The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-11-20

The following important correspondence
will, perhaps, give some of the reasons
which actuated our War Department in /!
recommending a change in the command
Of the Army of the Potomac:
LETTER FROM GEN. HALLECK.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, Oct. %, 1862.
hon. E. IL Stanton, Sec'y Of lfdr =
SIR: In reply to the general lntefrogato-
ries contained in your letter Of yesterday,
have the honor to report:
FIRST. That acquisitions for supplies to
the army under General MCleiian are
made bv his staff officers on the Chiefs OF
Bureaus here; that is, the Quartermaster
applies by his Chief Quartermaster on
Onartermaster General; for commIssary
supplies by his Chief Comnissary on Com
missary General, &c.
No such acquisitions have been, 10 my
KNOWLEDGE, made upon the Secretary o.
| War. and none upon the General-in-Chlef.
Srcoa9 On several occasions, General
Mcclellan has telegraphed me that his
army was deficient in certain supplies, All
these telegrams were Immediately referred
! to the heads Of bureaus, with orders to
rcport. It was ascertained that IN every
instance the acquisitions have been lmme-
/ diately filed, except where the Quarter
master General had been obliged 10 send
from philadelphia certain articles OF tents,
clothing, etc., not having full supply
here.
There has not been, 50 far as l could
ascertain, auy neglect or delay, IN any de-
nartmeDt or bureau, IN issuing all the
Ilupplics asked for by General Mcclellan,
or fv the officers of his staff
DELAYS have occasionally occurred IN
forwardinc supplies by railroad on account
Of the crowded condition Of the raiiroad
dpDots, or of a want of sufficient number
of cars but, whenever notified OF thE
fact. AGENTS have been sent out to rem oY'
the dificulty under the excellent super
intendence Of General Haupt. think
those DELAYS have been less frequent anC
of shorter duration than IS usually tn
case with freight trains. An army OF TN
size Of that under General Mcclellan wi
frequently be for some days without tn
snpnTes it has asked for, Gu account OF
neglect in making timely acquisitions TO
them. and unavoidable delays IN forward
, ING them and distributing them to IN
: different brigades and regiments
> From all the information can o3talT
am of the opiuion that she reqaisltIon
; from that army have been filled nor
: promptly, aud that the men, as a gener:
} rule, have been better supplied, than
the case of our armies operating IN tn
: West. The latter have operated at muc
- Greater distances from the sources OF su
e Mics. and have had far less facilities Il
u transportatiou In fine, l believe that
u armies Of the world in campaigning ha'
x x been more promptly or better supple
=, than ours.
m Third. Soon after the battle of Ant
tam, General Mcclellan was urged to g
J. me information Of his intended movemen
aS ! IN order that if he moved between c
IL enemy and Washington the reintorcemer
as could be sent from this place On
% first of October, finding that he purpos
o' TO operate from Harper's Ferry, l urg
:" him to cross the river at once and q
III battle to the enemy, pointing out to h
ne d,sa4vantaces of dclayiug till the autUu
u9 rains had swollen the Potomac and l
- paired the roads. On the 9Th oil ocoo{
N he was pefcmptori}y orderea TO cross t""
f0H1dC ant ace Cdtftc 10 me et'"tBi ~ ''
oi him South. I said TO him: foa IN
an mare nor. while the roads are IN g
~ condition" 1t Will be observed that th
~ weeks have elapsed since that ORDER
~ given.
ma Fourth. In my opinion there has b
hu no s,l.A ,oant Of supplies "a ne army '''
or (fenesal II Ctclian us to pre0eat hfs COM
leu aace aoith my orders 10 ad0aace npo"
- ,on enemy.
rn- Had he moved his army on the so'
90 side Of the Potomac, he could n
OF received his supplies almost as readily
!, by remaining i,octire on the north side
the FHlh. On the seventh OF October
INK = telegram in regard to hi- intended mt
in- ments, General Mcclellan stated that
by would require at.least three days to sup
The FIRST. 'ffrh and sixth corps; that t
to- needed shoes aud other Indispensable I
the cles Of clothing, as well a- shelter tie
on No complaint was made to me shat
bad armv redoisitions had not been flied.
ade It was inferred from his languaae tha
IS / was onle waiting lor the distribution
-" his supplies.
at On the eleventh Of October he
craphei TO me that portion oi ms
plies seut by railroad had been deia