The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-11
the CONDUCT OF the WAR,


Report Of the Congressional Commisass
on the Opesa00os OF the Army
Of the Poeonae.
CAUSES OF ITS lNACrIoN AND TIE
oUCCRsS.
Mr.. Wade, from the Joint Committee on the
Conduct OF the War, submitted the following
report, with the accompanying testimony:
Ct coxDgcr OF TIE WAR.
In December, 1851, joint committee of the
two houses Of Congress, consisting of three mem-
bers Of the Senate and four members Of the
house of Representatives, we're appointed, with
Instructions to inquire into the conduct Of the
present war. r
- Your Committee proceeded to the discharge
Of the duty devolved upon them, and have la
bored zealousiy, and they trust, faithfully, for
that purpose. As evidence Of that, they would
refer TO the large mass Of testimony taken by
them, upon many subjects, and herewith re-
ported. 'sa aa e
The subject Of inquiry referred to them was
one Of the utmost Importance and magnitude
Upon 'the conduct of the present war" depended
the issue Oft experiment ipaugurated by our
fathers, after so much expenditure of blood and
tsreasure-ihe establishment of nation founded
upon the capacity of man for self-government.
The nation was engaged in q contes. for it's very
threatened the overthrow Of our free institutions,
and the most prompt aud vigorous measures were
demanded BY every consideration ofhonor, pats
riotisn, and a due regard for the prosperity and
happiness of the people. ay lgwais y SIS
Your Committee could perceive no necessity
for recommending any particular legislation to
Congress. Its previous course showed that no
such recommendation was required. When Con-
gress met the preceding July, fresh from the
people-csled upon to provide for the safety of
the Government and the maintenance of the
national honor and existence-the representa-
tives Of the people gave full evidence that they
.comprehended the duty devolved upon them,
and had the courage and will to fully discharge
it. The administration called by the people to
the head OF the Government, in this the most
critical period of the nations history, was more
promptly and fully supported than that Of any
other Government of which history has preserv-
ed any record. The call of the President for
money and men had been more than complied
with; no legislation which he had deemed neces-
sary had been denied By Congress, and the peo-
pie had most nobly and generously supported and
sustained what their representatives had prom
ised in their name. The same Congress, fresh
from their constituents had again met, and there
could be no doubt that, as they had before acted.
go would they continue to act. 1t needs but to
refer to the history Of the Congress just closed,
its prompt and thorough action, clothing the
Executive with the fullest power, placing at his
disposal all the resources of men and money,
which this nation possessed, to prove that your
Committee judged rightly that Congress needed
no prompting from them to do its entire duty.
Not upon those whose duty it was to provide
the means necessary to put down the Rebellion,
but upon those whose duty it was to rightfully
apply those means, and the agents they en-
ployed for that purpose, rested the blame, if
any, that the hopes of the nation have not been
realized, and its expectations have 80 long been
disappointed. ,s1HE
Your Committee therefore concluded that
they would best perform their duty by endeav-
oring to obtain such information in respect t.
the conduc: Of the war as would best enable
them to advise what mistakes had been made 10
past, and the proper course to be pursued in the
future; to obtain such information as the many
and laborious duties of the President, and bis
Cabinet prevented them from acquiring, and to
lay it before them with such recommendations
and suggestions as seemed to be most impera-
lively demanded; and the journal OF the procee-
dings Of your Committee shows that, for long
time, they were in constant communication with
the President and his Cabinet, and neglected 20
opportunity Of At once laying before them the
information acquired BY them in the course Of
their Investigations % &Ei Haa z9 sa
Many specific subjects of investigation pre-
eented themselves for the consideration of your
Committee, any one Of which might we'll require
the action Of committee for itself; and all Of
which, if fully investigated, would demand the
attention of all the representatives in Congress.
It was apparent from the first that your Com
mittSe would be compelled to conine their
attention to y few Of the more prominent sub
jects Of inquiry; to those the investigation OF
which would best enable them to comprehend
the causes aud necessity. If any, for the delay
and inaction characterizing the operations OF
our armies in the field. s-g7 az sav
And while each of those subjects has received
from them the attention which its importance
merited, SO far a. they were able to give it, the
attention of your Committee has been turned
more particularly to the history of the Army Of
the Potomac.i hthe history Of that army is to
Be found oil that 10 necessary to enable your
COMMITTEES 70 report upon 1.-THE conduct of the
var" Had that army fulfilled all that gener>
Gus and confiding people were justified in ex-
pecting from il. this rebellion had long since
been crushed, and the blessings of peace restored
to this nation. The failure Of that army 70 full
all those expectations has prolonged this con-
test to the present time, with all its expenditure
of life and treasure, for it has to great exsen,
neutralzsd, if not entirely destroyed, the egiti-
mate fruits which would otherwise have been
reaped from our glorious victories in the West.
Therefore, while your Committee have no,
failed to take the testimony Of witnesses in rela
ton sosmi!itary operations in other parts Of the
country, and also upon various subjects to which
their attention has been specially directed by
Congress and the War Department. since the
Committee was first appointed, the principal par,
of the testimony taken BY them relates to the
Army of the Potomac aud those subjects more
Immediately connected with ito oDer atoms -
They have taken the testimony of nearly 200
witnesses, almost entirely men in the military
service of the Government, including about loo
generals. do so SD
The disaster at Bull Run in July, 1851, was
fully Investigated by your Committee, As being
the first conflict of the national troops with
armed treason upon the field of battle; and aiso
because the troops there engaged formed the
nucleus around which has since been collected
the vast and magnificent Army of the Potomac
The result of their investigation your Committee
submit in separate report.
Your Committee have also investigated the
disaster At Bale Bluff, that battle being the first
conflict OF any extent in which any of the troops
nj arm nj tha De- H.