Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-22
Special correspondence Of the Caicsgo Times.
FROM Washington.
Mcclellan has 7'tcice Saued The CaPifai-Genere
Lee's Plans for the Capture Of Washington
Fooled By The Strategy Of Mcclellan.


Lee's Plans for the Capture Of Washington
Fooled By The Strategy Of Mcclellan.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10.
The events of the last week on the upper Pc
tomac demonstrated, if any further demonstTa
ton were necessary, the fighting qualities of
Gen. Mcclellan and his ARMY. When he set out
from Washington TO meet and hurl back the tide
of INVASION which Gen Lee was pouring into the
North. the troops of Gen Mcclellan were greatly
exhausted by the exertions they had made during
the proceeding week in saving from utter destruc-
ton the shattered remains of Pope's army, and
in forming around Washington that wall OF steel
which alone prevented the troops of the Confed
eracy from laundering NJ the very gates of the
capital. As fast as the various divisions of the
army of the Potomac arrived at Alexandria they
were hurried forward toward Manassas, and
placed undar Popes orders How RAPIDLY they
marched over the intervening thirty five miles
how heroically the~tboops of Heintzelman, Sum-
ner, KeArney, PortsR franklin and jameson, and
Brney iought-how the astonished rebels were
held at bay by these troops until Pope gained in
safety the shelter of the Washington forts, has
already been related in the Times.
Then il was that Gen. Lee, finding that McClel
Ian had saved Washington from being taken by
a coup de main as he had intended, land would
have done if he had had Pope alone to contend
with resolved to take il by strategy. He pushed
the main body of his army, therefore. from Gen.
tervile and Fairfax up TO Leesburg, and thence
across the Potomac, Point of Rocks, into
Maryland. His design was misty at that time,
but subsequent events have developed 1t com
pletely.
1t was nothing less than to cause rising of
the southern men Maryland; to destroy the Nor
thern Central railroad. running from Baltimore
Harrisburg, and the railroad between Baltimore
and the Susquehanna river; to invade Pennsyl-
vania: to capture Harrisburg; to destroy the
Pennsylvania Central railroad west of that city,
and the railroad running north from it. and then
to march Philadelphia and capture that city.
By destroying the first two railroads named, he
would have cut off both Baltimore and Washing.
ton from all aid from the North and West, as he
was already in possession of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad. Once in possession of Philadel-
phia, he would have demanded the surrender of
Baltimore, and to gain the latter city he would
have given up the former one. If the Unionists
had executed their threat to destroy Baltimore,
he would have destroyed Philadelphia, and then
marched on Washington.
His whole plan has been foied simply by the
fact that Gen. Mcclellan, restored to his former
position, has been placed in command of the
forces which have been operating against him.
McClellan's strategy has proved too much for the
rebel General, and he has been compelled to aban-
don his design for the present Whether he will
resume itagain depends entirely on the treatment
which Gen. Mcclellan receives from the admins
tration. If he is not interered with, if adequate
means are placed in his hands-the rebel army
will be driven back to Centreville at least. But
already there are indications that the apparent
quiesence of his enemies in the Presidents de
termination to restore him to power was but a
hollow truce after all The radicals here are
bowling after him again, and one circumstance
has Just come to light which indicates-, but
/ will relate the circumstance and your readers
will see tor themselves what II indicates.
At the time General Mcclellan was assigned to
his present command, the Union troops held bot:
Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry, under General
Dixon Ii. Miles, and about 3, 900 at Martinsburg
under General Julius White of Illinois. On Ia
king the field and advancing to Rockville, Gen
Mcclellan perceived that it would be impossible
for those two points to be held. and recommend
ed their immediate evacuation. If this haC
been promptly done, the and their arms, anC
part of the ammunition would have been saved
But General Mcclellan overruled. Genera
| White evacuated Martnsburg a. mis- own respon
sibility, and took his command to Harper's Ferry
1t would have been madness to remain where h,
was And comes the news that Genera
Jackson has taken Harper's Ferry, after mos
! gallant resistance on the part of General Mile
and General White and their brave troops.
This was done on the 18th. while Genera
| McCiellan's army was lighting with and pursuing
other portions of General Lees army. 1t mus
be observed that General Lee wished and intend
ed the Union troops to follow him towards Ha
gerstown. The rebel troops occupied Frederick
as long as they wished to, and left that place a
their leisure. Any time before leaving, thel
could. in ten minutes, have destroyed two wood
en- bridges at two turnpike roads which cross th.
Monocacy river near that place They destroys
the railroad bridge and the canal in order tina
the Government could not use either railroad O
canal in forwarding supplies for army. Blu
they left the turnpike bridges standing in orde
that army mil ht cross and follow them Blu
the splendid fighting qualities of Mcclellan
army have disarranged all Their plans, and they
are now apparently retreatng to Virginia. X.