Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-11

was never called to render his testimony before
this committee.
In the fourth place, this testimony, such it is,
is not published as it was taken. 1t is marked by
suppressions in more places than one Having
given SO much Of the official correspondence be-
tween the War Department and Gen. Mcclellan
as Gen. Halleck thought important for portion
of the investigation, the committee end by Civ
ing the testimony where they think proper and
it where they think proper. OF course
a document thus compiled has no claim to either
genuineness or authenticity, except SO far as the
truth may be eviscerated from the volume by
careful comparison of the testimony in its present
shape, and by collation. and reduction of the con-
ficting opinions it contains.
There is one point upon which no obscurity
rests-we mean the province assigned to them
selves by the committee in the performance
of their duties. On this head the members say in
their report
"Your committee concluded that they would best per-
form their duty by endeavorng to obtain such nforma
ton respect to the conduct of the would best
enable them to aduse what mistakes had been made in the
past and the proper to be pursued in the future to
obtain such the many and aborlou duties
of the President and his Cabinet prevented them from
CURING and to lay it before them @ such rscommsnda
ons and suggestions seemed to be impsratipsy
demandsd aud the journal of the proceedings Of your
committee show that for long tme they ,stan
communications s0th the President and his Cabinet and
neglected no opportunity q at once laying before them the
Information acquired By them in the Of their inpes-
legations"
The committee conceived themselves it will be
seen, to be associated with the President and the
Cabinet in the active direction of the war.
The way in which the committee performed their
duties may be gathered from such limitations as
the following, contained in the journal of their
proceedings:
WASHINGTON, JANUARY 81, 1862.
The committee met pursuant to adjournment; all the
members present.
The chairman instructed by the committee to ad
dress the following to the Secretary Of Wars
"CoMMITTEE Room, SC
/" Washington, January 81, 1862
"SyR: am instructed by the Joint Committee on the
Conduct Of the Present War to inquire of you whether
there is such Office commanderinchef of the army
OF the United States any grade above that of major ge
neraf If by what authority is it created Does it
exist by virtue of any law of Congress- any usage of the
Government Please give the information asked for
at your convenience
!" remain, very respectfully your obedient servant,
"B. f. WADE. Chairman, &c
Hon. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War"
WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY III, 1862
The committee met pursuant to adjournment Mr. John
son absent
The chairman informed the committee that pursuant to
their instructions OF yesterday he and Mr. Chandler wait
ed upon the Secretary of State with the testimony relating
to Gen Charles p Stone. The Secretary of State con-
Quoted them to the Presidents and 10 his presence such
portions Of the testimony called for and there was
time to read was read by the senographer of the
mittee.
By direction Of the committee an interview was
had by portion of their number, Consisting of
the chairman Mr.. Wade] and Mr.. johnson, of
Tennessee with the Secretary of War and Gen.
Mcclellan on the 10Th of February, 1852, relative
to the importance and necessity of at once wipng
out that disgrace to the nation-the blockade of
the Potomac and the siege of the capital" On
behalf Of this subcommittee, Mr.. johnson, of
Tennessee, made the following report, see p. IS:
Gen Mcclellan stated that the subject had been con-
sdered by him. that be had just then been seeing what
could be done, and short lime expected to be able to
inform US what steps could be taken. When asked how
something would be DONE he replied that it
question Of weeks but of days. and proceeded to state
what had been done. The inference from what he said
that some steps being sken and the delay
simply depended upon procuring The necessary He
said he could not give his consent to TAX the
other side Of the river without having their protect
ed, and having all precautions taken to their
treat if necessary that he designed fret throwing tenn
porary bridge the Potomac which his
troops, and immediately proceeding to erect permanent
bridge
ITO which the chairman Mr.. Wade promptly replied
that with 10000 OF the most effective troops in the world
upon the other side of the Potomsc there no need of
bridge; they could beat any free the enemy could
bring against them, and if any Of them back. let
them come back in their cofius. To which Gen McCle-
Ian made reply.
Mr. johnson stated that the interview with the Score
tary had been very satisfactory that the Secretary
listened atentvey 10 all that the chairman sad and al
though the chairman sometimes made his statements to
Gen Mcclellan in pretty strong and emphatic language
the Secretary endorsed every sentiment he uttered The
Secretary feels strongly upon this subject this
mittee does"
The subject of the division of the Army of the
Potomac into corps engaged the attention and d.
rection of the committee as follows
WASHINGTON, MARCH 3, 1862
The committee met pursuant to adjournment; Mr. Ode
absent.
On motion Of Mr.. Chandler, the chairman was instruct
ed unanimously to notify the President that this commit
tee desire interview with him and his Cabinet
evening at O'clock at which time this coInni tee
will again urge upon their consideration the absolute
cessity Of dividing the Army of the Potomac into army
corps.
Adjourned to ii A. M. tomorrow.
These extracts will suffice to show the wide ju-
risdiction assumed by the Committee on the Con-
duct of the War. In our next number we shall
have something to say on the use which the COM
mittee made Of the evidence they took and Of the