St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-04-23

tsAss professions, BY excluding from hia
camp all papers except those in his inter.
est. BY direct and indirect appeals to the
human weaknesses Of the men under his
command aud By every other art Of dem.
agogucism he McClellanixed the army Of
the Potomac. While he lay ut Washing.
ton holding two hundred thousand fighting
men in ,dleuess and suffered his allies Of
tho Confederate States to blockade the
Capital, he also continued to SOW in the
! minds Of the men he thus disgraced in
tho eyes Of the world sentiment Of dis
trust towards Congress, the President,
che Cabinet and all the constituted au-
thorities Of the Government he pretended
10 defend while busily betrayiug it.
That no contemplated establishing a
military dictatorship preparatory to strik.
ing hands openly With Secessia, there is
little room for doubt. His leading organ,
the Herald, put out feelers to see how it
would work, but the general sentiment in
the ranks was that tho first time the Dc
tator came within range Of a private
musket he would get ball in his brain
pan. Of course this sentiment was con-
veyed to him through his horde Of spies
and lackeys. AS this army was composed
Of the very flower of the country, Of men
whose loyalty was unquestionable and who
were not to be bought or bribed, the pro-
cess Of disposing Of its members, IN such
way as to bring glory to Southern arms,
disgrace to Yankees, WEAKNESS and dis
trust to tue loyal millions at home and
material for political allies at the North
to work upon the minds of unsuspecting
men by charging his failure on the Pves-
ident and every one who might be in the
way of the ascendanoy Of treason, was ill.,
dustrisusly prosecuted.
Baker and bis band Of heroes were pur-
posely sent to Balls Bluff to be disposed
of: That they were purposely sacrificed
tie get them out Of the way, and that his
object was to silence forever the faithful
muskets Of our Minnesota First in revenge
for the death they dealt amongst his Sc
cession friends at Bull Run, I have not a
doubt. One Of the War Committee told
me he had evidence which satisfied his
mind, although not sufficient to warrant
the statement in an official report, that in
speaking OF Bakers death Mcclellan said:
"The damned volunteer deserved to be
killed !"
Aftvr the Bali's Btuf massacre the army
was taken, .purposeiy taken, to the Chick
ahominy swamps to be decimated by
disease and by placing detached corps in
positions to be attacked by overwhelming
numbers Of the enemy.
Since coming here I have talked with
a young ex-oficer Of Wisconsin regi-
ment who was discharged on account of
permanent sickness contracted in those
swamps and who now describes the attack
on Casey's Division with dilated nostrils
and clcnched fist, when recalling the
feelings with which he and thousands OF
brave men in the other divisions stood
and heard the roars Of artillery and mus
kerry Of the overwhelming numbers who
were moving down their companions in
arms and they not permitted to go to their
assistance.
1t was that same battle Of which Me-
ClellAn telegraphed that call the Divis-
ions behaved we'll except Casey's."
It is wondorous to look through the
columns Of that report and trace the
same features Of seeking excuses for de-
lay, Of deliberate plans for having Wash
ington exposed to capture, of his misman.
agement, his sacrifice Of troops and calls
for men. He could not follow the enemy
after the battle of Antietam without rein
forcements although that battle had been
won while he held $4,000 men inactive.
His only cry was "give, give" Wash
ington should be left unguarded, the
Western States to the mercy Of the ene-
my and all resources of the government
given to him.
On reading the report the question is,
"Why did not the President remove
him I" He disregarded not only the ad-
vice but the express commands Of bis su-
periors in command, delayed, baf1ed, do.
fed the purposes and wishes of the entire
War Department and yet he was retained
in command. Even so, aud it appears an
evidence Of great weakness in the Presi-