Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-07-16
The War-Gen. McClellan's Army.

1t has been so difficult to procure rella-
Bile information of passing events in the
peninsula, that an opinion, pro or con, could
hardly be formed as to results. vi one
thing however there can be no doubt now,
namely, that Gen. Mcclellan failed for the
present to accomplish the grand end nvlew,
and that with fearful loss of life, we are
now no nearer that end than we were two
months ago. Unless he would have been
able to have reached Richmond before the
middle of June and defeated the rebels,
we always doubted the propriety of the
movement, for any one at all conversant
with the country beyond Washington and
the neighborhood of York and James Riv-
ers, with their swamps and marshes, must
or ought to have known that to leave Man.
asses for that point was but going from one
mud hole into another, with fever coun-
try into the bargain. Gen. Pope is now
on the right road for capturing Richmond
and beating the rebels, and if he is backed
up with an army equal in numbers to that
furnished Gen Mcclellan, he will not only
sweep Eastern Virginia clear of rebels and
guerrillas, but drive the rebel army into the
Cotton States in less time than it took the
former to dig his different entrenchments.
Indeed, it is not yet too late to change the
whole programme. Gen. Burnside, with
$4,000 men, aided by the gunboats, could
keep the rebels in continued hot water on
the James, York, and other navigable riv-
ers-the man, too, to do it-and in the
meanwhile McClellan's forces could be
transported to Acqnia creek, march to Fred
ericksburg, in few days effect a junction
with Popes army, and move forward in one
irresistible body-arreatins every man sus-
pected of disloyalty, hanging every spy,
rendering a musket to every protesting
Union man, and taking along every contra
band coming into the lines to relieve our
fatigued soldiers from many oncrous duties
incident to camping With men willing
to fight, and who volunteered to fight, not
to dig entrenchmonts every few miles,
such march would be one of triumph and
certain victory. Whether this view is mil
itary, according to old fogyism, we cannot
tell, but very sure are we it is COMMON
SENSE, an article in our judgment rather
scarce with many who ought to possess it.
That Gen. Mcclellan had difficulties to
contend with no one will deny; but it is the
part of an able general to overcome difficult
ties. And in this respect it would have
been far better had he initiated the rebel
policy of retreating from the inhospitable
region he was in before the heats of sum-
mer, than to peril the lives of many thous-
ands of gallant men who either fell by war S
weapons or disease. By some it is alleged
his numerical strength was insufficient to
cope with the rebels. Perhaps it was, at.
ter they had ample time to consolidate all
the troops in Virginia and North Carolina,
as we'll as States farther south, but certain
ly not at the battle of Williamsburg. On
this subject the army correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial, no doubt a warm
friend, writes
1t would not be prudent to attempt to state
| definitely how much it has been reduced nu
merically. But there can be no impropriety
in stating that Gen. Mcclellan was never able
to carry over $4,000 effective men into battle
| When he landed at Fortress Monroe his mus.
ter rolls exhibited lis, ,00G men of ell arms
| \ considerable proportion Of these, say
| 5000, were cavalry, of which 1000 were
| ser4iceable. The REM linder would have
served their country better behind their plows
than at home. Others were necessarily de-
tailed to keep open our communications anC
protect our hanks-leaging about 100, 900 tt
be disposed of. A very large per centage o
sick were then to be subtracted. 1t is no
very extravagant to say that wounds anC
deaths at Yorktown cost Us | 600 men Viii
liamsburg cost US 5000 West Point, ESQ
Hanover Court House 500; Fair Oaks, so saw
official bulletins, $500. l wish l could be
lieve that were all. Skirmishes and affair
before Richmond 1000 at least; Mechanics
vile 300; Gaines Hill 1900; Savage Station
, 1000; White Oak Swamp and Turkey Creel
oh, how many! Where are the stragglers
To be sure the enemy have lost full as many
but they could afford it. Without attempt
ing to estimate the average number of sick
l will give one exceptional fast which ma
cause you to shudder. When Gen. Casey'
Division landed at Fortress Monroe it mum
bered 1900 men. When his division wa
routed at Seven Pines it numbered less tha
: 5000. All the rest were dead and in tn
hospital. But no other division suffered a
much. After Seven Pines it was no dirisio
at all Many of these losses were compensa
ted by reinforcements-seyen regiments-sa
6,O0o men from Fortress Monroe. and Ger