Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-09
NATIONAL INTELLIGEN CER.
THE CONDUCT OF TIE WAR.
REPORT oFTHE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.

VI lhE SSSpnIIotO-'AA~~
The Joint Committee on the Conduct Of the War. APP
pointed by the late Congress- and which oy resolution oi
one or both Houses permitted TO continue is Stgs
after tho expiration Of the official term Of that Congress,
concluded ON Friday last branch OF Its aoors by the
sd pou If Report devoted chiefly to tho Operations Of
the Army Of the Potomac.
This IA por as we learn from its p,ges is to be fol
,d nv others relating to the frat battle at Bull Runhe
tops there engaged having the nuceusof the Army
Of the Potomac-srd to the disastrous conflict at Balls
ua in which portions Of the troops of tie same army
were engaged Report also promised the Western
D.partm NJ. Tho battle at Fredericksburg is noticed
on in part No mention is made OF the operations the
sh, npudoah aud Mountain Department. As regards the
cam, gu of lie Arn Of Virginia, under Gen. Pope, The
committee SAYS that the crcumst Connected with u
have been 80 full BY the military urts in
the cases of Grn Mcdowell and Gen. Porter that he
committee deemed It unnecessary 10 make so thor ugh
an aton OF that campaign as they W. ud otherwise
hsys DONE 1t therefore coufnes itself to recital Of
the orders and correspondence in relation to the delays
In the forwarding Of Gen. Summers aud Gen. Frank ms
o,rps from Alexandria to the assstaIc e Of Gen. Pope
For the same rrasonhat tho subject has been invest
gated by military commissou-tho committee has not
dc, med it necessary take much testimony In RELATE to
the surr nder Of Hapsrs Ferry and does not oppose
we inter- to make any report Ia regard 10 that affair
The Report before would, inserted at large occupy
psary four pages Of Paper Three-fourhs OF IL Is
occupied with the military services OF Gen. Mcl lelap,
commencing with his appointment as the successor OF
Gen Scott and coming down to November last, VIII, he
WINS 70 eyed of the commsnd Of the Army of the Potomac
His forces his movements his delays his repeated calls
for reiuiorcemens his differences with The President and
eueralin Chief his alleged failure to provide proper
prot. ciun for the national capital, &c. with much OF
which our r. aders are already fam liar are advered to-
more or lees large aud peIsed with unavorabe
views of his in the field based upon the opln
ous of o,her officers who were called before The commit
tee The testimony not yet printed and Of course does
not the report to which we shall have occasion
IL Ieeur hereafter
We place before our readers the following coumns the
remaining branches Of the Report
CONDUCT OF THE WAR.
In December, 1861, q joint Committee of the two
Houses OF Congress- consisting OF three members oil the
Senate and four members of the House of Representatives
was appointed with instructions TO inquire INTO the con-
duet Of the present war.
Your committee proceeded the discharge Of the duty
upon them and have abored zealous and they
tru,t faithfully for that purpose As evidence of that
they would refer to the large mass OF testimony TAKEN o
them upon many subjects, and herewith reported.
The subject Of inquiry referred to them one Of the
ntmost imuo lance AID magnitude Upon the conduct
of The present war DEEPER dcd the issue vi the experiment
inauRuraed by fathers after SO much eIprndur
bio aud treasure-tbe ct hhment at natin fu"ded
upon the capacity of for selg verum-n The nation
was engaged in contest for It's ~ exstencei reoe
lion unparalleled IN history, threstentd the overthrow of
free institutions, aud the most prompt ana vigorous
were demanded by every deraton of honor
patriotism aud due REGARD for the prosperity aud hap
plness of the people.
Your committee could perceive necessity for
including any tcular legislation TO Congress It's pre-
yous cur showed that such -ndation was
required When Congress met the precedif July fresh
frou the peop.-curd upon to provide Tor the safety OF
the Gov. rnm-nt and the maintenance OF the n,loaal
huor and existeuce-the Representatives of the People
gave full ev,d,nce that thy comprrhended the duty
d.voved upon them, and had The courage a. VIII 10
fully discharge IL The Administration called by the
people 10 the head OF the Government IN this the most
critical period Of the not eus history was more pr mpy
and fully supported than that OF any Other Government OF
which history preserved any record The call OF the
Pres dent for money aud had been more than com
piled wh legislation who he had deemed necessary
bad been denied by Congress- aud the people Rad mot
uoby and generous supported and sustained what the
representatives hnd promised la their The same
C,n2ess IRE sh from their constituents hsd again met
there cud be doubt tina. they hsd before acted
would they continue 1t D-eds but to refer TO the
history of the Congress just clsed its prompt snd
thorough art or clothing the Executive with the fullest
po~r pscpg his disposal oil the resources OF men aud
con,u,itt-s Iu-g,d rightly that G, ngress needed n,
prompting ION hem TO DO lite entire duty.
Not upon those whose duty 1t to provide the mea-
necessary to put down tho rebellion but upon tbosn wbo'
du,v IL TO hiuy apply those means aud the agent
they eup y-d fof tea purpo rested the bsme any
that the b. pes Of have not realized aud
expcc, ali ns I'VE bern 20 long d appointed.
Your q muitee therefore concluded TINT they woul
best poi form duy ny endesvorhg :" "balu such 10
Grna ion respect the Conduct OF the war as W Ill
best enable them advise hat mistakes bad beel ma
IN the past snd proper 10 be pursued 10 the "a
ture 10 obtain informant on a. he many AID aeorou
duties Of the Prrsdnt aud bs Cabinet prevented tben
from scqu e. and 10 lay before them with such recon
me dztis aud sugeestns as seemed to be most imporu
lively demanded and the Journal Of the proceedings
ycnr committee show that for long time they were i
constant communication with the President and his Cab
net and neglected opportunity Of at obce laying beior
them the in ormaon acquired by them IN the course
thrir investis aiiops
Many specific subjects Of investigation presented them
selves for the consideration Of your commttee, any one
which might well require the action OF Committee 10
isr ana Ill Of whc fully invest gHtcd would d. man
the attention of al the Representatives ~ Congress
was apparent tom first that your comm 70 would
Compelled 10 confne tn ir attention TO few OF The mor
prominent subjects II ipquiryto those the ihveshgso
Of which would best enable I'd N to comprehend The Cause
and u-oe.sy any, for the delay and inscion character
izihg the opera ious OF our armies 10 the nell
Aud each &C those subjects has received from then
the attention which its importance mertd so far ~ the
able to give it, the attention OF your committee no
been turned part culary T. the history OF the Arm
Of the Potomac Io the history OF that amy to be fouD
all that necessary To enable COMMITTEES To repor
upon the conduct " the war" HID that army fufl.,
oil that generous and cou6dpg people justified
I'd the blessings OF peace restored to this nation Tn
failure of that army 10 fulfil those exp. Citations has pro
onged this 10 the present time, with all ts expen
dture Of life and treasure for has 10 great extent
trslzrd, entirely destroyed the Legitimate fruit
which would otherwise have been resped from gloou