Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-02-13


ing in General McClcllan's orders to for.
bid that movement on Fredoncktown.--.
Al | understood the case, Il was fought
by Colonel Ross, who was sent by Gen.
Grant, Of Cairo, to follow after jeff
Thompson. lie overlook him unexpcct-
edly and fonglt we'll. Gen, Grant ap.
proved and complimented his action.
wish thai my colleague would culii.
vote some faith in General Mcclellan -
He is minister Of the Gospel, and is
full of faith in salvation OF all mcn. /
glory in according to him the fullest
"soHl liberty" in religion. His creed in
cludes the salvation Of fall-embracing in
It's comprehensive faith JEFF Davis, JEFF
Thompson. Wigfall and all that crowd
of conspicuous sinners. daughter. } lie
believes that Zolicoffer is now in glory
he can even see Humphrey Marshal en-
tering, rs my colleague from Cleveland
once said Of John Brown--"the pearly
gates Of Parad and that too without
the enlargement of the gates or the less.
oning Of Marshal's bulk He can, with
his eyes Of faith, and his universal benev
olencc, see the Faletaffian Kentuckian
this mountain of secession mummy,
squeeze through the celestial doors,
| (laughter) and larding the golden pave
mcnts Of the New Jarusalem, laughter }
but he'cannot exercise little faith Just
tho size of mustard seed, in presciencc,
skill and sagacity Of our accomplished
young General.
There are some things in which man
must exercise his trust. The American
people, unlike my colleague, have read
the history of General Mcclellan. They
know his military studies, his travel and
observation, his practical railroad life, his
prudential reserve, his unfailng patience,
patriotism, and confidence in his own re-
sources. They know that the enemy
would have been glad to have had hi m
the head of their forces. They know
that he has never blundered; that he is
safe, If not brilliant; that his power to
surprise and combine are rare qualities of
his military genius; that his knowledge
of typography, engineering, and field
strategy, his method and industry, and
his very quick apprehension of military
strength and weakness, eminently fit him
for this high command. Knowing this
and reasoning upon this, now that the
night is now upon us, they will keep
their faith in him, and no hostile criti-
cism of the gentleman here can shake
that faith. The attack of my colleague
is like that Of the "pigmy with a straw
against giant cased in adamant."
| My colleague is not satisfied with any
thing short of an advance at every haz-
ard. He is not satisfied with the Presi-
dent, for he defers to Mcclellan not sat
isfed with any commander-in-chie for
no one can command even three hundred
thousand men not satisfied with what
has been done not satisfied with what
is to be done. He would discourage all
our efforts. and make taxation weigh like
a useless burden on an anxious and sad
2ened people. His policy would disorgan-
ize the Army, and realize his theology
by making a hell ON earth (laughter)
without giving US the satisfaction of a
future state, where secession may have its
fit, eternal doom. (Laughter.)
SO much for the critic. Now what is
the criticism
First He carries VI to Missouri, and
says that Gen. Curtis was sent with some
ten thousand men against Price, when
there was almost certainty of Prices
capture, when all at once an order came
from a general officer, either there OF here,
which called halt, and nothing was
|
that Gen. Mcclellan or Gen. Halleck, by
their hesitation and delay have allowed
the campaign against Price to be sus-
pended ii not abandoned. / do not care
which General he meant it is simply not
true that either of them have been thus
direlect. The facts are these Generals
Curtis, Seigel and Asboth would have
been ordered toward Springfield to atteck
price if it was thought best in their judg-
ment. They sent forward large cavalry
reconnaissance and found that indefati
gable and able Gen. Price in such force
that they concluded to hold council Of
war, and decided that six additional reg
iments were needed. On notifying Gen.
Halleck, he at once ordered them from
Gen. Pope's command, near Sedalia, to
move at once to the scene OF operations.
Gen. Halleck's opinion, in a letter re-
ceived by Gen. Mcclellan only two days
ago, was that they would beat Price or
drive him ont of Missouri. Perhaps my
colleague never got as far as Springfield,
and he does not know the almost match
less strategy of Price. He has ventured
to appear in force in southwestern Mis-
souri,, but he takes care to be within con-
venient reach of the Boston mountains,
where he can hide in that almost inac-
cessible locality, and where it is easier
for him to go than our fellows to follow.
But it is utterly unjust to Gen. Mcclellan
to say that he has restrained the eager i'm
uetuosity of the Missouri soldiers. Gen.
Halleck has received no orders inconsst-
ent with the most prompt movement IN
Missouri When Gen. Halleck took
command of the army of Missouri he
found mountains OF difficulty to overcome
--as Buell. did in Kentucky, as Mcclellan
did herein the organization and equip
ment of troops. Gen. Halleck found, it
is true, fine paper organization. He
has laboIed with statesman's foresight,
publiciSt's learning and q soldiers skill
to bring order out of chaos. He found
troops without concentration, and re-
quired arms, transportation and supplies,
which Gen. Mcclellan has strained every
nerve to afford. There has been no delay