The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-16
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
LETTER FROM A MINNESOTA SHARP
SHOOTER.

of the companies OF Minnesota SharpShOOters
attached to the Army of the Potomac. 1t por-
trays in forcible language the high regard Ofthe
army for General MCCLELLAN and their conf
dence of success under him, as well as their
dissatisfaction with its management by the au-
thorities at Washington. We get correct idea
from this letter of the private feelings of the
soldiers, which cannot be obtained from the
radical papers, through which nearly all the
army news is spread before the country.
ARMY OF THE POToMAC,
Camp near Belle Plain Virginia,
December 20, 1862.
To the Editor of the Pioneer:
Some time ago | wrote an article and
sent it to the Press, but as it favored Gen.
Mcclellan, believe it never was publish
ed. We get the Press here in camp, and |
see he has dropped all Of the more impor-
tant principles which should actuate every
good and loyal man, and has gone in with
the radicals
1t is really astonishing to us in the ar
my to see what blindness some of these
men are possessed of, when the very life
of our country hangs, as it were, upon
single hair, and when every true man
should set his shoulder 10 the wheel. and
help move the great car that i, to crush
out this rebellion, and restore union, peace,
and prosperity to our people and country
once more. But alas . what do we be-
hold :? Bitter denunciations against our
greatest General, and why Because be
has done more for the country than any
other man, and because he is the very idol
Of the army he commands
| | would like to ask who guarantees to
the authorities in and around Washington.
assurance ofther safety and security against
any approaching danger: The answer
must be, the bold front presented towards
the enemy by the army of the Potomac,
and yet these outside demagogues and
Washington dictators will strike the very
heart strings of the army and dash to the
ground all our best hopes, where we looked
for ccess
These radicals cry out that Gen. McClel-
Ian is ''too slow, and such general cannot
be tolerated. Our country demanded bis
removal We are fast people, and must
have fast general.
When Mcclellan was superseded it was
not generally known in all parts of the ar
my until the tenth of November, and it
was the cause of general indignation, not
because of the promotion of Gen. Burn
side, for we all think him an excellent man
and true patriot, but we had been success
full under our former leader, and was 10th
to give him up. Now we don't intend to
blame any one in particular for the ten
thousand men lost before Fredericksburg,
but somebody is responsible, and fearful is
that responsibility, when we know that
nothing has been gained either to the
country, or the cause. Perhap we learned
that they had equal if not more fighting
men than We, and were well defended by
earthworks
We believe there are men in the Army
of the Potomac, who, if placed at its head,
and allowed to use their own Judgment
and generalship, and given time to mature
their plans, without being dictated to by
all the newspapers and correspondents,
and Others high in authority, who have
never seen the enemy or his manoevering,
something might be expected from the ar
my, but as the matter runs. orders must
come from IIalleck or some one else,
which to wait for, proves detrimental.
We have been with Mcdowell, with
Pope, and with Mcclellan we have seen
fighting under all of these, but we must
give the preference to Mcclellan. His
presence is better calculated to inspire
troops to action than the most eloquent
appeal of either of the other two. At
South Mountain and Antietam we saw it
demonstrated, there was no struggling,
but every man determined to conquer or
die. Contrasted with Bull Run and Gaines
vile, the picture sickens, and we leave the
subject. -
If there ever was time in this nation s
history when it required the united effort
of every good man to sustain it, that time
is nor. And why is it not possible that
these extremists should drop their sec
tional views, and turn in as with the
strength of one man, to crush and break
down the rebellion, secure our Constitution
and rights, and then settle sectional views
and domestic matters? | candidly believe
that unless this is done, our country will
be lost; and let those who are best able to
Judge, say who is responsible.
Truly yours W.
SASKATCHEWAN PRINTING.