Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-20

vESrIoN ..Sow CERTAIx-CHARLEsroN WILL
NOT BIZ TAKES THIS ~TIxE-SEcREr HIsroRr OF
rus BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tfmes.l
WAsHIseroX. April 9gt
The information received here bv the War De-
partment in regard to affairs in the Mississippi
Valley is Of such a nature as to make il evident
that the spring campaign on the Mississipni is
over, and that nothing more can be done there
until next fall. The whole campaign has proved
a wretched failure, and the failure is entirely
owing TO Mr. Lincoln and Mr.. Stanton. They
planned the whole affair and arranged all the de
tails, and all the combinations of the expedition
were made by them. II was from the Eyecu
tive Mansion. and from the War Department. TOO.
that these delusive telegraphic dispatches ema-
mated stating that "The President was never so
hopeful of a speedy suppression of the rebellion
as at present." that VIcksburg was evacuated:
that the YazOo Pass expedition was successful:
and that the Mississippi was on the point of being
opened.
IL is now evident that the task of opening the
Mississippi is a much more gigantic undertaking
than Mr.. Lincoln supposed; that Gen. JJhnston's
measures for the defence of Vicksburg. Port
Hudson, and the line Of the Yszoo River are Of
such a nature. that our forces now there are en-
tirely inadequate to accomplish the reduction of
those places; that the heat of summer, which has
already commenced at New Orleans, and the
spring fevers at Vicksburg, will so enervate our
soldiers and decimate their ranks that il will be
cruelty to keep them there; that Gen. Banks is
now. or soon will be. acting on the defensive;
and that the question will soon become pertinent,
whether it will not be better to Withdraw all our
troops TO Cairo md New Orleans, or employ them
elsewhere? As regards Vicksburg. no one here
who knows the facts about its defences expects
TO see it reduced. All the attempts to reach his
rear or to gain its flank have proved ~abortive,
and to take such a place by storm is simply i'm
possible. Such, then, are the results of a cam
paign planned by Lincoln and Stanton. Such
have been the results of every campaign planned
by Lincoln and Stanton or by either of them =
And such will be the results of every campaign
planned by either or both of them, until the peo-
pie rise in their might, and declare that the use
less, f~ruitless strife shall cease.
The news of these Union defeats on the Miss
issippi will have a powerful effect in Europe
Already the Confederate loan had been success
fully negotiated This news will greatly facili-
tate all the hnanciS schemes of the Coniederates
in Europe, and pSba5ly viii lead to immediate
action ON the part of Napoleon in favor. of the
South. In all probability, Mr.. Stewards bland
assurances that our foreign relations were never
on "A more satisfactory footing will be falsi6ed in
thirty DAYS. And. whatever action Napoleon
takes in the matter, he will be followed and sus-
tanned by England. Pretexts on the part Of Eng
land will not be wanting. The valuable aid and
assistance which she has already afforded to the
COnfederates is notorious, and matters look very
much now as if we would have a foreign war on
our hands in less than sixty days. 1t we are de
feated at Charleston, this result may be consid.
cred certain.
The Administration has authorized the state
meat to be made that Charleston will certainly
be in our possession in less Than a week. | know
too we'll, however, the strength and extent of the
delences at Charleston 70 believe that. The de
fences of Charleston are t~ice as strong and for
midable AS those at Vicksburg; and, although |
know that Admiral Dupont and Gen Hunter will
do all that human skill and courage can do, ys
candOr compels me to saw that there is no 9rOba-
bility whatever of their success.
The publication of the - Report of the Com.
mittee on the Conduct of the War" having given
new weapons to the enemies OF Gen. Mcclellan,
which they are welding against him with all their
former ferocity, | deem it proper to add the fol
lowing to the statements in my last letter:
II was no part OF Gen. McClellan's plans to
fight 4 battle at Williamsburg on Monday, the 9th
OF May. On Sunday morning. as soon as it was
known that yorktown was evacuated Gen. Nc
Clellan sent the cavalry under Gen Stoneman.
and the light artillery IN pursuit. IL was known
that the enemy would take post ut Williamsburg,
which we knew was fortified. But nothing WAS
knoy n of the strength OF the position, or of the
topography of the approaches to it. | remember
distinctly that Gen. McClellan's order to Gen
Stoneman were simply to watch the movements
of the enemy aud to reeonnoItre his position aud
the approaches to il. and report 20 him; but not
to bring on a general engagement. Gen Stone
man executed this order. In the meantime, the
troops of the corps OF Gen. Heintzelman and Gen.
Sumner were ordered forward, and. when / rode
from Yorktown towards Williamsburg on Mon
day morning. | found the road. to within two
miles OF the battle field. crowded with artillery,
ammunition wagons and infantry. Gen. McClel-
lan's orders were for these troops 10 select and
take up positions, and await further orders. But
the ImpetuoSitv and raShness of Gen. Hooker
preciDitated "a battle, the result Of which was "A
victory indeed, but Il barren victory, since it was
a positive hindrance to the campaign
In the meantime Gen. Mcclellan hid sent the
division OF Gen. Franklin up the York River in
transports. He intended them to land NJ West
Point, and to march towards Williamsburg. so rs
to attack the rear of the Confederate position
there. while ne. with the main body of the army,
a sailed it IN front Ho0ker's rashness prevent
ell this Without reconnaissance. without know
ing anything Of the nature of the ground, he
ordered his batteries of artillery forward, and
made them open on the enemy's works. The
enemy Immediately made a sortie, and captured
some OF these guns. as they were without infant
! ~ ShVpplAo. I NC i''iC lth - ht1tttctN vic III
imminent peril of being captured. when the
timely arrival of Cen. Kearney, with part of the
troops of his gallant division (of Heinlzelman's
corps), aud accomp inled by Gen. Heintzelman
himself saved them. know these to be the
facts, as | witnessed them Being thus engaged
IN Il general action, there was nothing tor our
brave troops to do except TO fight it out. which
they did most CALAMITY and successfully. The
action, however, clme near proving fatal to
! u,oLor ,,d bil u1.pla divfsian As-.ilal la his
turn bv superior numbers, he was compelled to re
treat. leaving the bodies of two thousand of his
brave fellows wing among The fallen timber, and
closely pursued by the COnfederates. This
retreat of Hooker continued till Gen Kearney's
division, as ] have mentioned, came up to his
support.
But the effect of this furious attack on the reb-
els was TO cause them to evacuate Williamsburg
at once. and before Gen. Franklin's troops could
land at West Point If our troops had gone no
further than within three miles OF Williamsburg
on Monday. as Gen. Mcclellan intended, the ar
nv would have been massed in a proper line of
battle on Tuesday. Nav 6. and effective positions
would have been assigned TO each division. On
that day the battle would have been fought with
the same result. with this difference: that the loss
on our side would have been infinitely less; that
the enemy would not have left Villa msburg .un-
Ill Wednesday, when their fight would have been
intercepted before they reached New Kent b.
Gen. Franklin, by whom they would have heen
attacked. Gen. Mcclellan would then have
pressed on Immediately in the rear of the retreat
ing foe Assailed thus in front and rear. they
miQht have cut their way through Franklin's di-
vision and got to Richmond; but the probability
would be that they would be cut to pieces or
forced TO surrender Richmond would thus have
fallen into our possession after. at most, a brief
and weak resistance. Thus. when the secret his