The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-11-22
Vindie alton of Nc Clellan.

| 1t must have been the severest of all
Gen. McClellan's trials, that, while the
government attempted. by the most un-
founded charges, to disgrace while they
degraded him, he was compelled to suffer
in silence, and allow the unfounded accu-
sations against him to 60 Unanswered
Fortunately, however, he is not without q
vindication, full and complete. The vim
dication is as unexpected as it must be
gratifying. Wholly unconscious that
there was a thought of removing or de-
grading Gen. Mcclellan, or that he would
ever need vindication, the PRINCE DE
JOINvILLE, at the moment the secret machi-
nations Of the enemies of Gen. McC were
about to be crowned with success, was
quietly engaged in the city of Paris, in
writing history of the campaigns of the
army. of the Potomac, which, though aim
ing only at giving truthful and impartial
history of events, was yet by being publish
ed Just in the nick of time, destined to be
just that full and unanswerable defence of
Gen. Mcclellan which the occasion de.
manded. The Prince de Joinville, it will
be recollected, becarae attached to Gen.
McClsllan's staff, shortly after the first
battle Of Bull Run, as a volunteer aid
Being a man of thorough military educa-
ton and experience, and of unflinching
honor and integrity, he enjoyed in the
highest degree the confidence of Gen. Nc
Clellan, and probably more than any other
living man, was entrusted with knowl.
edge OF his plans, hopes, and secret trials
and difficulties. He was thus, of all men
in the world, not excepting Gen. NC him.
self, best fitted to give truthful and i'm
partial history of the events in which he
bore SO honorable part. And he has
done SO. OF the history he has written,
the n u Times says with great truth and
candor:
at is written in the grand historical
style, in which every word and every SEN
tence appears studied in form and irrefu-
table in fact, and it will stand as one of
the best written chapters of historical
events extant The refutation of what
his enemies call McClellan's blunders' is
so complete and overwhelming as to give
the young commander-in chief rank in
military history far above that assigned
him even by his most ardent admirers
This history proves beyond the power
of refutotion, the following among many
other important points: That the delay
of Gen. Nice to move against the enemy
last fall for which he has been blamed so !
much, was not on account Of his indsposi- I
ton to move, but was q part of the grand |
plan Of campaign agreed upon at Wash
ington and approved by the cabinet; that
when, in March, he put his army in motion,
and was on the point of carrying out this /
grand plan, that would inevitably have /
resulted in the capture eff Richmond and
The crushing of the rebellion, he was
oaulked by interference from Washington;
hat being thus forced to adopt a new plan
Of campaign, from Fortress Monroe, when
again at the very turning point Of success,
he was second time banked by intere-
ference from Washington; and that a
third time when in front of Richmond, he
was again defeated and banked of success
by like interference
That we may not be accused of overstat-
ng the importance of the facts this history
eveals, we have determined to lay it be-
ore our readers, and about half of it, (as
translated and somewhat condensed by
The New York papers) appears on our out
tide form this week, to be followed by the
other half in our next
As to our motive in laying before our
readers this most damaging document that
has yet appeared against the war manage
ment ofthe powers at Washington it need,
no other defence than that while the
whole abolition press is engaged in at
tempting to ruin the reputation of Gen.
Nee, as an apology for degrading him
rom command, justice demands that while
ae is compelled to be dumb himself, the
press Should not withhold his yindication
while there is one at hand so full and
complete If the administration suffers in
by the loss Of public conf
dence, and find their hands weakened, as
its friends allege, in carrying on the war,
they must regain the public confidence
and support by mending their ways, and
not by attempting to smother such damag-
ing facts.