Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-08-19
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN AUG 49, 1862
Smother change of bse on the Peninsula.

another change Of biSe on the Peninsula
1t is now public that the army under zen.
Mcclellan has moved rom 'he James RIVER
back and north across lte lh'eSshomlny 70 the
position occupied by Pf'er DIVISION AZ the
commencement Of the even uayS hghtlng IN
front Of Richmond. rha movement ~ made, no
doubt, Is part Of tie rec'st Il the campaign,
and of the attack upon richmond, which isnow
70 be made from the Morn 1t also proves that,
IN Gen. Hallcck's judgment Richmond can be
tettcrassaied and more accessibility approached
from the North shan lrm the Peninsula, and
iustI6es. ~ some measun the criticisms apon
thc previous conduct d doe campaign. Ihose
who nave so maIiguuaIy assailcd Secretary
Stanton because all lIr troops IN front OF
Washington were not ent 90 the Peninsula,
may learn from this movement, that military
man has decided that frees can be most sue
cessiully employed agaiut the rebel capital from
the North. And there "a very SIMPLE reason
for tins The army thee answers the double
purpose q employing is whole strength IN an
offensive movement agas the rcbel army III
Virginia, while its pYslon enables IL a. the
same ilme most Effectively 10 defend Washing
ION and tlc line Of tselotomac
ltAas been said, and Sc belioye wrh entire
.ruth. taat Gen. llalecb was on excellent terms
with Gen Mcclellan, that this rev dispo-
,iton Of taa army of tn Potomac cannot be
fairly said to nave originated IN any spIrt q
NEEDLES me interference with Mcclellan plars.
1t must, therefore be ccpted as thteaim Judy
ment oi tho commandments candemning
the plan Of approaching Richmond IRON the
Peninsula for if with The army in position
on the James River, and The navigation Of that
RIVER open to our transports to within fifteen
miles Of Richmond, au. the navigation Of York
river anobsructed and wi tn the whole Union
army in Virginia. larger army than even
Mcclellan had last wner-al in the hands OF
Gen liaiIeck, that commander makes his base
Of operations on the North, and not on the Pc
uusul4, il is not difficult to understand that
that way Of approach would have been chosen
by HIM ~ the outset, without wasting five
months IL the swamrs between York and James
rivers.
BY this change OF position the Army Of the
Potomac, Burnslde's force, and the Army OF
Virginia can work together Tor common OBJ
iect, the capture Of the rebel capital The
rebels Of course will mas their army against
ours. but their whole force will not, vi trust.
hereafter be allowed TO fight fraction %; our
entire strength They will thus lose one i'm
meuse advantage which they have hitherto had
in the Virginia cslnpaigu, and which they have
used with such succrss. We shall now fight
them on more nsniiy e5aal terms, and We he
lieye more successfully. And we shall have
learned, by the disasters Of the summer cam
paign on the Peninsula, lesson, which perhsp'
Was needed, that no man, whether in OWL Of
military life, is inisllible, and that we had bet
ter wait until our generals win their laurel'
before We crown and deity them Hereafter WI
shall be less ready to praise men Tor what thry
promise, and more ready To praise them iol
what they accomplish, which If u very safe ruiz
for the people 10 Republican Government :,
act upon, both in peace aud war.