Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-12-07

ASs0e mas gone Into winter
pattses - DID the drst successor Of Geo.
s'lss about one year ago. The
I'VE army that he commando 10 uo-
qeal 70 the task before Il; At least Gen.
ssds says 20, and be commands the
Army Of the Potomac. Burnside,
osoksr aod Aeadc-tbres iavor,tes Of
we Adm Illustration, have done their
sses'est ios more than one year, aided
- oil the means within the power Of
tns Administration, to prove that Gen
AeC'ellan's plane with regard to the
capture Of Richmond, we're worthless
One after another have these men start.
% Oh for Richmond BY the very route
shat their superior in everything that
goes to make op . good General, told
the country was impracticsble. One af-
tsr another have they led their meo to
the slaughter. Burnside, Hooker and
Meade, each in their turn have crossed
the R.ppabannock. and in turn have
they been sent back, without even
distant glimpse Of the rebel capital to
reward them. B God has flowed 10 tor
rents, brave heats hsvs been hushed in
death BY thou. ands and tens of thou
sands, and yet the declaration Of Gen.
Mcclellan is un,haken. Ever since the
hour that Halleck recalled him and his
army from the Peninsula. the city Of
Richmond has been perfectly safe. Let
10 read Gen. McCIellans remembrance
to this action Of Gen. Halleck, dated
Aug. 4th, 1852, q. Berkeley, Va, on the
Jsmes River
To Major General Haileek, General tn
CNisf:
Your telegram Of Last evening is re-
ceived. | must confess that it has cans
ed the the grestess pain ever expert
ence,i, for 1 sm convinced that the order
to Withdraw this army to Aqua ere k
will prove disastr rus IN the extreme to
our cause ! lear il will be fatal blow.
Several days are Necessary to complete
the preparations Tor so important move
ment rs the, and wbie they are in
progsess beg that careful cons de- a ion
may be given to my statement. This
srmv 10 oow in excellent di'cipline and
condition. We hold a debouche on both
banks Of the James river, so that we ale
free to act in any region, and with the
assistance Of the ounboat., l consider
our co,nmuuicat on NJ eccure
We are twenty-five miles from Rich
nond, and are not likely to meet the en-
emv IN force sufficient to fight a battle
until We have reach ed fifteen TO eighteen
niles, which brings II, practical y with
il ten miles Of Richmond. Ours largest
line Of land transportation would be
from this point twenty five miles, bu,
with the aid of the gnnboa's we Can
supply the army by water du ing its adj
vance, certainly to within twelve miles
of Richmond. At Aqua Creek VIC would
be seventy FIVE miles from Rickmend,
with land transportation all the way.
From bereto For.r IS Monroe j. amarch
Of about seventy five-m les, tor regard
it rs imp,aci,cable to withdraw this ar
nv and it's m ,terial excep, by land. The
result OF the movement would thus be TO
march las miles to reach point now
only twenty-five miles distant, and to
deprive ourselves entirely Of the power
fol aids Of the gunboats and water tran
spor.ation.
1t may be said that there are no rein
forcements available. point to Gen.
Burnside's forces, 10 those OF Gen Pope,
not necessary to maintnn q strict de-
fence front Of Washington and Har.
per's Ferry to those portions OF the
army OF the West not required for a
strict defense there. Here, directly 10
font Of this army, is the heart OF the re-
belIlon. 1t is here that all our sour
ces should be collected to st ike the blow
VIII CHI ~i.l determine the tate of the ma
ton. All points Of secondary import.
anca should he a5anto ntd. aud ever,
available man brought here. A decided
victory here and the mil tsry strength
Of the rebellion is crushed. 1t matters
not what partial rtverses We may meet
with elsewhere; here is the tru detence
of Was timytom It is hero on the
bank OF the James river that the fate Ut
the Union should be decided.
Clear il my conviction If right, strong
in the CONSCIOUSNESS that l have ever
b.en and slill am actnsted solely by love
Of my county know ing that no anti
tous or selfish mo ives have inf ..nc.d
me from the commencement Of this war.
en- reat that this o. der my be rescindeo.
1t my COUNSEL does rot p,evsii, will,
with u 81 heart, obey your order to the
utmost Of my power, d.vo'ing to the
movement, one Of the utmost delicacy
and diff ulty, whatever skill may s.
sess, whatever the result NAV lie, and
may God grant that l an mistaken in
NV lore holdings. | shall at least have
the internal s.t- faction that have writ
ten and spoken frank y, aud have sought
TO do the best IN my power to avert dis.
aster from my country.
GEoRaE b. MCCLELLAN.
Major General.
Every word and every line has been
v;odca' ed in blood. Thirty thousand
graves attes, it. Yet The alministratiou
will not heed the truth, but still persists
in the slaughter.