The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-06

General shs Bs Taa%eed and s%Sarrssssd ssa
collision with The and on the sys o. an
pend in the army under ySuT fa1ass os
ders. He also writes you privately.
The provisional corps OF General fz John Porter ana
General Franklin thereupon formed BY reducing the
other corps from three 10 two divisions
Your committee endeavored " obtain as accurate in
formation possible relation 70 the strength and po
sition Of the enemy in front Of Washington The ess-
however, far from satisfactory. Early In December
an order had been issued rom headquarters prohibiting
the commanders In the front from examining any persons
who should come into lines from the direction OF the
enemy but all such persons we're be seut without ex
tions we're also placed upon the movements Of scouts
The result was that the generals examined appeared 70
BE- almost entirely ignorant 1ne on1T GTce ,,cs =,
information as they were allowed TO obtain
at headquarters; The strength Of the enemy Was va
who formed the highest estimate based their opinion
Information received ut headquarters As to the strength
the enemy position the general impression seemed
source that exceedingly formidable Subsequent
events have proved that the force OF the enemy was be-
low the lowest Of these estimates and the strength
Of their fortihcations very greatly overestimated.
Your committee also sought TO ascertain what NUMBER
o. men could De spared from TINS army Sr on % opS
In front OF such character that It would not be ad
visabe to move directly upon the The estimate OF the
force necessary be left In and around Washington TO
entirely the defensive 10 render the capital secure
against any attack Of the enemy, as stated by the wit
pesses examined upon that point, from SO 900 to
40 600 men leaving 100 600 or upwards that could be
used for expeditions at other points
In connection with the same subject, your committee
inquired In to what had been done TO render
the orfcatons here, which had been constructed at
such expense with great labor most effective for
strained say that adequate provision made
to properly fOrtihcations and exercise in
@ she s
the authorities 10 the matter bat without success And
when the movement Of the army commenced In March,
the few regiments that bad been placed in the forts and
partially instructed the Of the guns, almost
entirely withdrawn leaving the forhcatons To be man
ned by raw and inexper fenced troops
The subject OF the obstruction Of the navigation OF the
Potomac naturally demanded the consideration Of your
committee. Upon that point your committee would call
the attention of Congress to the testimony o Captain g.
" Fox Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Upon reference
70 his testimony will appear that IN June, 1861, the
Navy Department proposed TO the War Department that
be adopted TO take possession Of Matthias Point
In order TO the oil the Potomac from any
danger Of being interrupted From some cause no steps
then taken for that purpose The subject was again
brought attention Of the War Department by the
Navy Department the month Of August shortly after
the battle Of Bull run Nothing, however, was done at
that time In regard to 1t.
In October 1861 the Navy Department again urged the
matter upon the consideration Of the War Department.
The Port Royal expedition then In preparation and
would be ready start. The Navy department re-
presented that would be absouey Necessary TO send
with that expedition or,io oroer ns%ae poomas s SSS @
tilla, because, being very powerful vessels OF
hight draught, with their machinery protected, they
better fitted that service than other vessels
the possession OF the Navy Department And II any
thing was by them to the uninerrupt
ed navigation Of the Potomac be done before they
left II was proposed 10 the President War Depart
that the gunboas should take and destroy the rebel
batteries which had then begun " make their appearance
upon the river, and which even then endangered the
safety of vessels passing up and down the Potomac
when that had been done proposed that sun cient
number Of troops should be landed NJ Matthias Point,
&c 10 nrenc under the protection OF the
Runboats, until they sh0Hd be able. with the assistance
of the smaller boats Of the Potomac oa 10 hold their
position against any the enemy would be likely TO
bring against them II represented that unless
such steps taken the departure o those vesses upon
the Roy expedition would be the signal for the closing
Of the navigation OF the Potomac which representation
the result proved TO be correct Az well urged BY the
Navy Department the whole question amounted simply 70
this Would the army cooperate with the navy IN %
curing the unobstructed navigation Of the Potomac,
by Withholding that cooperation at thai time, permit
After repssted1enorts, General Mcclellan promised that
900 men should be ready at q time named 70 proceed
down the'river The Navy Department provided the ne
cessary transports for the troops and Captain Craven
commanding the Potomac nola, upon beng notified 70
that effect Matthias Point all the boats OF bis
nota atthe time named The troops dd not arrive, and
the Navy Department informed OF the fact by Captain
Craven Assistant Secretary Fox, upon inquring OF Gen.
Mcclellan why the troops had not been sent according
neors were OF the opinion that 10 larSe body
Of troops could not be landed. and therefore he
that the landing Of the rooTs matter Of which the
Navy Depar ment had charge that they bad provided
the necessary means 70 accomplish tne landing success
70 that matter and no notification that the troops we're
not 10 be sent.
Il was then agreed that the troope should be sent the
next night Captain Craven was again notified again
had his hoa IN readiness for the arrival Of the ools
Ilt no troops were sent down that time
ever sent down for that purpose
Captan Fox in answer 70 the inquiry Of the committee
20 assigned for sending the troops
According 10 the second replied that the only
reason 80 far a. he could ascertain was that General
Mcclellan feared that might bring on general engage
,nent
The Presdcnt who had united with the Navy Depart.
meut in urging their hrsl upon General scott
ana than unon eneral Mcclellan manifested great dsap
pontment when he learned that the plan had failed In
conseouence or the roops not being sent And Captain
rravsn threv nm h,s command on the Potomac and an
plted 10 be- sent 10 sea saving that by remaining here
ana doing nothing he vas but osng his own
~ the bsme for Permitting the Po(bmsc 10 be
would be imputed 70 him md the notIa under his
mand
Ton the faure M this plan Of the NAVY Depsrtmept
the sective vessels Of the Potomac ian upon ths
port ROW erpedtiou The navigation Of the river IVES