The Nevada Democrat., 1862-01-28
9Frada democrat.
The Army OF the Potomac, and its man.
agement.

The Army OF the Potomac, and its man
Rgement.
A document, entitled "The Army of the
Potomac. aud its Management" has been
addressed to Congress by Charles Ellet, a
civil engineer of Philadelphia. The author
holds that Gen. Mcclellan is unequal to his
great duties /; and as be discusses the sub.
ject nationally and intelligently, and has
an intimate knowledge of the topography
of the country occupied by the two armies,
bis remarks are deserving Of attention. We
give an extract from the document:
The Commanding General is the army's
brain. We may accumulate hundreds upon
hundreds of thousands Of brave and loyal
volunteers rich in all the science and art
aud mechanical skill of the abundant land !;
we may provide our proud army with bat
terry upon battery, aud squadron upon
squadron, and pour accumulated comforts
upon il, until invention is exhausted, and
the railroads groan beneath their ceaseless
loads Yet that army, of'which all the in
dividual FIRE, intelligence and skill are SUBJ
ordinated by the rules of military service to
the assumed superiority of an incompetent
commander will either rest idle in its camps.
q helpless burden upon the country, or be
moved, if moved at alias recently on the
Upper Potomac-to its own destruction.
Such is now the unfortunate position.
The army is all that the ardent patriot could
wish it to be-brave. loyal and ready. But
the General at its head, thogh respectable
as man, snot superior man, and therefore
unequal TO his great duties.
There have been periods during Gen. Nc
Clelan's presence here on the Potomac,
while his army was resting in camps before
the Capital, when opportunity upon oppor-
tunity for annihilating the rebellion in Vir-
ginia, at q blow, was suffered to pass by him
unseen and unimproved.
There have been weeks in succession, this
summer and autumn, when the transfer of
only 10000 men-entirey useless hereto
the region drained by the Great Kannaw ha,
would have enabled a General who under
stands the topography of Western Virginia,
and the elements of military strategy, to
capture the entire forces under Lee, Floyd
and Wise, without the necessity OF single
battle TO adorn bis triumph in blood.
In fact, the whole rebel army in Western
Virginia placed itself recklessly in our pow
eT. WDlIe our COUuhuueT mere, wholly uH-
conscious of the opportunity inviting him
prompt action and to bloodless victory.
continued his daily parades, with unbroken
selfappause, apparently satisfied with the
display Of biz impatient troops and the bar
rem, amusement offered to an admiring
public.
Yet. the defeat of that rebel army in
Western Virginia--not by battle, but by
a march-wOuld have enabled Rosecrans
| to lead his victorious and united forces
across the Blue Ridge to the railroad
| South of Manassas where he would have
| commanded all the communication Of John
ston and Beauregard, and forced the rebel
army of the Potomac, also-not TO flight,
for that wonld have been unnecessary
| to surrender or disperse.
An army cannot fight without food; and
we have been for long periods in position
needed only a General competent to use
the advantages placed within his reach--to
deprive the rebel army of their supplies of
| food. at our discretion.
The author of the document goes on to
point out how, in bis opinion, the cam
paign should have been conducted, and
concudas with some notes on the Balls
Bluff disaster, for which he holds Mcclellan
responsible.