Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-03-28
Washington coTespondenes Of the Frcmont Journal.
Letter from Washington. I-
WAsnINoroN, March Dc,

Of the 18th century has at last burst and expos
ed its utter nothingness You have heard Of
old King Log, but you certainly did not know
that he was becoming no powerful in our Re-
public. You have heard Of Quaker guns, but
you never knew Of their becoming 10 effective
as they are, until within the last few months.--
You have heard Of "men in buckram, but you
never could have realized their wonderful eff
cheney till Just at this time. Wonders never
have ceased aud they never viii cease; but the
most wonderful wonder of all 10 that an inn
mense people like ours, possessing so much
mind, should have been humbugged for the last
eight months by such an ineffably weak, though
highly paper-puffed General as "our gallant
little Mac He has earned immortality by his
military genius; so did Falstaf. The terror OF
his name made the rebels tremble. They kyisse
he was to advance on Monday, so they ran away
on Sunday They never k71e,s he was 10 adj
vance before, so they never ran away before
| II they had known three months previous that
he was coming against them, they would have
run away three months previous.
I What makes the humbug 80 much the great
er, is that when he found be must move, he gath
cred in troops to the amount Of forty thousand
more men from different parts of the country, SO
| that his army amounted to two hundred and
thirty-six thousand men. This force was nee
essary, in his estimation to lead against the reb
el force of Tess than forty thousand men whose
advance at Centreville was defended by wooden
guns
You will notice that the Presidents first War
Order was issued ON the 27th of January. In
that order The armies were ordered to move on
the 22d of February, giving them plenty oftime
to get ready. The western armies did move
about the time required, but how was it with
the army of the Potomac3 They We're not rea-
| dy. The President wanted to know how long
it would take them TO get ready. The General
thought ten days. will give you twelve, an
swered the President; at the same time touch-
ingly insnuating that if he, the General, was
not ready at that time, he would be graciously
invited into private life.
! Previous TO the movement which was made
on Monday the Sd inst, a council of war was
held to consider the propriety of moving as re-
quired by the President, At that council of
twelve Generals, eight voted against advancing
till the first of April and four voted for an inn
mediate move. Those who voted in favor Of
immediate action were Generals Sumner, Heint-
zelmen, Mcdowell and Keys. Those who yo-
ted not to move till the first of April were Cen
erals Fitzjohn, Porter, Franklin, Mccall, Blen-
ker, Smith, Nagle, aud Andrew Porter. The
last three command Brigades, the others We're
Generals Of Divisions. Gen. Mcclellan endors-
ed the vote of the eight.
| He was not present at the council Of war, but
sent in his proposition for the consideration of
the council by his chief Staff. 1t was consider
ed curious way. for a General to consult by
proxy with his officers when he was on the
| ground and able TO attend the meeting just as
well as not. May be he wanted to dodge a vote.
| The Presidents second War Order was q
| dreadfully nauseous dose to the General COM
manding the army Of the Potomac. He oppos
ed it all he dare. He sent a despatch to tn,
War Department, telling the Secretary of Wa
that it must not be done. The army of the Po
tomac, now that it was on the point of marching
could not be divided into army corps "but tha
| if it must be divided, he wanted to select the
| Generals who should command each corps" 2
The Secretary telegraphed back TO him pc
culiarly stylish Andrew jackson answer; it was
conclusive.
Just think Of it; the army was not ready to
move after so long warning, and would not be
till the first of April And that was General
McClellan's opinion, because the majority of the
council, among whom are the leading cronies OF
the General, so decided. a' -
Twoor three weeks, intersprnkled with few
hot days after the first of April, was all that
would be needed to have caused allcompromise
papers over the whole country to send up how
about hot weather, and the danger of sickness
to our troops marching into Southern swampz
and all that sort of thing-not because they
| (the paper managers,) care for our troops--but
it would give such an immense argument to be
used against an advance, and by this means pro-
cure the delay of our army on the Potomac an-
other Summer. They well know that by the
delay of another Summer, compromise troald BE-
sure to foi2o1 i4 gao n
This may haUe been part Of the @great PLAN ot
which we have heard so much; but it certainly
is part of the plan proposed by the Golden Cir
Gle gentry. You have heard Il said by them ot
old, @give the Devil rope enough, and he will
hang himself" So with the Golden Circle in.
triguers; the rope Of delays which they have
been twisting has suddenly been snapped, and
/ far ac Ic ha
surely hanged themselves. MO ~ tfa r{nac
The Generals placed at the head Of each corps have beer
anxious for forward movement all winter, and Genera
Sumner has not hestated TO repeatedly give Il as h
opinion, that there has not been day during the pas
winter when the army could not moye at the same tim
affirming that ffour horses could mot draw cannon
could Where there is will, there Is way. Gen. Hal
leeks could march through the mud ~ the rate
nine mileain eight hours, but The army the Potos
4 were too refined TO think OF such labor.
This last item concerning the marching nf Haleek
P 70 p & e. o ss 81
on the inactivity Of the army here $3.50 y ~
s5 1sei make them 80 was ony oss s
schemes Of delay urged again and agan b. eonProms
aPers The very same papers TOO waieh have Away
mastery and costly inactivity on the Potomac. r
Hooking the history Of the troops who capture
Douelson, you will find that some Of the Uuois ns h
fought as brayey and systematically any men on th
ed at that capture were not one month in the service
and IL Il well known that some men Who efoased bay
onets with the British veterans at Chippewa on
week Ia the service the day Of battle 30 that
mnat be admitted thai ~ afou sander upon the Ter
tay OF American genius TO say that IN the defense
our Government require long time 10 max soldiers
us do the OF Eurepe who have persona
interest Ia any battle ID which they ae REQUIRED 10 tab
, | part. al az cgL sen Iia-a n-t ae1a.
the river becomes one vide and heeous waste. 1f III
owners Of the soil should back they will hax
hard work 70 bd their old land marks The woods A.
nearly All Gu tao The fences nearly All bpnnst
and what land is not dog Up or hfeaEtworks apd orh
cations Is 40 up bJ and horsee rampu over
that years be consumed before Il n b. reaioed
you rach the anassAs Junetan thers every buiid
r ing that worth destroying vas burned -,
The breaatworks and forts At centrgvine, present
most humliating sight The wooden canepn Pleeed
poaon 10 threaten the Yankee tnynders are there yet
thirty.one IN number. There eOaaurea for SITS
but thrty-one wooden pefe iuet destructive
ffgy 90 the rebels pfsey concluded NOT to mount an
/ them In the rear In their retreat. q t.-
The county round the Junction a. Akt plain vik
scarcely Eol seesgh y ,hs ssass e ssy s shs yeis
ling mounts has 6lPesa foF aking strong p
stion unless by the outlay Of vast Anopn OF work.
1atelgsutneeroes AZ ael asaeteral Whitea clio ifle
The yisiy sai's ~ ,aS.Pe es sssss asegt Y z
at MaDassaa GehtleIneh who have been IN very
camps this and the Mexieap that from q
number of hut left and places where tents have bea
t0 COO could 30 II all the places de
10 up which give evidonoe of having beSn used y i
The rebels were hattsE pFoTded Tor n thsiy pc
shelter than our men They bad some ~ ~ y
bOaated that they would stay TIL spring Ano SesS n
!. accordingly. saHos-'
1lBif A--4---.4@.------ ss,s1i>e-----fss-----ldI
, Thomas Underwood, who vas in the bal
e tla Of Pea Ridge, writes that one Of Sigel
y Majors with twenty mee and Zone piece Z
j. -. a =.