Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-15

energy have been squandered. The great and
wealthy cities on the banks of the Ohio, never
/ before in danger, are now in a state of active
alarm, and armies in the Southwest are com
pleteIy cut off from supplies and reinforcements.
In the East, the strategy which overrued that of
the General in Chief has been equally disastrous.
The President was bounded on to order prema
ture advance against Richmond and after the
plan of his leading General had been assented to
and was already in progress of execution it was
abruptly interfered with, and portion of the
troops withheld which was deemed essential TO
its success.
The reason for this interference was the appre-
hension of danger to the national capital; but in
point of fact, Washington has never been SO lit
tie exposed to rebel attacks as while Gen. Nc
Clelans army in the peninsula Alter the
terrible seven days fighting before Richmond had
compelled General Mcclellan to make a change
of base, an active and vigorous. though gascona
ding and superatively imprudent General was
summoned from the West to take command of
the army of Virginia, and make a separate ad-
vance on Richmond. His very remarkable ad-
dress to his army on assuming command, dis
closed both his amazing lack of circumspecton,
and the ideas of Gen. McClellan's strategy, with
which he had been indOctrnated at the War De
partDent A nice sense of proprety would have
been satisfied with acting ON such notions, trust
ing to results to vindicate their justice, without
putting them in such form that almost every
sentence was an obvious and intended fling mt the
more cautious and comprehensive strategy of the
late General in Chief of the army. As this ad-
dress contains the pthiest statement to be found
in anv public document of the radical strategy as
opposed to that of Gen. Mcclellan. we insert
some of its most significant declarations. Our
readers can Judge of Their sOundness, by seeing
how they look when brought face to face with
Their ripened fruits
al am sure you long for an opportunity to win
the distinction YOU are capable of achieving.
That opportunity shall endeavor to give YOU
Meantime desire you to dismiss from your
minds certain phrases which am sorry to find
much in vogue among you.
al hear constantly of taking strong positions
and holding them-Of lines of retreat-and of
bases of supplies Let US discard such ideas.
1.-The strongest position soldier should desire
to occupy is one from which he can most easily
advance against the enemy
LET study the probable line of retreat of
our opponents, and leave our own to take care of
themselves
LET us look before US and not behind.
"Success and glory in the advance.
"Disaster and shame lurk in the rear.
LET this understanding and it is
safe to predict that your banners shall be in
scribed with many a glorious deed and that your
names will be dear to your countrymen forever.
''JoHN PoPE,
"MajOr General Commanding"
This was meant to be a satire on Gen. McClel
Ian; read in the light of recent events it is most
terrible and scathing satire on the strategy of the
writer and the rabid and purbind radicals of
whom he supposed himself to be the mouth piece
"Disaster and shame" have indeed "lurked in his
rear" they are the natural consequences of eds
cardng such ideas" Lines OF retreat and bases
of supplies" 1t is no wonder that when he thus
publicly advertised to the enemy that he would
dispense with the most ordinary military precau-
tions, that he would ''look before and not be-
hind,' they were prompt to profit by this oppor
tune information, and to them most valuable stra-
tegy, and put themselves directly i'm his n OF
once, not twice, but three several times they have
repeated this bold maneuver of getting in his
rear; the last time on Monday night, when they
captured an ammunition train, and killed the
brave Gen. Kearney and Gen. Stevens, who rush
ed to an attempted rescue.
No wonder that the President has come to the
conclusion that the country has had enough of
this sort of strategy, and has reinstated General
Mcclellan in sole command of the forces opera
ting in Virginia. Ii the plans of that General had
not been interfered WITH the rebellion would long
before now have been hopelessly crushed As il
is, We are intellectually worse off than when the
crazy clamor against him began TO take body and
gather strength.