The New York herald., 1862-03-20
General z Rurnside's Report OF the Capture
OF Ncwbern-The Strategy OF General
Mcclellan.

General Rurnside's Report OF the Capture
OF Ncwbern-The Strategy OF General
Mcclellan.
The highly interesting official report of Gene
raj Burnside, giving an account of the capture
of Newbern, in North Carolina, by the forces
under his command, will be found in another
column. His details of the battle will possess
more than ordinary attraction for our readers.
But there is o single sentence in the report to
which we desire to call their special attention.
1t is as follows:-"I beg leave to say to the
General commanding the army that have en-
deavored to carry out the very minute instruc-
tions given me by him before leaving Anna
polls, and thus far events have been singularly
coincidcnt with his anticipations." From this
brief statement of pregnant import it Is clear
that not only the whole enterprise was planned
by General Mcclellan, but the most minute de-
tails of it, and 80 sure were his calculations
that they were verified in the most singular
manner by the events.
This is true generalship, and it vindicates
the wisdom of the Presidents choice in select
ing Mcclellan for the high post of General
commanding the whole army, and especially
as the leader of the Army Of the Potomac. 1t
puts to silence the factious clamors of those
journals and politicians who would rob him of
his due share of the credit for the splendid vic
tories in Kentucky and Tennessee, beginning
with the defeat of Zollicofers army near
Somerset, and ending with the capture of Fort
Donelson and Nashville. The strategic move
ments ON the Tennessee and the Cumberland
were the inspiration of his genius, and Burn
sides report renders it exceedingly probable
that their successful execution is due in no
small measure to his .'very minute instruc-
tons" Halleck and Buell. and Foote did noby
in carrying out his ideas, as Burnside has now
done. They are men of the same stamp as
himself, and with such generals cooperating
with him, and with such troops as they CON-
nand, he can do anything.
Why was Fremont removed from commend
of the Department of the Mississippi? Chiefly
because he had not the capacity to understand
and appreciate the plans Of the Comm,nder-in-
Chief or was so filed with spirit Of insubordi-
nation that he preferred operating on his owu
hook and launching out into wild expeditions
UHFDlk HO COhllNCticu Will thV ScbcIul pidi.
and rather obstructing than aiding it. When
his successor arrived to relieve him of the COM
mand he found every thing in the Department. in q
state Of confusion. BY sending Halleck to the
West order was edlced from chaos, and Cen
eral Mcclellan soon realized the splendid
fruits Of bis military conceptions. 1t was well
known in January last that he had long before
planned the successes which are now history
aud his confidential attaches can bear witness
TO the fact. While the abolition hounds re
newed their Coward to Richmond ~ cry, and
insisted that the capital of Virginia should be
marched upon at once, Mcclellan paid no at
tention to their yells, but calmly contemplated
the whole vast theatre of his operations, and
with a soldiers eye determined that this was
not the way to make short work of the
war. Had he then won o battle in vir-
ginia and occupied Richmond with his
raw levies, he would be further Off from
final success than be is now. The enemy would
have fallen back southwark, and concentrated
n great force, without any Union armies to
'thwart his purpose or interrupt his progress.
But whether he is defeated now in Virginia or
retreats without fighting, he will find power
full army ahead OF him. owing TO the triumphant
strategy which has restored Tennessee to the
Union. Two months ago we told the growlers,
who demanded an immediate assault upon Ma
nassas and Richmond, that this was reversing
the order Of the campaign, and that Nashville
must fall before Richmond And so IL has
turned cul and some of those journals who
were then loud In their denunciatons of the
Fabian policy Of the General-in-C Chief now ac-
knowledge its wisdom, and virtually confess
their own ignorance and folly.
Last fall General Mcclellan predicted, with
the clear vision Of man who knew
the reasons for what b said thss 4, IL