The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1863-12-11

from the scene OF operations, and based
upon nothing, may delude a very few into
the belief that the late campaign was a
complete success; but to the intelligent
reader it is unmitigated nonsense.
RsAe 0yer,ansi Route to Richmond
MEADE, according to the reports, found
LEE too strongly entrenched in the vicinity
Of Orange Court House, to feel himself
warranted in risking an attack, and he
therefore withdrew the Army of the Po-
tomac from, the soGth Of the Rapidan-
retiring by the same fords over which he
crossed on Thanksgiving Day. This re-
treat is doubtless the end OF the present
attempt to reach Richmond by the over
land route. Three campaigns have been
made By that army to accomplish this feat
since the Government abandoned McCLEI~
LAN's route by the Peninsula, and caci!
has failed The good oll rule OF Three
times, and cut," has been demonstrated to
be q safe one by al experience; and there
was never q c2se presented where It's ap-
pllcation would be more .iudicious, than to
this OF seeking to reach the Confederate
capital overland
1t is rarely OF Use to treat any matter
censOriously, and we have no intention OF
/n i,,y &t,>
favori5e plan for taking Richmond. Yet,
there are some considerations which force
themselves forward, when the events of
the last sixteen months are reviewed At
that time MCCLELLAN received orders to
evacuate 5le Peninsula. His forces were
in an impTegnable position, within twenty
five miles OF Richmond, where he had
been some days, imploring the President
to send him reinforcements, with whose
aid he would be able to capture the Rebel
stronghold. The answer tc his appeal was
the order, given and repeated, for his re-
treat, and the abandonment of his cam
paign.
We all reco!ect how that campaign was
viewed, and especially by the radical ele-
Inent of the country; how the losses it
entailed were magniiied and with what
malignity the terms cut-throat, "mur-
derer," imbecile," and even TRAITOR"
were east upon MCCLELLAN by his enc
mics. The losses in the Peninsular cam
paign were heavy, but they become tri
fling when compared with those since slli-
fered by the Potomac Army in the mad
attempt TO work out the overland plan.
McCLEILAN's entire casualties from the
: time Of bis landing ON the Peninsula to
it's evacuation, amounted to 22,S75 men,
in killed, wounded. and prisoners taken.
Of this number q very small proportion,
only 2,73S, were killed. Since that time,
working on the anti-McCLELLAN pro-
gramme, the Army of the Potomac has
suffered losses in action to the extent o
some 10000, in killed, wounded, and
captured And we are greatly farther off
from Richmond now than we were sixteen
months ago; with every prospect utterly
cut off, in the minds of all judicious men,
of being able to reach the Rebel capital
by the overland route at any time, or with
any force at the Governments disposal
In the light of these repeated failures, it
is instructive to read the opinion which
MCCLELLAN at that time entertained of the
scheme to reach Richmond by the PREs1-
DENTS and HALLEoK's route, across the
country from Washington. How clearly,
by that light, does the military sagacity of
MCCLELLAN shine-fortb, in the letter which
he addressed to HALLEoK, after the evacu-
ating order had issued, imploring its with
drawal, that the needed reinforcements
might be sent, and that the rebellion might
be crushed at tue very seat and heart of its
life and power. We reproduce that letter,
below, and ask for its careful perusal:
BERKELEY, Va, Aug. 4,-12 NJ.
MAJOR GsneraI Hd!Jeck, Commander Chief:
Your telegraph of last evening is received
l must confess that it has caused me the great
est pain ever experienced, for / am convinced
that the order to withdraw this amy to Aqua
Greek will prove disastrous in the extreme to
our cause. / fear it will be fatal blow. Sew
eral days are necessary to complete the prepar-
ations for so important q movement as this,
ana while they are in progress beg that care
full consideration may be given to my state
'ment. This army is now in excellent discipline
ana condition: We hold q debouche on both 4
banks OF the James river, SO that we are free
to act in any direction, and, with the assistance