The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-16
PENlNSULAR CAMPAIGN.
WHAT A PRUSSIAN OFFICER
SAYS OF 1T.
THE SEVEN DAYS. FIGHT In FRONT Oh
RICHMOND.
| GERMAN MILITARY SKETCH.
Memoirs OF Staff officer of the
COnfed erate Army.

NAenOlrS Oh u St6u OulccT Oi INV
confederate Army.
What would have been Accomplished ri
Mcdowell had Joined Mcclellan.
The subjoined paper has been translated
for the National Hatelligencey, from Ger
man journal, to which it was originally
communicated by Prussian officer, lately
connected with the Confederate service.
The paper relates to the operations which,
occurring before Richmond, resulted in the
check of General MoCLELLAN's advance,
and in imposing on him the necessity of
seeking new base of operations against
that city. 1t will be perceived that the
intelligent military critic, in reviewing
these operations from the Confederate
standpoint, arrives at the conclusion that
the immobility of General MoDowELLs
column at Fredericksburg, paralyzed the
forces of General MCCLELLAN, though, as
we need not say, the writer was under a
false impression when he supposes, as he
seems to do, that the inactivity of General
MCDOWELL resulted from any oversight,
either of General MCCLELLAN or General
MCDOWELL.
If the latter had been subject to the
orders of the former, it cannot be doubted
that the junction of the forces at Freder-
icksburg with those on the Peninsula
would have been effected. How this would
have changed the aspect of affairs to the
advantage of General MCCLELLAN, this
German critic (concurring with the Prince
DE JoINvILLE, and, indeed, with all compe-
tent observers, SO far as we can discern)
does not neglect to state. 1t will be also
seen that he pays high tribute to the
skill of the dispositions taken by General
MCCLELLAN in the untoward emergencies
thrust upon him, and awards full praise to
the valor and steadiness of the Union
troops.
The sketches of our war from which this
extract is made, appeared in the Cologne
Gazette, of the 25th, 26th and 9th of No
vember last.
From the Cologne Gazette.
THE author of the following sketches,
who helped to organize the Confederate ar
my, and who had high command in it up
to the time when a severe sickness seized
him, is at present in Germany in order to
restore his health. His sketches of the
military events and of the state of things
in America, are based on his own expert
ence in the field, and, before that, on ten
years sojourn in America. We give them
from his original manuscript, as repre-
sentation Of the state of things there, COM
ing to Europe directly from the camp of
the Southern States.
THE SEVEN DAYS BATTLE by RICHMOND.
On the approach of the terrible armada
of the Unionists we had to leave our posi-
ton on the Peninsula near Yorktown, and,
after having spiked part of our cannon,
we fell back on our defensive position near
Williamsburg, in order there to cover our
capital (Richmond,) by strong fortifica-
tons, as well as by a compact formation
of our troops. The Commander-in. Chief
of the Union forces (McClellan) did not
permit himself to be misled to the belief
that we were beaten because we had given
up voluntarily our position near Yorktown.
He disembarked his troops in an excellent
manner and commenced the fertilization of
his position. We likewise gave up the
lines of Williamsburg without great resist
ance; the only difficulty was with old Gen.
Magruder, who loved that position, which
L Cd IL f,%l
loves his child. Only after much hot dis
pute it was possible to reconcile the old
iron-headed General to this plan. Will
liamsburg then was evacuated by our
troops after some cavalry fighting, and we
continued our march to the capital in two
columns.
In the meantime the greatest confusion
reigned supreme in Richmond and all
who could, fled southwark with what they
could take along. The nearer the hostile
army came to Richmond the worse became
the confusion there. The Government it
self increased the confusion. Instead of
conquering or falling with the army before
Richmond, it gave orders to all the bureaus
| to pack, and the ordnance officers were
ordered to send the contents of the maya
| zines further south. Even President Da-
Wis acted the hare's part, and fastened
with wife and children to North Carolina
| 1t is easily seen how by all this the popu-
lation was transformed into a feverish state
of mind, bordering on insanity. All was
CRYING and noise and confusion. The Sc
cret police of General Winder got confused
and helpless, too. The civil functionaries
| of Richmond would have liked to have
done something, but did not know what
might be done by them. A mob, small in
number, hailing from Baltimore, profited
by this confusion, and passed resolutions
in a public meeting, that the city should
be burned as soon as the Union troops
would attack the city. All fled who
could. The sick and wounded were trans
ported into the interior many public and
private buildings were prepared for the
nroaching fearful catastrophe.
In this critical moment, Johnston, the
oo,nmander-in-chief of our troops, got