The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-12-26
GEN. HALLECk,s REPORT.

The report of tho Generalin Chief al
though not 30 widely republished - some
Of the other executive reports, is really tho
most important Of all. 1t not only details
the movements Of the army for tho past
year, but disclsses many Of the secret
springs BY which those movements were
directed, and gives the secret causes of
some Of the most noted failures and dis
asters A contemporary thus comments on
a portion of this important document:
IF the statements set forth in this 90.
port as facts are really true, as there is no
REASON to doubt, it is easy to see that there
has been a constant triangular fight here,
during the whole year, between Lincoln,
Stanton, and Gen. Halleck, the former two
sometimes pulling together, but both Of
them always pulling against the Generals
in-Chirf, countermanding his orders, and
upholding those generals in the field who
disobeyed him. And it is easy to see, too,
that, whenever success has attended our
arms, or even when we have made q sue>
cessful retreat, it has been when General
Hallecks orders have been obeyed and
those of Lincoln and Stanton disregarded;
while, on the other hand, whenever Lin>
coins orders have been carried out and
Gen. Halleck' S orders have been disobeyed,
defeat and disaster to our arms have in
variably ensued. On the 18th of June
Gen Haileck telsgraphed to Gen. Schenck
and Gen. Milrey, ordering the instant
evacuation of Winchester; obedience to
which order would have saved the 5000
troops and the three millions OF dollars
worth Of cannon and stores which fell into
the hands Of the enemy. But Schenck
and Milroy being on intimate terms with
Lincoln, disobeyei this order, and on the
18th Winchester and all it contained (even
the wives of Union officers, whose hus-
bands and protectors Ingloriously hsd)
were captured. IIalleck complained Of
this act Of disobedience and its conse.
quences, and with reason; but the Press
dent cast his protecting arms around both
the lnsubordinate officers, and shielded
them from all harm Schenck was allow.
ed to leave the army, and is now here in
Congress Milroy was brought to trial be-
fore packed cour:-martial But the ties.
timony which would have convicted him
and cashiered him was suppressed by order
Of the President, and Milroy was sent back
to his command. Both of these men are
shining lights among the abolilionists.
On the 10th Of July last, the Union and
confederate armies, both retrsating from
Gettysburg towards the Potomac, found
themselves on opposite sides of the fam ous
Antietam Creek. On that day Cen Hall
leck telegraphed his orders TO Gen Meade
to attack the rebel army Immediately, and
by no means to allow the latter to get
across the Potomac without a battle. In
obedience to these orders, Gen Meade
had series of sharp skirmishe. on the
lIfh ard on tho ICtl he fC.rcaI roe-
sage Of that stream, and occupied Funks-
town and Hagarstown The latter place
had been Gen Lees headquarters only the
day before. Gen. Meade intended to at
tack the rebel army at Williamsport on
the 18Th But on the morning of that
day he received by telegraph an order
from the President, saying that the troops
which had been sent up by Gen. Dix from
Fortress Monroe were then en- route from
Baltimore. and would join by the next day,
the 18th, and requesting him not 10 to at.
task Lea until these troops arrived, as it
was important not to risk defeat Of the
Army of the Potomac. Gen. Meade obey
ed this order, and the consequences were
most fatal. During the whole Of Monday,
the 18th, Gen Lees army was engaged 10
crossing the Potomac River INTO Virginia
Gen Lee himself had crossed In person on
he saw the long columns Of his troops de-
file before him on their way TO Winchester.
1T Gen. Meade had made the attack on
the 18th, as Gen. Halieck had ordered, he
would have won an easy victory The
rebel army was then divided by the river,
ana was In the very act of crossing AL
though line OF battle was maintained all
Gay, ye' 1t was a mere show Of force and
an attack would have proved it a mere
aae4. cen tRhg thaMt Ell puMfyd AaA
gone, and swollen river yawned between
them
II Gen Halleck was thus bold in direct
ly duplicating the President and Score tary
Stanton as responsible for some of our
heaviest disasters, it Is easily imagined he
would manifest no less temerity in hand
ling the faults of his generals. For ex-
ample:
He refers to a movement in Gen Dixs
Department at the time of Lees invasion
to cut oil the enemy S communication with
Richmond, and of attacking tina, place,
then defended by only handful of militia
- The expedition, however. failed" says
this report, to accomplish single object
for which it had been fitted out the fail
ure resulting, 1t was alleged, from the in
efficiency Of one Of the.Generals command
ing" We suppose this refer. to General
Keyes.
General Hunter catches it after this
fashion. lie mentions the expedition of
Gen. Foster, with large siege train to as
sist in the naval attack upon Charleston.
We quote:
1t was thought that his talents and
experience as an engineer officer, and his
personal knowledge Of the localities and
defensive works of Charleston harbor, rem
dered him peculiarly suited for this duty
but not proving accentaJls to the Commanding
Gen. OF tie Department., he was permitted to
return to his command in North Carolina,
leaving his troops and seige preparations in |
the Department Of the South "
So, then, the Jealousy of Gen. Hunter
overruled the orders of the authorities at
Washington.
But of all the Generals, Burnside is
handled the most severely. Commencing
with his assumption of the command |
Of the Army of the Potomac, he details
he operations preliminary to the battle of
and Iefers to the change
IF base from the Warrenton line to Acauia
Creek or Belle Plain, as not approved BY
him (halleck) The President, it seems.
however, acquiescsd in Burnside's plan,
though he did not give 1t h.s ....nt.., Il
'urther appears that Gen. Burnside has
never furnished any report of the battle of
beyond his brief kilograms
rom the field, in which he assumed all
he responsibility, for bis failure Yet in
'pite Of this the country knows that Gen>
,ral Burnside was afterwards given another
important command and retained it.