The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-06-13
The Battle Near Richmond.

FROM the htcntnOnu Examiner, 5th instant.
General Mcclellan, in the swamp where
+. he had been driven, and three miles from
his camp and artillery in full possession
Of his triumphant adversary, wrote an
official dispatch to his Government, claim.
ing to have just gained complete victo-
~ over the Confederates, driven them
into the city at the point of the bayonet,
and demoralized their army TO such an
extent that he considers the fate Of Rich
inond decided by the combat He nd
mits very heavy loss Of men and officers
himself, but has, of course, done much
heavier damage of that sort to US. Such
is the Yankee Generals account Of the
battle of the White Oak Swamp. 1t will
serve for final test Of his veracity and
that of his followers. Many times in this
war, when every living man in our army
has reported splendid advantage in bat.
tie, those at distance have been as.
founded by the confidence and precision
with which the Federal commander has
declared an entirely opposite result: and,
as the Confederate army always retreats
and never advances after its fights, an
unpleasant suspicion had taken possession
of thinking minds that our men were
prone to exaggerate their deeds.
But we have now the means of Worthy
ing the worth of McClellan's romances.
In these battles near Richmond we were
witnesses of complete defeat Of the
Federal army and victory to the Con-
federates. We saw the Federal ranks
wilt, break and retreat under the tremen-
dous fire of Jollnstons lines of battle:
SAW them wholly disappear from the field
on which they were first seen drawn up
before their camp; saw that camp taken
and occupied day and night; saw
their splendid bronze howitzers standing
in the rear of the victors, entered their
redoubts, and looked on thousands OF
dead men in Federal uniforms, and know
that flag Of truce came to the Conieder-
ate commander from. Mcclellan himself
to ask permission for their burial. In
these battles, therefore, the Federalists
were certainly defeated, the Confederates
were surely victorious, and remained
nndisputed masters of the ground as long
as they pleased to maintain it.
When we find, therefore, under sucl
circumstances, Mcclellan deliberately
and unAinch;ngly claiming to have won q
victory and driven us home at the point
of the bayonet, no other conclusion can
be drawn but that he is Systematically a
liar. There are generals who publish
false dispatches on such occasions invari-
ably and by intentions they do so because
they know the public and the nation on
which they depend; and are well aware
that they cannot support the truth with
the least courage or fortitnde. Such q
country the United States has become
and such q General is Mcclellan by ma
ture. His whole reputation is based on
Dragging dispatch, giving an account o
the only victory which he ever gained
that over Garnet ut Cheat Mountain; ant
If he dared TO have told the truth abou
any affair he has since had, his fat
would have been speedily sealed,
He knows his position and acts in &C
cord with it. We, too, know him an'
understand his dispatches. To lie like
bulletin, was proverb of the old Frencl
army. To lie like Mcclellan, is like to b
an equally we'll understood phrase in on
time.