The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-12
Matters at the Capital.
GEN. HALLECK'S REPORT
OF WAR OPERATIONS.
History Of the Withdrawal from
the Peninsula.
GENERAL MoCLELLANS PROTEST.
RUMORED REMOVAL OF BURN.
SIDE NOT CONFIRMED.
,ecial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.

Special Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Dec. a. Nothing is
known here confrmatory of the report that
Gen. Burnside had been relieved of the
command of the army of the Potomac.
The President has sent to the Senate the
nominations of Brig. Gems. Sykes and But
terfeld to be Major Generals, and sixteen
Colonels to be Brigadier Generals.
Gen. Halleck has submitted to Secretary
Stanton an exceedingly long report of mil
itary operations since the 23d of July,
when he took command. He says he WIS.,
tied Mcclellan to see whether there was
any probability of success by that mode of
advancing on Richmond, and if not, to
form some plan for uniting Pope's and Nc
Clellan's armies ON some other line. On
arriving at Harrison's Landing, Mcclellan
told him he must have at least 700 adj
ditional troops. Halleck replied that
10000 was the utmust number that could
possibly be found to send. Gen. McClel-
Ian took one night to consider it, and told
Gen. Halleck that he would make the at
tempt on Richmond with the 10000 rein
fOrcements With that understanding Hal
leck returned to Washington. There he
received dispatch from Mcclellan, say
ing that he could not leave without 81, 900.
1t being wholly impossible then to furnish
this number, Halleck ordered the with
drawal of the army from the Peninsula.
Mcclellan at once forwarded the following
protest:
BERKELEY, Va, August 4th, 1922 NJ.
In CIPHER to Maj. Gen. Halleck, Command
er-in-Chief:
Your telegram Of last evening is receiv-
ed. l must confess that it has caused me
the greatest pain l ever experienced, for l
am convinced that the order to withdraw
the army to Aqua Creek will prove disas-
trous in the extreme to our cause
| fear it will be fatal blow Several
days are necessary to complete the ar
rangement for so important a movement
as this, and while they are in progress l
beg that careful consideration may be
given to my statement. This army is now
in excellent discipline and condition. We
hold debouche on both banks of the
James river that we are free to act in any
direction, and with the assistance of the
gunboats, [ consider our communication as
now secure.
We are now twenty-five miles from
Richmond, and are not likely to meet the
enemy in force sufficient to fight battle
until we have reached fifteen or twenty
miles nearer, which brings us practically
within ten miles of Richmond Our long
est line Of land transportation would be
from this point twenty-five miles, but with
aid of gnnbOats we can supply the army
by water during its advance certainly to
within twelve miles of Richmond.
At Aqua Greek we would be seventy
five miles from Richmond, with land trans
portatiOn all the way. From here to Fort
Monroe is a march of about seventy miles,
for regard it as impracticable to withdraw
this army and its material except by land,
the result of the movement would be to
march 1875 miles to reach a point now only
twenty-five miles distant, and to deprive
ourselves entirely Of the powerful aids of
gunboats and other transportation, and to
these the certain decentralization of the ar
my, which would ensue the terribly de-
pressing effect upon the people of the
North, and the stern probability that it
would influence foreign powers to recog-
nize our adversaries. There appear to me
sufficient reasons to make Tiny imperative
duty to urge in the strongest terms afford
ed by our language, that this order may
be revoked, and that so far from recalling
this army it be promptly reinforced to en-
able it to resume the offensive. 1t may be
said there are no reinforcements available.
point to General Burnside's forces, to
that of General Pope, not necessary to
maintain strict defence of Washington
and Earper's Ferry to those positions of
the army Of the West not required for a
strict defence here.
Here, directly in front of the army, is
the heart of rebellion. 1t is here that all
our resources should be collected to strike
the blow which shall determine the f te of
this nation. All points of secondary i'm
pOrtance elsewhere should be abandoned.
and every available man brought here. A
decided victory here and the military
strength of the rebellion would be crushed.
1t matters not what partial reverses we
may meet with elsewhere, here is the true
defense of Washington. 1t is here on the
bank of the James river that the fate of
the Union should be decided.
Clear in my convictions of right, strong
in the consciousness that have ever been,
and still am, actuated solely by love of my
country.
Knowing that no ambitious or selfish
motives have influenced me from the COM
mencement of this war, | now do what l
never did in my life. entreat that order
may be rescinded
If my counsel does not prevail l will,
with a sad heart, obey your orders to the
utmost of my power, devoting to the move
ment one of the utmost delicacy and diff
ficulty whatever skill l may possess, what
ever the result may be; and may God
grant that am mistaken in my fOrebod-
ings. shall at least have the internal
satisfaction that have written and spoken
frankly, and have sought to do the best in
my power to arrest disaster from my coun-
try. 81 d@
lSigned) G.. B. MCCLELLAN, Mai. Gen.
(Official Copy. Headquarters Army, WASH
ington, D. c., Nov. %, 1862.