The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-12
From the Seventh Of November to the
Fourth Of December.

Gen. MCCLELLAN was removed from the
Army of the Potomac on the seventh of
November. At that date his whole army
was in motion and for a fortnight previ-
ously, on the march from the Upper Poto-
mac to the Upper Rappahannock, he had
everywhere driven the rebels before him
having been engaged in succession Of
brilliant skirmishes, without a retreat, or
even reverse. He had taken possession
of Suckers, Ashby's, Thoroughfare, and
Manassas Gaps, and so closed every ave-
nue. by which the rebels could precipitate
themselves from the Lower Valley of the
Shenandoah upon Washington while the
rise of the Upper Potomac protected Ma
ryland and Pennsylvania from invasion.
His advance on the right wing, under Gen.
BAYARD, at Flint Hill, at the eastern base
of the Blue Ridge, short distance south
of Front Royal, threatened the Shenan-
doah, where, at that time, a large portion
of the rebel army remained; while his
advance on the left wing, under Gen. PLEAS
ANTON, at the crossing of the Orange and
Alexandria Railroad over the Rappahan-
mock, threatened both Gordonsville and
Fredericksburg, and was distant only about
thirty miles from either point. Washing
ton was fortified, as it now is, and other
wise as strongly protected and no appre-
hcnsion as to it's safety was INDUCED in,
under any conceivable adverse crcumstan-
ces He could have taken Gordonsville,
or Fredericksburg, OF both, before the
twelfth of November, in spite Of any oppo-
sition which it was in the power of the
rebels to bring against him. Even at the
slow rate Of six miles a day." he could
have done this and he was actually NOV
ing at double that speed, when he was de-
prived of command "Six miles day "
would have brought him to Fredericksburg
on the twelfth he would have been there
on the tenth, and found no force that could
have withstood him single hour
MCCLELLAN's control ceased with the
seventh, and BURNSIDE took command on
the eighth. The Army of the Potomac
stood still from the seventh to the seven
teenth--ten days. This was no fault of
BURNsIDEs. He required that length of
time to acquaint himself with the position
of the forces placed under him-the orders
in accordance with which they were act
ing-in a word, with "the situation.'' He
doubtless moved forward as soon as it
would have been possible for any General
in the service, under like circumstances.
But, ten days were lost BURNsIDE's ad-
vance arrived opposite Fredericksburg on
the twentieth demanded the surrender of
the place ON the twenty-frst, which was
refused and from that date to this fourth
of December, according to the news re-
ceived, BURNSIDE has been working to
place himself in condition to'entorce his de-
mand. He is working to place himself,
with the CHASTITY certainty of immense sac
rifce, in the same position which McCLEL-
Ian would have occupied three weeks
ago, with the probable loss of ten men, and
the possible loss of hundred. And, for
the dead who are to die before Fredericks-
burg, if the dread, anticipated slaughter
shall ensue there, who will be responsible?
Not MCCLELLAN not BURNSIDE. But,
who ?-T Daily Pioneer, 4th.
SENATOR WILKINSON has hard a long inter-
view with Lincoln, to try and induce him to
hang the three or four hundred Indians con-
demned to death by the courts of Minnesota. 1t
occurs to us that this is neither dignified nor
humane business for United States Senator to
be engaged in.-lWlwauhee Sentinel.
Perhaps our friends of the Sentinel
would not have uttered judgment so
harsh if they were better informed Of the
reasons why the sentence of the court
should be executed. We will not argue
this point however, but will ask the views
of the Sentinel on the propriety Of Sena-
tors, Representatives, Governors, deputa-
tons of the clergy and of citizens at large,
waiting on the President and demanding
the disgrace Of favorite Generals, or the
adoption of a certain policy, coupled with
threats in case their demands are not &C
ceded to.
Chaplalncy Declined.
The Hastings Coneseruer says that, after