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

tary STANTON an exceedingly long report Of
military operations since the Esd of July,
when he x command. We published
Portion which embraced
of MCCLELLAN against the
avail of the army 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 fNm Washington by which it
will be seen that HALLEoK, having sup
planted MCCLELLAN as General-in Chief, is
now anxious to throw all the blame of
his own mismanagement, and PORES inn
becility, on the shoulders of MCCLELLAN !:
Gen. Halleck, the Commander in 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 ad-
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 $4,000 additional
troops to go on. Halleck replied that
there could not be sent more than 10000.
General Mcclellan asked to consider the
matter till morning, when he agreed to go
on with that number. On Gen. Halleck' s
arrival home, he received a dispatch that
at least IS, 900 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 Au-
gust Sd, previous order having been
given for the removal Of the sick, and
transports in vast numbers supplied A
protest was read from Gen. Mcclellan on
the 9th, and the order was not put in
force for eleven days after-until the 18th.
On the 1st orders were issued to Gen.
Burnside to embark at Newberg for Ac-
quia Greek, who arrived promptly on the
night of the Sd.
1t is added that, had the Army of the
Potomac arrived few days earlier, the
rebel army could have been easily de-
feated, and perhaps destroyed. The losses
at South Mountain and Antietam are put at
1,742 killed, S,O66 wounded, and 81 miss
ing-making 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 so large an army in the face
of q defeated foe, during the season for
rapid marches and vigorous campaign,
was matter of great disappointment
A review of the movements before
Washington is made He says that a part
of the Army of the Potomac was ordered
forward from Alexandria, and that Gen.
Cox was ordered to come by rail to Wash
ington, from Western Virginia, with the
main portion of his force. n.-..
Gen. Pope's order on the 9th to Gen.
Porter, to be at Brstow Station next
morning, the report says, was not, for some
unexplained reason, complied with by the
of the 9th and 29th, in which Gen. Pope
gained some ground, although the engage
ments were not decisive. ar..r .
Of the reinforcements 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 a 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
dered forward in great haste from Western
Virginia. ..... G..s lid s g.
Halleck tnen recites the history of Pope's
campaign brings out letter from Pope,
in which that officer pronounces Sigel as
wholly unreliable. ..1 ., ..-...'f- .I54.II
Halleck 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 Pope'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 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 Nc lellan'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 HIM, but only to the
President direct. - ,.-1:J
+ =, Halleck next sketches Buell. campaign,
and says that as commission is ordered
to investigate, it would be obviously i'm
proper for him to express his opinions now
ob He says an investigation has been order
ed of Morgan's strange abandonment of
Cumberland Gap. 2'.E ". >.
Grants and Rosecrans' operations are
sketched without comment. l.l-a5 .--..
Curtis withdrawal to Missouri is termed
unfortunate, and is said to have prevented
the carrying out Of intended movements
in Arkansas. =. 80: ..-.r.,.
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 Gan Hollool> colo attention RI tho