Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1860-1868, 1862-12-31
FaAEaAEaIeT, :
THE TRIAL OF GENERAL MexSOw n
IMPORTANT TEsTEMogEOF GEN.
ERAL MCCLELLAN

.. PFom the Cleveland PiAiadeaIer
THE TRIAL OF GENERAL meDOw II
INFORMANT TEsTTaaogKOFG GEN.
ERAL McCL ELLAN. .
The trial of Major Genaral Mcdowell
at Washington, during the past week, has
developed some very damaging facts q.
gainst Mr. Lincoln and his advisers. The
failure of the Peninsula campaign and as
natural consequences the defeat and rout
Of Gen. Pope, and the raid of Gen. Lee
into Maryland and PennsylYaniA are
clearly shown TO have been caused by the
President, upon whom the whole respon-
sibility must hereafter rest. 1t will be
seen that, according to the original plan
Of Gen. Mcclellan, he was to have the
entire army of the Potomac, MeDowelI's
corps included and the troops left for the
defense Of Washington, some 10000,
alone accepted, to prosecute his cam
paign which was to, and which would
have, but for the interference we shall
name-eulminated in the capture Of Rich
mond. Before leaving Washington for
the Peninsula, Gen. Mcclellan had mark
ed out plan which being submitted to
the President, met his full sanction, and
the promise of implicit co operation
According to this plan Gen. Mcdowell
was to have embarked his forces and
report to Gen. Mcclellan ut Fortress Mon
roe, without disembaEking, in order that
be might be sent up the York River, or
wherever else the Commander in Chief
might think expeiient for cutting off the
retreat of the enemy, in concert with the
advance Of the main body of the army in
front. Instead of keeping faith with
General Mcclellan, the President chang
ed the original plan and ordered Mellow
ell to proceed from Fredrieksburgh by toe
land route, but scarcely was this order
issued when facilitating and timid he again
Issues second order detaching McDow-
elL's corps from Mcclellan and ordering
him on a wild goose chase after jackson.
This was crushing blow" not only to
Mcdowell and Mcclellan but to the ex-
Pectations of the country.
The following dispatch shows how Nc,
Dowell received this order
Hw.r1r- Apwvng npy.n-zg,s-~ nv -x,r
RAPPARANNocK, May "A, 1862
Hon. Z. NJ. Aantoa, Seeig Of Var:
"The Presidents order has been re-
ceivcd and is in process of execution
This is a crushing blow 10 Us 20
IRWIN MCDOWELL, Maj Gen'l.
While the following letter proves The
true soldier and patriot and will forever
aet at res! the charge against the writer
HDQRs., DErr. OF RAPrAHASSock,
OPPOSITE FREDEKlcKsBrRGH,
May "a, 1852.
His ExcslEeHey the President
81 obeyed your order immediately, for
it was positive and urgent, aud, perhaps,
rs subordinate, there ought to stop !,
but trust may be allowed to say some
thing In relation TO tho subject, especial
" in view of Jour remark that everything
depends upon the celebrity and vigor OF
my movements. beg 70 say that CO.
operation between Gen. Fremont aud my
self to cut off jackson and Ewell Is not
to be counted on, even If it is not prae-
ticable impossihility next, that | am
entirely beyond helping distance of Gen.
Banks, and no celebrity or vigor will be
available as far as he is concerned next,
that by glance at the map it will be
seen that the line of retreat Of the enemy's
forces up the valley is shorter than mine
to go against him. Il will take week
or ten days for the force to get to the val
ley By the route which will give it food
and forage, and by that time the enemy
will have retreated shall gain nothing
for you there, and lose much for you
here. 1t Is, therefore, not only on per-
sonal grounds that | have D heavy heart
in the matter, but feel that it throws US
all back, aud from Richmond north we
shall have all our large mass paralyzed,
and shall have to repeat what we have
just accomplished.
81 have ordered General Shields 10
commence the movement tomorrow
morning. A second division will follow
in the afternoon. Did understand you
Alright, that you wish that personally
should accompany this expedition pa
Very Respectfully,
IRWIN MCDOWELL.
Had General Mcclellan been pernait-
ted to carry out his original plans whea
he set ont for the peniasula, va have NOT
the remossss doubt thai thsy would have
been entirely successful, and that Rich
mond would have besn ours Ia Jnne last.
Respecting this point General AeClsllaT
in his testimony befors the Court said
SIT has ever been my opinion, that Tbs
Army Of the Potomac would have taket
Richmond bad not the corps Of Geaera
Mcdowell beea seperassa from is. It Il
also my opinioa that had the command
of General McD joined shs Array D
the Potomac In the moath Of May, b,
way OF Hanover Court Honse from RFsd
rickahargs we would have had Richnao1l
In q week after the junctson. / do no
hold Gsnerai Mcdowell responsibla to
failure 20. join me Oh aay ocaasion. y
i The fail responsibility 81 the csrsng
I Of these orders isfixsd in she folEosiu,
answer Il siiepassI Nc sllsa 20 Ne sass
zion propouaded By the Court /:
i Q.--WaEs thsss asdaxa sssx shAAgs4