Smyrna times., 1863-04-16

O-OSNN'ONt
Ian, though stongly urged by the President,
would not send column to cooperate with
the naval vessels in destroying the batteries
and clearing the river;
That, in spite of the solicitations of the
President, of the Secretary of War and of
the war committee, and {" the opinion of
Generals most familiar with the subject that
1t was Of the utmost importance" he neglect
ed to even begin the division of his large
army into army corps until the lst of March
That no provision was made by him dur
ing the Winter to properly man the fortif-
cations around Washington, and exercise
men in the management of guns;
That the President, impatient with the
long delay, on the 10th of January, issued
orders for general movement of all the ar
mics; that this order not being needed by
Gen. Mcclellan, he issued another order
twelve days atterw.rd, specifically enjoining
an advance movement by the Army of the
Potomac before the 22d Of February upon
Manansas, and thence on to Richmond :;
that Gen. Mcclellan opposed the order, in
sisting upon the Rappahannock route, and
that while he was consuming time in inter-
posing objections, the enemy evacuated Ma
nasSaS without the loss of man or pound
of material
That when the General settled upon the
James River route, with the assent of the
President on the single condition that such
a force should be left in and about Wash
ington "as in the opinion of the General
| ln-chief and the commanders-of all the army
corps shonld leave said city entirely secure"
that these commanders in council concluded
that at least 55 900 men were necessary to
protect Washington, 10000 in the forts.
and 25,oO0 as a covering force), and yet
that Mcclellan left but 10000 to protect
the capital, and those poorly disciplined,
and without any knowledge of artillery;
That Mcclellan reached Yorktown on the
5th of April, and on the 9th the President
wrote him, saying that " it is Indispensable
to you that you strike blow; the present
hesitation to move upon an intrenched po-
sition is but the story of Manassas repeat
ed" and yet Gen. Mcclellan rested one full
month before Yorktown, though when he
first reached it, it was defended by less than
II, 900 men.
That the General, instead of directing the
movement on to Williamsburgh, remained
behind at Yorktown, witheut definitely in-
trusting the command to any body, and
that in consequence the Williamsburgh bat
tie was fought in confusion, and at immense
disadvantage and loss;
That, after the battle, he arrested pursuit
and sent two of the divisions back to York
town, though several of the Generals testify
that had the enemy been properly followed
up Richmond would have been taken at
once, and all the subsequent intelligence of
theconditiOn of the rebel army and of the
rebel capital at that time confirms the fact
That two weeks were consumed in get
ting the army from Willamsburgh to the
Chickahominy, a distance of only forty or
| fifty miles
/ That on the ChickahOminy the General
ordered Gen. Caseys division of new and
undisciplined troops three-quarters of mile
to the front, at Seven Pines, within six miles
of Richmond, left them there for days un-
protected, against the urgent remonstrances
of Gen. Casey and Gen. Keyes, and that
in consequence they were attacked and over
whelned with tremendous slaughter
That, after the successful battle of Fair
Oaks, on the next day, according to the tes-
timony of the highest officers, "the army
could have pushed straight into Richmond
with little resistance" but the General ord
cred the troops to be recalled;
That he was continually sending on to
Washington for reinforcements and in par
tioular for Gen. McDowell's corps, on the
Rappahannock, though he knew that the
enemy had detached large force of the
Shenandoah, under Stonewall Jackson, and
were threatening Washington, and that the
men protecting it were much less than the
number originally agreed upon as necessary
t. its defence;
AT Gaines Mill, 27,OOO of our troops
we're set upon by 65, 900 of the enemy and
badly beaten--all the effect, as testified by
high officers, Of not keeping the army pro-
perly concentrated;
When the resolution was taken to retreat
to the James River, General Mcclellan
printed an order to destroy all baggage and
tents and equipage, and only failed to issue
it because other officers demonstrated
against it:
AL the seven days battles were fought in
the absence of Gen Mcclellan, and without
4 -. l:.o.&;ox, f.oo, him ha oNng.:.nm L.,