The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-22
FAIL UR E.
MCCLELLAN CRITICISED
ISDEFISITENEss OF RESULTS.
The Uonfederate Plan.


The Confederate Plan.
The general estimation of the battle of Rich |
mo7d, expressed in spirit of candor, would be
that it was most excellent plan, indiferently
executed in the field. The work of the closet
was good. The design was comprehensive and
sagacious; the calculations upon which it was
based were nicely arranged; but its execution,
unfortunately, was full of flaws which, to some
degree, have marred the results of our victory,
or reduced them below public expectation.
Situation OF the Armtes-ErrOr of Me-
C1elIan.
Reviewing the situation of the two armies at
the commencement of the action, the advan-
tage was entirely our own the fact being that
the plan Of Mcclellan was IS defective As our
own was excellent. He had divided his army
on the two sides of the ChickahoDiny, and
operating against US with the design of half
circumvallatlng gRichmond-whiehw was exceed
ingly foolish, considering the size and situation
of this city-he had spread out his forces TO an
extent that impaired the faculty of eoneentra-
ton, and had made a weak aRd dangerous ex-
tension Of his lines.
The Atiack-RebeI Expectations.
1t will be observed that the attack was made
on our side by rear and flank movement at
the same time, intended to crush the enemy
successfully along the whole extent of his lines,
from Mechanicsville to his batteries on the
south side of the Cnickaholhiny, and on that
side of the river to fall upon him with the
whole weight of our forces, with the expecta-
tion of putting him to general rout.
Bad Manner
A remarkable feature of all the battles which
attended the general line of movement We
have described is, that at no time were more
than twenty thousand Confederates actually
engaged with the enemy. After the first de-
monstrations in force on the enemy's extreme
right he retired from Mechanicsvlle and we
pursued. When, by this retiring movement,
he had concentrated, he Supposed, sufficient
troops to contest decisive field with U.S. we
fell upIn him with enc division at time. The
consequence of imperfect attacks was, that the
enemy was never crushed, though he was al
ways defeated 1t is not unreasonable to sup
pose, in view of what was accomplished by
piece-meal, that if, at any critical time, several
divisions had been thrown upon the enemy, he
would have been routed, decentralization would
have ensued, and the result ofour victory been
fully and summarily accomplished.
Where the Rebels Were Baf1ed--McCieI.
Ian slips out Of the Eet--kebeI Loss.
By the desperate valor of our troops, and the
conspicuous exertion of Gen. Ambrose p. Hill,
whose division was in the extreme advance
and was engaged successively at Eliisons Mills,
fields was signalized by the success of our arms
But, with the remarkable and hard fought field
at Frazer's farm, our congratulations must
stop. The brilliant chain of victories is broken
here. After all that had been achieved, and
all that had been expended in the toll and
blood of three days fighting, we had failed to
cut off the enemy's retreat to the river, and to
accomplish the most important condition for
the completion of our victory. The whole
1ol
| wing, and had been permitted, as it were, to
slip through our fingers. There is nothing in
| TIE subsequent operations of our forces to re-
| pair the effects of this fatal blunder. At NAL
vern Hill the result to us was deplorable in
the amonnt of our loss and negative as to any
advantage gained over the enemy.
How Richmond was Saved fer the Time.
The Northern newspapers claim that the
movements of Mcclellan from the Chicka-
hominy river was purely strategetic. Up to
the first decisive stage in the series of engage
monts-Cold Harbor-there were certain plain
strategetic designs in his backward move
ment. His retirement from Mechanicsville
was probably voluntary, and intended to con-
centrate his troops lower down, where he might
fight with the advantages of numbers and his
own selection of position. AT Ellyson's mills
he had strong position, which was contested
with desperate obstinacy, and taken by despe-
rate valor. Continuing his retreat, however
he fixed the decisive field at Cold Harbor
where he had massed his troops and brought
into action his trusted regiments of old United
States regulars. He was attacked by Genera
Hills division in advance, and at this critica
juncture is to be found the most doubtful pre-
dicament in which the fortunes of the long anC
elaborate contest around Richmond ever stood
Had Mcclellan won the day here, his righ
, wing would have been in advance upon Rich
mond, and bis strategy would have been bril-
liantly successful. The turning point of tn
battle was when Ewells division appearet
among the trees back of the FORK of the road
and the houses which constitute the locality o
) Cold Harbor. The rest of Jacksons army
and a part, we believe, of Gen. Longstreet
2 division, appeared on the field some time afte
: this, and the battle was gained.
: North Of the Chickahominy.
! Having been pushed from his stronghold
! north of the Chickahominy the enemy mad
a strong attempt to retrieve his disasters
: renewing concentration of his troops 4
4 Frazier's farm. Here. however, the result W,
q less doubtful than at Cold Harbor for here
: was hat Gen. Arnbrose P. Hill, commandin
his own division and that of Longstree
= achieved the most remarkable victory over Il
= enemv that had yet been won, capturing a
!, the artillery that he had engaged, and breal
= ing the last hope OF change OF fortune whiC
/ had attended him on lis retreat. In the fiel
= at Frazier's we detect the same error tn
seems to have imperilled our fortunes in evel
stage of the contest, and to have detracts
. from all the results gained by US, to-wit: IL
n plan of attacking the enemy in imperfe
70 force, and putting him off by defeating hi
= with one or two divisions when he might har
"A been crushed by fearless and decisive conce
= tration Of many divisions. At Frazier's far
- : two divisions were thrown against the who
4 Yankee army; and, indeed, the error mig