO GEN. M'DowELL.
WASHINGTON, May "a, 1862
/ MAJOR General McDoreH:
Gen. Fremont has been ordered. by telegraph,