The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-12
Gen. TIalIcck's Report to the Secre-
tary OF War.


.yoraon which embraced
of MCCLELLAN against the
avail OF tie amy from the Peninsu
Ia, and HALLEcK's response thereto. The
following is brief synopsis of the rest of
the report, telegraphed to the Chicago
Tribune frYm Washington; by which it
will be seen that HALLEcK, having sup
planted MCCLELLAN as General-in Chief, is
now anxious to throw all the blame of
his own mismanagement,a and Pores inn
becility, on the shoulders of MCCLELLAN
Gen. Halleck, the Chief,
in his report to the Secretary of War,
states that he started on the Oath of July
to visit the army of the Potomac, to ascer-
tain if there was a possibility of an adj
vance upon Richmond from Harrison's
Landing, and if not, to form some plan of
uniting the armies of General Pope and
Gen. Mcclellan, who was of the opinion
that it would require 10000 additional
troops to go on. IIalleck replied that
there could not be sent more than 10000.
General Mcclellan asked to consider the
matter till morning, when he agreed to 60
on with that number On Gen. HalleckS
arrival home, he received dispatch that
at least 50, 600 troops would be required.
The report states that such reinfOrcements
could not be sent without leaving Wash
ington and Baltimore almost defenseless,
and an order for the withdrawal Of the
army OF the Potomac was issued on ALL
gust Sd, previous order having been
given for the removal Of the sick, and
transports in vast numbers supplied. y
protest was read from Gen. Mcclellan on
the 9th, and the order was not put in
force for eleven days after-untilthe 18th.
On the 1st orders were issued to Gen.
Burnside to embark at Newberg lor -Ac-
quia Creek, who arrived promptly on the
night Of the Sd.
1t is added that, had the Army Of the
Potomac arrived a few days earlier, the
rebel army could have been easily de-
featcd, and perhaps destroyed. The losses
at South Mountain and Antetam are put at
l.742 killed, S,066 wounded, and q miss
ing-lnal;ins total Of 1921. The re-
port states that the army rested on the
north bank OF the Potomac, near Sharps
burg, from the 18th Of September TO the
9th Of October, and says that the long
inactivity Of 50 large an army in the face
OF q defeated foe, during the season for
rapid marches and a vigorous campaign.
was matter Of great disappointment.
4 review Of the movements before
Washington is made. lie says that part
OF the Army of the Potomac was ordered
forward from Alexandria, and that Gen.
Cox was ordered to CONC by rail TO WASH
ington, from Western Virginia, with the
main portion of his force.
Gen. Pope's order on the 9th to Gen.
Porter, to be at Bristow Station next
morning, the report says, was not, for some
unexplained reason, complied with by the
latter, and his corps was not in the battles
of the 9th and 29tb, in which Gen. Pope
gained some ground, although the engage
ments were not decisive.
Of the renIOrcements from Alexandria,
embracing at length the whole Peninsula
Army, it is said some of the corps moved
with becoming activity, but the delays
were neither creditable nor excusable. The
soldiers actually engaged in these battles
fought with great bravery, but many thou
sands struggled away from their commands,
and it is said not :; few voluntarily sur
rendered to the enemy SO as to be parol
ed as prisoners Of war.
In this emergency Cox's troops were Or
Lered forward in great haste from Western
Virginia.
Ilalleck then reciteS the history of Pope's
campaign brings ont u letter from Pope,
in which that officer pronounces Sigel as
wholly unreliable.
IIalleck commends Pope's earlier dispo-
sitions for isolating Jackson's forces, as
well planned. The delays of some of Nc
Clellan's troops in marching to Popc's re-
lief were neither creditable nor excusable
He says no full official report of the cam
paign has yet been received from Pope
He concludes this subject by saying that
if McClellan's troops had arrived a little
earlier the rebel army could have been ca
silly defeated, and perhaps destroyed
Halleck next sketches the history of the
Maryland campaign and denounces the sur
render of Harper's Ferry, and implicitly
censures Mcclellan for it. He then COM
plains of McClellan's long inactivity in the
face of defeated enemy, and says he was
utterly ignorant as what his plan of CAM
paign was, as towards the close Mcclellan
sent no reports to hun, but only to the
President direct.
Halleck next sketches Buells campaign,
and says that as commission is ordered
to investigate, it would be obviously i'm
proper for him to express his opinions now.
lie says an investigation has been order
ed of Morgan's strange abandonment of
Cumberland Gap.
Grants and Rosecrans' operations are
| sketched without comment.
Curtis withdrawal to Missouri is termed
unfortunate, and is said to have prevented
the carrying out Of intended movements
in Arkansas.
He says it is quite possible that the In
dian hostilities may be resumed in the
spring, and preparations will be made &C
cordingly.
The forces in North and South Carolina
are pronounced too small to accomplish
much. Gen. Halleck calls attention to the
fact that our victories have not been fol-
lowed up, and says that in Maryland, Vir-
ginia, Kentucky and Middle Tennessee the
rebel armies have exhibited much more