Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-05-21

n9ton and thereby rendered the presence large force
here unnecessary BY the adoption OF the lower route
division Of tie army rendered Imperative IN order 10
provide for ssey OF the capital against any attack iron
tina enemy Thus TO the language OF Gen McCeiian
himself IN reference to the movement proposed against the
enemy while ut Manassas committing the error OF divd.
log our army bya very dcut obstacle and By dstancs
too enable the two portions to support each other
shout either be attacked by the of the enemy while
the other is held in check"
The army in moving direct from Washington, avoided
all the delays and disorder consequent upon the embarka
ton and ation Of large force with all It's ma
tera And by investing Richmond on the north and NORTH
west cut th IN off from OF their great sources Oh
supply the shenandoah Valley and at the same time pre-
vented their raids through that region OF country Wnich
ngon to The assistance of the army of the Peninsula
Gen. Mcclellan states in his testimony that by adopting
the route by way Of Annapolis and the RappahaunocK no
hoped II proper secrecy was 10 DO aoe 70
the vicinity Of Rchmond before the rebel army at Manas
could be concentrated there for its defence What
probability there have been for the realization OF
such hope the time the Rappahannock route was de-
cided up ii entirely removed when the enemy eVac
uated Manassas before any actual movement was made oy
army. And Gen. Mcclellan at once relinqushed the
Rappahannock Route aud decided with the
Of his corps commanders to 90 by way OF Yorktown ana
the Peninsula.
One great objection to the Pennsua route indicated
by the testimony of all the witnesses who testify upon that
point including General Mcclellan himself, was the tota
of information in reference to the nature OF the coun
try there the kind and condition OF the roads The prepa
ratons for defence, &c The difficulties and emoarrass
campaign from that want of inform alton, are very evident
from the testimony.
DECISION OF THE GENERALS.
The decision of the council of twelve Generals in Feb
ruary TO move by way of Annapolis and thence TO the
bappahaunock The question of reopenDg the navigation
of the Potomac by driving enemy their batteries
upon the river, DISCUSSED 1t was, however, hnaly
cded that the enemy should be left in possession OF
their batteries and the movement should be made without
disturbing than. Tnis is proven by the testimony aud
also by the second paragraph the order OF the President
dated March 3, 1862, as folows:
EXECUTIVE MANSION MARCH 8, 1861
Presidents General War Order No a. jrdered, That
change of the base of operations of the Army Of the Po
toac shall be made without leaving in aud about Washing
ton snah force in tho opinion OF the General In Chief
and the commanders OF all the army corps shall leave The
said city entirely ure =
roops of said Army If the omac shall be moved route
for base of operations until the navs cation of the Pc
freed from enemys batteries aud other Instructions until
the President shall hereafter give exp permission
operations which be ordered by The Gene aE Chief
and which may be intended upon the Chesapeake
March instant and the General Chief ha be resi-
tina; it SO move early as thai day.
Ordered, That the army snd navy cooperate in an I'm
med ate Effort capture the enemy batteries the Po
tona' between Washington end tie Chesapeake bay
IL THOMAS, Adjataat General"
Before the movement by way Of Annapolis could be
executed the enemy abandoned their batteries upon the
Potomac and evacuated their position at Centreviie and
Mauhssas, recurring 10 Inc line Oh the hdppdhHnnocK
CHANGES OF THE PLAN OF MOVEMENT
When Gen. Mcclellan then in the city of Washington,
heard hat the enemy had evacuated Manassas he pro-
ceeded the river and ordered general movement
OF the whole army ia the direction of The position lately
occupied by the enemy The enemy moved on the morn
ing of the 10th of March the greater part of it proceeding
further than Fairfax Court house email force Of
the army proceeded to Manassas and beyond to the line
the Rappahannock ascertanng that The enemy had
tired beyond that river and destroyed the railroad bridge
across it
On the 18th of March Gen. Mcclellan ordered by tee
graph the transports from Annapolis TO Washington,
(aexandaD to embark the army from there, and in
formed the Department that be propred to occupy Ma
with portion of Gen Banks command and throw
all the force he could upon the line previously
determined upon Subsequent events 10 the Valley of the
Shenandoah terminating tor tme in the battle of VIM
chester OF March 23d prevented the force under General
Banks from having that valley.
On the 18th of March Geo. Mcclellan convened at Fair
Tax Court house council oil war, consisting Of four of the
five commanders of army corps (Gen. Backs being alb.
sent and informed them that he proposed 10 abandon his
plan Of movement BY way Of the RaPpahaunock aud sub
united to them instead plan of by way of the
York and james rivers The result Of the elaboration of
that council was as follows:
"HEApeUARTER. ARMY or THE Potomac
"FatffaE C0grt.house, March Is, 1852
council Of the Generals commanding army corps at the
headquarters OF the Army OF the Potomac Of
opinion,
First That the enemy having retreaed from Manassas
to Gordon VILE behind The Rapp hammock and the
10 the opinion of the Generals commandnz corps that
the operations to be carried be best undertaken
did Point Comfort between the York AMI james rvers
ch Londi provided FIRST that the enemy vessel the Me
imac be neurazyd second that the of ranspor
taion sufficient 10, transfer of the force tn
ba can be ready Washington aid Alexandria to
move down the Potomac; third u naval auxiliary
can be had % silence aid eencug the enemys batteries
IN York river fourth that the force to be eft TO Wash
gton all be euch a. 10 give an enre fee ing OF sscuy
for it's safety from menace Unanimous.
Second Ii the foregoing cannot be- the army should then
be moved against the benin the Rappahannock the
sares possible moment, and the ructng
bridges repairing railroads aud stocking them With material
sufficient for supplying the should at once be collected
for both the Orange aud Alexandra and The Aqua and Rich
mond railroads. Unanimous
NoTE That with forts the eht bank Of the Po-
tomac iuy ned and those left bauk occupied
covering force in front Of the Virginia ine Of 25 600
woui suffice tkeyes Heintzeman, and Nc Dowel total
Of ~ OOJ for the offence OF the city would suftce,
(Sumner')
The same day Gen Mcclellan informed the War De-
men that the council commanders Of army corps have
unanimously agreed upon plan OF operations and Gen.
it before you"
To this the Secretary of War replied: Whatever plan
has been agreed upon proceed at execute without
losing an hour for my approval"
The pan OF operations submitted TO the President
tae day. and he approved the but gave the
following directions as 10 lts execution:
First. Leave such force Manassas junction shall
make IL emit ely certain that the enemy shall not repossess
himself OF thai position and line OF communication.
/" Second Leave Wash gtpn secure
Third Move the remainder The force down the Poto
mac choosing new base a. Fortress Monroe, where
between here there; all events such
der of the army at pursut of the enemy by some
route"
THE MovEMENT--M DowELL's CORPS DETAINED.
embarked for the Peninsula previous to their embakaon
all the to concentrated upon the division