Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-09
GEN. MCCLELLAN.
The Washington correspondent of the New
York Herald sends that paper the following
l,n.aAnA


"senator wilson, Chairman II the Military Commit.
tee charaoterzes the affair at yorktown defeat II
Mcclellan, and is unspsirng Of his denuncatons Of the
uenerM IN The hotels this afternoon lie says that he
has known all along that the enemy had such force
mas been reported and that their position had no strength
lie has known all winter that everybody except himself
mas oeen humbuggcd in regard to the strength Of The
teoes pa Virginia and his opinions on the subject are
cfect he might have marched the regiment he raised in
Massachusetts, TO Richmond with but little opposition
The object ofhis disparagement Of Cen Mcclellan is ap.
parent 10 those whom he addresses generally and his
marks have but little weight, except among the clique
who have banded together to destroy Mcclellan, and who
with view TO the next Presidency"
The New York World editorially says
"But why are the rebels permitted to escape from
yorktown A. all The answer Is At hand aud the time
has come when it should be made public. The rebel or
my has escaped only because Gen McCelan's plan was
nterfcrcd with, and In essential particular upset hy
the Secretary " War. Gen. Mcclellan proceeded down
the Potomac with She understanding that ecu Mcdowell
was 70 follow him with bis corps daraee Il intend
cd thai The operations against yorktown should be pre-
coded by the taking of Gloucester Point by Mcdowell
Had hs plan been adhered 20, retreat would have been
impossible IL is The Secretary Of War who is ausvcta
BILE for the escape Of Johnsous armya hunder which
has dcaudcd our brave soldiers Of the glory Of that val
ant and vigorous lighting for which Mr.. stanton pro-
iesses 30 much admiration.
The chairman Of the Military committee Of
the Senate publicly denouncing brave and
skillful military leader, and the Secretary Of
War interfering with his plans and breaking
up his army, when neither Of them profess to
any especial knowledge Of military tactics, is
Manassas was made the occasion Of torrent
of abuse upon Mcclellan by men in high and
low position; and just as he was about to
carry out his plan in more onspicuous detail
Gen. McDowells corps was taken away from
him, thereby compelling him to adopt a diff
ierent and more restricted plan of campaign,
all the while his enemies and traducors
hurting their javalins Of Islander in his rear
None but brave and devoted officer would
have borne all these things, as has Gen. Nc
Celan, in silence
Now we have it from good authority that
it was no part Of Gen McClellan's plan to
follow the rebel army into Virginia by the
way Of Manassas, should they retreat from
that place. As early as February he inform
ed the Secretary Of War that he should want
transports for 900 to 100000 men as
soon as they could be procured, and not until
the last Of March were his wishes complied
with, and even then only to a limited extent
With these facts known at Washington,
Senator Wilson's bar-room harrangues against
Gen Mcclellan land Mr. W must have
known the above facts as well as any other
man. are not only unjust but simply ridicu-
lous and while casting unmerited odium up
on Gen. Mcclellan, he is making for himself
no enviable reputation throughout the coun-
try.
What is the cause OF all this abuse Of the
commanding General of the army Of the Po-
tomac, is not so plain, but it is significant
fact that the most Of it comes from class Of
men who have sought to force the Admins
tration into policy in conducting the war
which was not its legitimate object and which
President Lincoln has persistantly refused to
adopt. Now while the President sustains
Gen Mcclellan in his plan Of operations, we
cannot sec how Senator Wilson and his i'm
mediate associates in calumny can convince
the country that in their abuse Of Gen. Nc
Clellan they are not at the same time making
war on the President and his Administration
We can see it in no other light than as par
titan and political warfare, for the accomplish
ment of certain purposes, -or rather through
fear that certain ends will not be met They
are destined to as disgraceful a defeat, or
rather retreat, as were the rebels at Manassas
OF Yorktown, and the sooner they tack ship
and sail into a safe harbor the sooner will they
demonstrate TO the country that they are
statesmen and not demagogues.
We should like no better demonstration Of
the impotoncy Of Gen. McClellan's maligners
than to see the leaders the van in Congress
at the head Of an army attempting to accom-
plish the work they would compel our Cen
erals to perform, and IN just the way and
manner they have indicated. With certain
Congressman for commanding Generals, and
the editors Of certain newspapers. say for
instance such as our neighbor Of the Freeman,
for Brigadicrs and Colonies, and an army of
the same stamp, we might well despair for
our country We are thankful, however,
that the roins Of government are in the hands
Of a wise and prudent statesman, and that in
optic Of all the opposition, open and conceal
ed, that is thrown in his way, he is carrying
the country safely through the storm We
shall stand by President Lincoln and his
chosen military leaders, however much others
may dcridc and prosecute them.