The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-11-15
Removal u Mcclellan.

The telegraph dispatches last Saturday
announced Important. If not startling
changes in the command of the Eastern
army. Mcclellan has been removed from
the head of the Army of the Potomac
and Burnside put in his place; Fitz Jehn
Porter is relieved and ordered to Washing
ton to be tried on charges preferred
against him by Gen. Pope; and Gen. Wool
is removed from command at Baltimore,
and Gen. Wright put in his place.
The removal of Mcclellan appears to
have been determined upon some two Or
three weeks ago, and the interim was
, used in Matching up excuses for it. These
are now published, simultaneously with
the removal They are so lame, however,
as to show that the removal was owing,
like the illumination of the proclamations,
more to the pressure" than to sound
military or political reasons. The CON-
mission to investigate the causes of the
Harpers Ferry disaster censure Mcclellan
for not relieving that point, when the
same report says it could easily have held
out "a hours longer, and admits that
Franklin, sent by Mcclellan to relieve
Miles, was but hours off when the place
was SUI rendered.
Gen. Halleck, also, goes into the busi-
ness of manufacturing reasons for his re-
moval. He publishes letter trying to
prove that there was no such want of shoes
and other supplies to prevent the army
from moving month ago as Mcclellan
alleged, and says, also. that he had twice
ordered Mcclellan to cross the Potomac,
an order which he only obeyed on its
repetition, after a weeks delay. Halleck
forsets the condition on which Mcclellan
resumed command OF the army after the
route of Pope, which was, that he should
lie allowed to have his own way, and
should not be driven from pillar to post
by orders from Washington.
However, we do not regret the removal
of Mcclellan. Whatever were his capa-
bilities, it has for months been evident
tina: he is not the man for the place. The
General in the field, to be successful, must
have his enemy IN front. A constan. fire
IN the rear, such as Mcclellan has endured
for the last year, would unnerve Napoleon
or Alexander. To give an example: Nc
Clellan had planned last spring campaign
against Richmond. lie was to take York
town, and then an essential feature of the
plan was that McDowells 10000 men
should be thrown between the rebel army
time, but Mcdowell was ordered to re-
mail where he was, and Mcclellan was
obliged to follow the rebel army to Rich
mond with inferior numbers. The instan-
ces could be multiplied in which McClel-
lan's plans were as carelessly and disas-
trously interfered with. The radicals had
determined to get him out OF the way.
His victories they regarded as disasters;
and while such was their feeling, and they
could scare the President 10y their "rres-
sure" what hope was there of the army
accomplishing great thingsaHith Mcclellan
at its head
our regret Is also the iesS III the re-
moval of Mcclellan because he is succeed
ed by as capable an officer as Burnside.
In his North Carolina campaign Gen. B.
showed himself possessed OF great courage,
enterprise, and, what is of more import
ance than oil, of dash, a quality exhibited
by scarcely any other commander yet
tried He is man who deals in Surprises,
like the rebel General Jackson. UucIu-
barrassed by McClellans "ire in the rear"
with free scope to exercise his full powers,
we have little fear but his campaign
against Richmond will be a brilllan. and
successful ore.